(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Patriotism, religion no longer dominate American culture. Republicans ruined them [1] ['Daily Kos Staff', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-03-27 "These differences are so dramatic, it paints a new and surprising portrait of a changing America,’’ remarked Bill McInturff, a pollster who worked on a previous Journal survey that measured similar attitudes. "Perhaps the toll of our political division, Covid and the lowest economic confidence in decades is having a startling effect on our core values.’’ Uncertainty driven by COVID-19 and the economy has undoubtedly played into a reordering of American values. The poll found that money was the only priority that had grown in importance in the last 25 years—up from 31% in 1998 to 43% now. Economic uncertainty and the inability of young people to achieve basic milestones, such as getting married and buying a house, have likely also played a role in deemphasizing how people value parenting. Having children fell from 59% of adults calling it "very important" in 1998 to half as many—30%—saying that now. But Republicans using religion and patriotism as a political cudgel to target and divide Americans over the past couple of decades has also likely taken a toll on values most Americans viewed favorably several decades ago. “For me, patriotism has turned into right-wing nationalism,’’ said Janet Boyer, a former Pentecostal minister who lives in Southwestern Pennsylvania coal country. Boyer backed President Biden in 2020. Indeed, the yawning gap between how young Americans and older Americans view patriotism shows a deep erosion over the past quarter-century in embrace of the term, with just 23% of adults under 30 today saying patriotism is very important to them personally, while 59% of their 65-plus counterparts call it very important. The poll found a similar, if less pronounced, divide between younger and older adults’ views of religion today, with 31% of sub-30 voters viewing religion as very important compared to 55% of 65-plus voters. Just 23% of adults under age 30 said that having children was very important. Republican-held positions also polled in the minority on a handful of values-related questions concerning transgender, lesbian, gay, and bisexual Americans, gender equality, and businesses and schools promoting racial and ethnic diversity. Has our society gone too far, not far enough, or is it about right on... WSJ/NORC Poll (03/01 — 03/13 gone too far not far enough about right Total too far/not enough & about right Accepting transgender people 43% 33% 23% 43% — 56% Promoting equality between men/women 12% 48% 38% 12% — 86% accepting gay, lesbian, bisexual people 29% 37% 32% 29% — 69% Businesses promoting racial/ethnic diversity 28% 39% 31% 28% — 70% schools/colleges promoting racial/ethnic diversity 30% 34% 33% 30% — 67% Republicans are barreling toward an election cycle where they will launch heinous attacks on the freedoms of transgender and gay Americans, the bodily autonomy of women, voting rights, the right to free speech, and freedom of information. Simply put, Republicans, under the guise of freedom and “traditional values,” are attacking the basic right to self-determination of nearly every American who isn't a straight, white, Christian, cisgender male. Democrats should be boldly making that point at every turn because, far from dividing the electorate, opposition to that GOP agenda unites a strong majority of the country. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/3/27/2160520/-Patriotism-religion-no-longer-dominate-American-culture-Republicans-ruined-them Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/