Public Religion Research Institute

Why rural white Americans’ resentment is a threat to democracy

Retrieved on: 
Friday, April 5, 2024
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Although there is no uniform definition of “rural,” and even federal agencies cannot agree on a single standard, roughly 20% of Americans live in rural communities, according to the Census Bureau’s definition.

Key Points: 
  • Although there is no uniform definition of “rural,” and even federal agencies cannot agree on a single standard, roughly 20% of Americans live in rural communities, according to the Census Bureau’s definition.
  • The unfortunate fact is that polls suggest many rural white people’s commitment to the American political system is eroding.
  • Even when they are not members of militant organizations, rural white people, as a group, now pose four interconnected threats to the fate of the United States’ pluralist, constitutional democracy.
  • Although these do not apply to all rural white people, nor exclusively to them in general, when compared with other Americans, rural white people:


Let’s examine a few data points.

Xenophobia

  • That’s a lower proportion than urban and suburban dwellers and even nonwhite rural residents.
  • In addition, Cornell researchers found that rural whites reported feeling less comfortable with gay and lesbian people than urban whites do.

Conspiracism

  • Polls in 2020 and 2021 indicated that QAnon supporters are 1.5 times more likely to live in rural areas than urban ones, and 49% of rural residents – 10 points higher than the national average – believe a “deep state” undermines Trump.
  • Rural residents are also more likely than urban and suburban residents to believe the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, according to 2021 polling by the Public Religion Research Institute.

Antidemocratic beliefs

  • In addition, more than half of rural residents surveyed by the Public Religion Research Institute said being a Christian is important to “being truly American” – 10 percentage points more than in surburban or urban areas.
  • This is one of several signals that rural residents are disproportionately likely to support white Christian nationalism, an ideology that reaches beyond Christian ideas of faith and morality and into government.

Justification of violence

  • And 27% of Americans who say Trump should be returned to office even if “by force” are rural residents.
  • Those are minority views, but both proportions are significantly higher than the rural proportion of the overall population.


Thomas F. Schaller does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Survey: Health of Democracy and Rising Costs Are Leading Midterm Voter Concerns

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, October 27, 2022
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"On questions related to American identity, the parties today are worlds apartnot just politically, but culturally.

Key Points: 
  • "On questions related to American identity, the parties today are worlds apartnot just politically, but culturally.
  • They increasingly defend different histories, live in different realities, and promote two essentially incompatible views of America's future," says Robert P. Jones, president and founder of PRRI.
  • Health of democracy and economy top voter priorities in the midterm elections: Among Americans who plan to vote in this year's midterm elections, the issues most critical to them are the health of our democracy (57%) and the increasing costs of housing (57%) and everyday expenses (57%).
  • Partisans hold mirror-opposite opinions, with 85% of Republicans saying voter fraud is the bigger problem and 83% of Democrats saying voter disenfranchisement is the bigger problem.

Survey: Few Americans Want to Leave Confederate Monuments as They Are, but Divides Over Solutions Persist by Party, Race, Religion

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
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When respondents were asked about preserving the legacy of the Confederacy, the partisan and religious divides are deeper.

Key Points: 
  • When respondents were asked about preserving the legacy of the Confederacy, the partisan and religious divides are deeper.
  • A slim majority of Americans (51%) support preserving Confederate history through public memorials and statues.
  • Religion also plays a role in support for preserving the Confederate legacy, with white Christian groups more likely to express support than non-Christian religious Americans, Jewish Americans, or the religiously unaffiliated.
  • Those supportive of keeping Confederate monuments or preserving the legacy of the Confederacy are also likely to deny the existence of structural racism.

Interfaith Youth Core Rebrands as Interfaith America to Expand Mission to Build Civic Bridges and Help Heal our Nation

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
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CHICAGO, May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) today announced its official rebrand to Interfaith America, the next step in the organization's mission to build bridges of greater understanding and cooperation between people of different faiths, worldviews, and traditions. Supported by a diverse set of philanthropic organizations, including a $6M gift from Mackenzie Scott, Interfaith America will serve as the premier interfaith organization in the United States. Founded in 2002, Interfaith America will be celebrating its 20 years of bridge-building work throughout this year.

Key Points: 
  • The goal of Interfaith America the organization is to help build Interfaith America the nation."
  • Interfaith America celebrates America's religious diversity to achieve a truly pluralistic society, to improve civic society, and advance shared goals.
  • For more information, please visit their new website and follow Interfaith America on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn .
  • Interfaith America also recently released a new video "We Need to Build an Interfaith America," where Patel outlines a vision for the next chapter of this organization.

MBA CSi Named Winner of USPS 2020 Supplier Excellence Award

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
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CHANTILLY, Va., July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --MBA Consulting Services (MBA CSi) announced that theywere recently awarded USPS' 2020 Supplier Excellence Award for outstanding performance on the Vehicle Engineering Program.

Key Points: 
  • CHANTILLY, Va., July 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --MBA Consulting Services (MBA CSi) announced that theywere recently awarded USPS' 2020 Supplier Excellence Award for outstanding performance on the Vehicle Engineering Program.
  • MBA Consulting Services, Inc. (MBA CSi) is a privately held company headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, and is a leading provider of Federal I.T.
  • MBA CSi has earned an exceptional reputation as a trusted partner with USPS for over ten years, providing specialized engineering, facilities, I.T., and research and development.
  • This is the third Supplier Performance Award for MBA CSi, and we're fortunate that the last two were awarded consecutively.

Book charting decline of white Christian America wins Grawemeyer religion award

Retrieved on: 
Friday, December 7, 2018
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That prediction comes from Robert P. Jones , founder and chief executive officer of Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), who has won the 2019 Grawemeyer Award in Religion for his book, "The End of White Christian America."

Key Points: 
  • That prediction comes from Robert P. Jones , founder and chief executive officer of Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), who has won the 2019 Grawemeyer Award in Religion for his book, "The End of White Christian America."
  • The election two years ago gave Republicans political control of the country but also signaled a "death rattle" for white Christian America, he said.
  • White Protestants, particularly white evangelicals, must find their place in a new America or face challenging internal and external consequences, he warned.
  • Recipients of the 2019 Grawemeyer Award winners are being named this week pending final approval by university and seminary trustees.