3 in 10 Americans Admit to Racial Bias
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Jon Cohen and Jennifer Agiesta, Washington Post, June 22, 2008
As Sen. Barack Obama opens his campaign as the first African American on a major party presidential ticket, nearly half of all Americans say race relations in the country are in bad shape and three in 10 acknowledge feelings of racial prejudice, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
{snip}
Overall, 51 percent call the current state of race relations “excellent” or “good,” about the same as said so five years ago. That is a relative thaw from more negative ratings in the 1990s, but the gap between whites and blacks on the issue is now the widest it has been in polls dating to early 1992.
More than six in 10 African Americans now rate race relations as “not so good” or “poor,” while 53 percent of whites hold more positive views. Opinions are also divided along racial lines, though less so, on whether blacks face discrimination. There is more similarity on feelings of personal racial prejudice: Thirty percent of whites and 34 percent of blacks admit such sentiments.
At the same time, there is an overwhelming public openness to the idea of electing an African American to the presidency. In a Post-ABC News poll last month, nearly nine in 10 whites said they would be comfortable with a black president. While fewer whites, about two-thirds, said they would be “entirely comfortable” with it, that was more than double the percentage of all adults who said they would be so at ease with someone entering office for the first time at age 72, which McCain (R-Ariz.) would do should he prevail in November.
Even so, just over half of whites in the new poll called Obama a “risky” choice for the White House, while two-thirds said McCain is a “safe” pick. Forty-three percent of whites said Obama has sufficient experience to serve effectively as president, and about two in 10 worry he would overrepresent the interests of African Americans.
Obama will be forced to confront these views as he seeks to broaden his appeal. He leads in the Post-ABC poll by six percentage points among all adults, but among those who are most likely to vote, the contest is a tossup, with McCain at 48 percent and Obama at 47 percent.
His campaign advisers hope race may prove a benefit, that heightened enthusiasm among African Americans will make Obama competitive in GOP-leaning states with large black populations. But to win in November, Obama most likely will have to close what is now a 12-point deficit among whites. (Whites made up 77 percent of all voters in 2004; blacks were 11 percent, according to network exit polls.)
{snip}
Many think Obama has the potential to transform current racial politics. Nearly six in 10 believe his candidacy will shake up the racial status quo, for better or worse. And by nearly 3 to 1, those who think Obama’s candidacy will affect race relations said it will have a positive impact. (Four in 10 said it probably will not make much of a difference.)
African Americans are much more optimistic than whites on this score: Sixty percent said Obama’s candidacy will do more to help race relations, compared with 38 percent of whites. Two-thirds of those supporting him for president think it will improve the situation.
{snip}
Obama has some convincing to do among the 29 percent of whites who fall into the scale’s lowest category. (Twenty-one percent were in the top grouping, 50 percent in the middle.) Almost six in 10 whites in the low-sensitivity group see him as a risky choice, and a similar percentage said they know little or nothing about where he stands on specific issues. Nearly half do not think his candidacy will alter race relations in the country; 20 percent think it will probably make race relations worse.
{snip}
Numerous polls, for example, have indicated that McCain’s age may be a bigger detractor than Obama’s race. And more are now concerned that McCain will heed too closely the interests of large corporations than said so about Obama and the interests of blacks.
{snip}
[Editor’s Note: The complete poll results can be read on-line here.]
(Posted on June 23, 2008)
Comments
WaPo headline:
3 in 10 Americans admit to racial bias
My headline:
When polled on racial bias, 7 in 10 Americans lie
Posted by The Incredible Shrinking White Man at 4:57 PM on June 23
“And more are now concerned that McCain will heed too closely the interests of large corporations than said so about Obama and the interests of blacks.”
Maybe I will vote for McCain now because only one of those is a good cause.
Posted by at 5:07 PM on June 23
Everyone, I mean every one, who lives outside of the Washington Post, knows that the numbers are dead low. At least 80 percents of white either dislike blacks or, at least, dont trust them. The number comes from my own statistical observation — a correct one, because people was not afraid to tell me the truth.
Posted by alex at 6:49 PM on June 23
Lol….the article asked the wrong question.
The question they should have probed is, to what extent do people feel justified in their “prejudice”.
The article presupposes that “prejudice” is unreasonable, even pathological and that people feel shame over it. Neither of those is true. What is true is that large numbers of whites, who have been brain washed into anti-racism, are learning the hard way that is a lie. And it’s not an easy, one time thing, either. Repeated and aggressive experiences are teaching us that negative views about other races are EXTREMELY justified. Further, people are learning that anti-racism has an evil agenda that means them harm.
That is quite a bit different than people admitting to being closet racists and wanting to change. It’s actually those who are the most vehemently against racism that feel the most shame.
What is the source of that shame? Anger mixed with cowardice. They KNOW what the truth is but they are afraid to admit it. Because, if it’s true than they are surrounded by scary, evil people who are quite alien to them, and mean them harm. Better to be in denial and hide away in an all white neighborhood working HARD to earn enough money to pay for everyone on welfare.
Eventually, whites are going to have to do something. That means, at it’s most basic, armed conflict. The anti-racists are afraid of that.
You know what I’m afraid of? That the day will come when my family, my neighborhood and community are threatened. And that my neighbors will all cover their heads and lay down to die.
Posted by at 6:52 PM on June 23
Those 53% of whites that hold more positive views on race relations are the type that live in the subdivision in which my parents live. It took my parents to the age of 60 to live in a nice, white neighborhood; next door to a couple half their age with young children. The young couples are nice, decent white folks; but most of them have never had to worry where money was coming from. They could never imagine having to ‘live’ amongst what’s really out there. This is what’s running our country. They don’t have to ‘live’ around it, they don’t vote against it.
Race will forever and always be a the first and foremost consideration when seeing someone. There’s no getting around it.
No one, black or white, will change racial politics. African-Americans think Obama’s presidency will bring a positive impact to race relations. Of course they do. When you have nothing to lose; it’s easy to want, to take,…..to dream.
Posted by at 7:22 PM on June 23
In other news, 7 out of 10 Americans lied on this survey. Why isn’t the article about honesty?
Posted by at 7:35 PM on June 23
“There is more similarity on feelings of personal racial prejudice: Thirty percent of whites and 34 percent of blacks admit such sentiments.”
O.K….something is not right here. What about the hypocrites who did NOT admit to harboring those honest feelings of racial animosities??
….”and the truth shall set you free” from political-correct indoctrination.
Posted by at 8:02 PM on June 23
So what? John McCain would be biased toward White racial issues.
Posted by Melvin at 8:38 PM on June 23
“More than six in 10 African Americans now rate race relations as “not so good” or “poor,” while 53 percent of whites hold more positive views”
One of the reasons is that the news media keeps the fires burning by harping on race all the and acting as if there is racism behind every tree and bush. Also, black leaders yell and scream racism constantly to cover up the black race’s many failures and by keeping the race issue alive to make money.
Posted by at 9:08 PM on June 23
Can you imagine anybody but a few who really give a pollster an honest opinion on how they really feel about race?
Posted by Ranger at 9:30 PM on June 23
“And more are now concerned that McCain will heed too closely the interests of large corporations than said so about Obama and the interests of blacks….”
…despite the fact that whites should be concerned FAR more with Obama’s racial solidarity than with all the corporate malfeasance in America put together.
But then, what do you expect from a population whose mass media have been relentlessly feeding them the twin notions that blacks are innocent victims and that (white) capitalists are evil victimizers. Over four decades of this propanda has had its effect: a significant portion of our people can’t think straight any more.
But they’d better hurry up and remember how, else we’re all gonna be in big BIG trouble.
Posted by at 9:45 PM on June 23
How would sensible Whites feel anything else? Have you ever seen any Black political figure who didn’t couch virtually every position they had in terms of it’s effect on the Black “community” etc? Black elected officials are universally dedicated to Black “issues” first and foremost, and thus by default, to Blacks first and foemost. How could Whites not believe Obama will aslo be biased this way?
Posted by HH at 10:23 PM on June 23
3 in 10 Americans admit to being mentally competent.
Posted by Schoolteacher at 10:31 PM on June 23
Only 20% of whites have the fortitude to say what all but the most deluded whites must know? Shame! The only bright spot here is the usual irrational anger of blacks. After all, they are bribed to the sum of 100 billion dollars a year. What more would it take to mollify that mob?
Posted by PBL at 10:32 PM on June 23
“So what? John McCain would be biased toward White racial issues.”
Are you serious? I defy you to provide one instance of this, and there are many counterexamples: his non-stand on “affirmative action” and his recent failed amnesty for illegal aliens bill, to name two.
Posted by Cassiodorus at 1:08 AM on June 24
I suspect that an Obama presidency would be an eye-opening
experience for many whites. Consider what the mayoral
tenures of David Dinkins and Harold Washington did for
local politics in New York and Chicago. Afterward, some
90% of white voters, many quite liberal, in those cities
were voting for whites for those offices.
Posted by Larry at 1:37 AM on June 24
The article uses racial prejudice and racial bias interchangeably and that is misleading for prejudice is defined as “an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.” The bias many whites have towards blacks in general is rational and due to the facts about their overall behavior. Bias yes, prejudice no. However, to judge the individual based upon group behavioral traits could be considered prejudice but to acknowledge group differences and to think less favorably of a group because of those differences is not prejudiced when supported by facts.
Posted by Robert at 7:48 AM on June 24
Of course, Senator Obama is biased toward black interests. Read his book: Dreams from My Father. He couldn’t be clearer. He has always identified with black interests. I guess your a bigot if you point out the obvious?
Posted by Sardonicus at 7:54 AM on June 24
Almost everybody I know has little regards for blacks. This is certainly not due to skin color either but rather their violent and dysfunctional culture. I had one very liberal nephew who had very different view on race and told me several times that I was an bigot. He took a job in Cleveland as an EMT several years ago. Believe me, his views have changed dramatically since. Some of the stories he now has as to black on black violence defy belief.
Posted by at 7:56 AM on June 24
Only 2 in 10? Sounds suspect and pc tainted. It should be more like 7 in 10 since all you have to do is look at any blacks who gain control and see who they favor in any city in America or in DC.
Blacks hate whites. Its that simple. Mugabe is a perfect example of where America would end up if there were less whites and they are working on that 24/7.
Posted by at 8:05 AM on June 24
To everyone reading this post, do you remember, or have you ever seen reruns of the TV show “All in the Family”?
Yes, there is racism among both blacks and whites against each other’s race in America. Even in America, there is also anti-semitic bigotry against Jews, bigotry among some Jews against intermarriage and non-Jews, bigotry against fat people; even though being fat or thin has nothing to do with how much or how little you eat, but with the genes you inherit, bigotry against atheists, bigotry against people who decide not to have children,
bigotry aaginst gays and lesbians, and this list could go on and on!
However, neither I, nor anyone reading this post, can honestly claim that he, or she, is not a bigot. I cannot say that I am not a bigot because all of us, as human beings, have our own personal prejudices. In other words, from the TV show “All in the Family” we all have our own inner Archie Bunker!
Posted by Ross at 8:13 AM on June 24
Imagine all the White women who will watch the TV news of President Obama every night and think of him as the type of man they’d like to marry and have children with. Is it really better to sit this election out because McCain is a moderate?
Posted by truthbetold at 10:55 AM on June 24
So, a poll about bias, NEVER EVEN ASKS if whites face bias. I suppose if they do, it’s what they deserve.
Obviously whites do face serious, pernicious, alarming, bias. By asking one question but not the other, Jon Cohen, Jennifer Agiesta, and the Washington Post-ABC poll aren’t just making their prejudices known they are perpetuating REAL bias.
I suppose that given the historical discrimination against one particular group in this nation, by the goverment, schools, private business, and the media and entertainment industries, going on 60 years now, given that context, their bias isn’t all that too surprising.
Posted by I should have taken the blue pill. . . at 11:15 AM on June 24
I saw an interesting article in the Shreveport Times aometime around 6-13-08 give or take a few days.A political analyst discounted the white male vote(31%)of the electorate.Particularly the southern white male vote,claiming it did not matter,because the election was not about them.I believe that is the attitude towards all white men by the elitist,beatnik,hippie,Nifong type media.I believe that the defeat of Obama will be a rejection and a turning back of the third world racist prison culture,and will infuriate it and the thin skinned media.Rejection is a powerful tool.Remember how you felt when you have been rejected,and most of us are ordinary people.Just think what that would do to a bunch of narcisstic,thin skinned,elistist snobs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by at 11:50 AM on June 24
“…So what? John McCain would be biased toward White racial issues….”
Posted by Melvin at 8:38 PM on June 23
Yes, as the following snippets from recent news reports show:
“…Republican presidential John McCain assured Hispanic leaders he would push through Congress legislation to overhaul federal immigration laws if elected..”
“…McCain… support[s] giving legal status to millions of illegal immigrants…”
http://www.amren.com/mtnews/archives/2008/06/mccain_meets_wi.php
Yes! Being ethnically cleansed and displaced from the country we Whites created is in our best interest—supported heartily by ‘White-biased’ candidate McCain.
Good thing we have McCain to speak for White racial interests, isn’t it?
And McCain supports ending anti-White biased Affirmative Actions does he not? Recently the MSM reported this:
“…Republican John McCain…continues to take no position, according to a campaign spokesperson on end [ing] affirmative action in Colorado, Arizona, and Nebraska…”
http://www.amren.com/mtnews/archives/2008/06/will_affirmativ.php
I am with George Wallace on this one: There isn’t a dime’s worth of difference between the Reps. and Dems.
One of many reasons I and my family support Ron Paul. I see no other choice.
BTW: I too believe the results of this poll have vastly under-rated White bias against blacks—I think the so-called Bradley Effect is what’s going on here.
Pat Buchanan explains:
“…The Bradley Effect—voters lying to pollsters about how they intend to vote for a black candidate, then going into the booth to pull the lever for the white opponent…”
http://www.vdare.com/buchanan/080110_fight.htm
Bon
Posted by BonBon at 12:23 PM on June 24
What is always excluded in media discussions about racial prejudice against blacks is the first and most obvious question: where did it come from, and why does it exist?
The media studiously avoids ever asking these fundamental questions because the public’s honest answers to them would completely overturn the delusions of political correctness on this issue.
Generally widespread prejudice against blacks, among all non-black races, is formed and constantly reenforced after observing typical, ongoing, black mentality, black attitude, and black behavior.
Posted by Gary at 12:30 PM on June 24
However, neither I, nor anyone reading this post, can honestly claim that he, or she, is not a bigot. I cannot say that I am not a bigot because all of us, as human beings, have our own personal prejudices. In other words, from the TV show “All in the Family” we all have our own inner Archie Bunker!
I’m not a bigot. And I am of the opinion that blacks should be ethnically cleansed from most of America and shot if they wander into white areas afterward.
The word bigot presupposes a certain dysfunction on the part of the person who holds those views. It presupposes that person has unjustifiable hatred of the other based on an inability to see reality. Yeah….none of that is true. What is true is that blacks are genetically predisposed to evil and this phenomenon is extreme and easily noticed every single place on the planet they exist, even in small numbers. Integration is a purposeful lie designed to destroy us via balkanization (another phenomenon easily observed all over the world).
Put another way. Not wanting your family raped, robbed, murdered or assaulted by people of other races, especially blacks, does not, in any way, make you a bigot. That is a MANIPULATION by people, most notably liberals, who want to force you to accept your family being raped, robbed, murdered and beaten. And you better wear a smile on your face while it is happening….or your racist!
Posted by at 2:22 PM on June 24
Racism is nature’s way of confirming that one’s survival instincts are working correctly…
Posted by at 2:37 PM on June 24
I proudly admit to being one of the 3 in 10.
Posted by Carl at 3:24 PM on June 24
I’ve actually conducted surveys that have race questions in them. I believe that a large number of Whites lie b/c they don’t want to be perceived as racist. I remember one instance in which a woman said yes to the question asking if she believed Blacks commit more crime. As soon as she said it she said, “Oh, wait, that would be racist. Change my answer to no.”
I think most Whites are so intimidated in today’s climate that they’d be more honest if you asked them about their sex lives than about how they feel about Blacks.
Posted by at 3:26 PM on June 24
I was thinking last night how most white people, the self-righteous guilt-ridden included almost always aspire to move into a white sub-division as opposed to the “diverse dominated” part of town. Is that not hypocritical? And when they do move into the “diverse” part of town it’s usually to “gentrify” that neighborhood - at the expense of the people there!
That’s a good question to ask.
Posted by RealityCheck at 3:29 PM on June 24
Guess it all depends on how you DEFINE “racial bias”. Your wife and two small children are in a car alone at night. The car is going to break down. It can break down in an area that is 99% White or it can break down in an area that is 99% black. Where do you want it to break down? What is your “bias”? What are the REASONS for your “bias”? If safety, concern and self-preservation are factors affecting “racial bias”, then I know what my “racial bias” would be, but of course, I am an unreconstructed Neanderthal racist throwback.
Posted by at 6:35 PM on June 24
Psssst! According to a black guy I know, blacks don’t trust each other to do the right thing, either! There is actually more trust toward white people—they don’t lie as much.
Posted by at 7:40 PM on June 24
7:40pm
I seriously doubt that a Black person told you a White person (assuming you are White) that he trusted you more than he did another Black person.
If anything, I frequently hear Blacks refering to us as liars, bigots and racists.
Posted by Harry at 9:44 PM on June 24
To everyone reading this post, did you see the movie “Bruce Almighty” in which God gives news reporter, Bruce Nolan his job, because he complained to heaven that he could do a better job than God?
Suppose God gave me his job and position to see if I do a better job, for as long as I wanted, until I decided to quit and let God resume his position.
Now suppose I then decided to serve eight years in office as God. What would happen if I decided to make the black race, the Australian Aborigine race, the American Indian race, and other inferior races have the same amount of intelligence, and capabilities, as that of the white race?
Would black people be less inclined to commit crimes? Would blacks, Australian Aborigines, and American Indians become more productive people and far less dependent on welfare handouts?
Would South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia, and the other black-ruled African nations improve to having the same high standards of western Europe, United States of America, Canada, China, Iceland, Japan, and other much more advanced nations?
Would black people stop demanding Afirmative Action and insist that they be judged on their own merits and achievements? Would making blacks as intelligent as whites improve race relations and cause a decline in anti-white racism among blacks?
To everyone reading this post, I would greatly appreciate your comments on this what if… scenario.
Posted by Ross at 1:34 AM on June 25
I did know a mixed race man once and it was really interesting to listen to him.His mother was a black drug addicted prostitute and his father a white business man.You could see the struggle within himself over who he was.On the one hand his identity was black,but his reasoning was white.He didn’t confront on the spot,he would think about it a while and then do something about the offense.Many of the things I thought about blacks he confirmed.He spoke honestly.He didn’t like having blacks over to his house because “they are always trying to get over on you”,”they try to get your woman or see what they can steal when they know your not home”“if you see a bunch of black people they are up to no good”“white people are wise to lock their doors when they see them coming”“I lock my doors too”.He also talked about being attacked by blacks who thought he was white.I can’t think of another person that has given me so much honest insight and a confirmation of the way I felt and thought.
Posted by at 10:55 AM on June 25
What does it mean that race relations are good?
When whites don’t relate to blacks and blacks don’t relate to whites then race relations are good. Barring that best case scenario race relations are bad.
None of the above is meant as a joke. Since we can only self-segregate to a limited extent our race relations are and must be bad.
Posted by ricpic at 6:39 PM on June 25
Cassiodorus:
McCain has made it clear that he opposes afffirmative action.
Secondly,he has made it clear that the issues that are of interest to White conservatives will be his priority.
Posted by Melvin at 10:34 PM on June 25
McCain will do nothing about AA. His pandering to non-whites does not suggest that he differs in any significant respect from the average Democrat.
Amnesty for illegal aliens, his preeminent initiative, has exactly nothing to do with the interests of white conservatives.
Posted by Cassiodorus at 12:05 AM on June 26
Haven’t any of you ever noticed how McCain seems to always be looking around for someone to tell him what to say(or is he trying to remember what to say).As bad as I hate to say it,McCain’s senility bothers me more than Obama.He has flip-flopped more than anyone in recent memory.He has admitted not knowing much about the economy and I believe he just wants more cheap labor for Cindy’s beer business and other corparations.He has temper tantrums like the stupid old fool that he is.He constantly gives real conservatives the finger.We need to give it back to him.This is his last hurrah,so he will do anything to win,and keep no promises if he does.Third party is the only way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by at 12:04 PM on June 26