Racial inequality: Peeling the onion

It is unsurprising that Republicans are far less likely than Democrats to believe that Blacks experience racial discrimination on every dimension surveyed… but the contrast in partisan perceptions is truly staggering.

Reality seen through a fractured lens

Democrats are 4 times more likely than Republicans to believe that Blacks experience racial discrimination in employment.   The data suggests that the more than 1 in 3 Republicans who deny employment discrimination believe that affirmative action has actually given Blacks an unfair advantage.

It is of note, however, that – perhaps as a result of the BLM movement – the partisan gap is significantly narrower on the issues of discrimination within “the criminal justice system” and “dealing with police”.

Republicans, however, exhibit their greatest denial of discrimination on the issues of “healthcare” and “voting rights”.

Blaming the victims

When it comes to the causes of racial inequality, Democrats assign greater weight than Republicans to external factors including the influence of access to good schools and jobs, and systemic discrimination.

Republicans are far more likely to blame the victims, attaching far greater significance to family instability, lack of good role models, and laziness.

An atmosphere of bigotry

Ever since Trump was elected in 2016, both Blacks and Republicans have believed that the expression of racist views is both both more common and more widely accepted.

Government action

It has been as long documented that awareness of racial inequality increases with education as it has been that American education has been faltering.

In fact, a voter with a high school education or less is twice as likely as a college graduate to believe that government has done too much to address racial inequality, a view shared by:

• 1 in 5 of those aged 65+
• 1 in 4 of those aged 50-64

In stark contrast – and on a hopeful note for the future – those 18-29 years of age believe that that government is doing too little by a staggering 5-to-1!

NOTE: All data presented in this post was generated by Pew Research.

Racial stereotyping and prejudice are proving far more deeply rooted and resilient than many imagined.  It is a cancer that will only grow without elected representatives who will stand up to reactionaries for the protection of equal rights.