Where’s the Love: New Survey Shows Increase in Anti-Black Sentiments
Monday, October 29, 2012 at 12:43PM 
EEW MAGAZINE NEWS EDITORS
From the looks of a new survey on racial prejudice in America, not too many people are obeying God’s greatest command found in Mark 12:31, which is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Since 2008, when our nation elected its first black president, a new Associated Press survey indicates that racial bias against blacks has slightly increased.
Galatians 3:28 teaches Believers that we are “all one in Christ Jesus,” but right now, half of Americans are struggling to embrace love and rise above hatred and prejudice.
The AP surveys conducted with researchers from Stanford University, the University of Michigan and NORC at the University of Chicago reveal that “51 percent of Americans now express explicit anti-black attitudes, compared with 48 percent in a similar 2008 survey.”
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, when measured by an implicit racial attitudes test, the number of Americans with anti-black sentiments jumped to 56 percent, up from 49 percent during the last presidential election. In both tests, the share of Americans expressing pro-black attitudes fell.
The same study shows that anti-Latino attitudes have gotten a slight bump up as well.
“We have this false idea that there is uniformity in progress and that things change in one big step. That is not the way history has worked,” said Jelani Cobb, professor of history and director of the Institute for African-American Studies at the University of Connecticut. “When we’ve seen progress, we’ve also seen backlash.”
The backlash is no doubt fueled by nasty political wars.
In a climate where polarizing political views are put on display, mean-spirited attack ads against candidates are unleashed, and race-baiting is employed for political gain, too many are feeding into the unhealthy rhetoric.
While the findings of this study may not be surprising, it should make us do a thorough examination of our own hearts, thoughts, and attitudes to ensure we are not harboring any prejudice.
What are your thoughts on race relations in America and why is our country not making more significant progress?
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