A new opinion survey conducted by Cornell University shows that almost half of all Americans support restricting the civil liberties of Muslim Americans. The proportion who support this kind of treatement is, not surprisingly, well over half among Republicans and people who described themselves as “highly religious.” The survey also reports:

Researchers also found that respondents who paid more attention to television news were more likely to fear terrorist attacks and support limiting the rights of Muslim Americans. . . The survey showed that 27 percent of respondents supported requiring all Muslim Americans to register where they lived with the federal government.

Twenty-two percent favored racial profiling to identify potential terrorist threats. And 29 percent thought undercover agents should infiltrate Muslim civic and volunteer organizations to keep tabs on their activities and fund-raising.

Apparently “equal protection under the law,” “all men are created equal,” and “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” only apply to Whites and Christians in this country.