Reminiscent of the New York Times' tendency to start their annual crime statistics article with: "Despite a drop in crime, more people than ever are in prison..." CBS News makes a similar, erroneous assumption when it comes to public perceptions of Islam.

Although Americans believe they are better informed about Islam than they were five years ago, a new CBS News poll finds fewer than one in five say their impression of the religion is favorable.

Although? Could it possibly be "because"?

Last Christmas I was talking with a good friend of the family who had started reading an English translation of the Koran. He was definitely more informed about Islam than he was before he started reading it, and I think it's rather safe to say that familiarity bred even more contempt.