Age, education, political affiliation and patriotism
July 4th, 2008 at 05:01am Pat Cunningham
Gallup is out with a fascinating — and, in some respects, surprising — new POLL on attitudes among Americans regarding patriotism.
The principal results of the survey are that Americans rank these actions in descending order of patriotic importance: 1) Voting in elections; 2) Serving in the U.S. military; 3) Saying the Pledge of Allegiance; 4) Supporting U.S. policies around the world; 5) Protesting U.S. policies you personally oppose; and 6) Wearing an American flag pin.
Among the more interesting of the survey results is that relatively superficial displays of patriotism, like reciting the Pledge and wearing flag pins, are of far greater importance to the oldest and least-educated of respondents than to younger and better-educated folks.
Overall, when asked how much wearing a flag pin indicates that a person is patriotic, 40 percent of respondents said “not much” or “not at all,” and fewer than one-third said “a great deal.”
So much for the relative importance of the foolish media fuss of a few months about whether Barack Obama wears a flag pin frequently enough.
It’s encouraging to see that protesting U.S. policies with which you personally disagree is generally seen as more patriotic than wearing a flag pin.
My biggest disappointment with the poll is that it didn’t include any of what I call the “more-patriotic-than-thou” questions, which invariably produce amusing results.
For example, two years ago, Fox News gave us this report on one of its polls:
“Two out of three people (66 percent) say they think they are more patriotic than the average American, up from 57 percent last year (June 2005). One in five says they are as patriotic as others (20 percent) and 13 percent less so.
“Republicans (78 percent) are significantly more likely than Democrats (56 percent) to say they are more patriotic than other Americans.”
Big surprise there, right? To hear some Republicans tell it, their party invented patriotism while everybody else was plotting the downfall of our country.
But really, how stupid is it that most Americans think they’re more patriotic than most Americans? Obviously, they can’t all be right about that.
Of course, too many Americans, regardless of party, seem to regard patriotism as a competition. (”I love America more than you do?” “Like hell you do! My goosebumps at the sound of the National Anthem are bigger than yours.” “Yeah, well the flag on my porch is bigger than yours.” “So what? I wear a flag pin in the shower. Do you?” “You wanna take this outside, pal?” “Any time, buddy.”)
As for me, I don’t consider myself more or less patriotic than most Americans. I just want to wish everybody a happy Independence Day, whether or not you wear a flag pin.
Entry Filed under: patriotism
6 Comments Add your own
1. Menlo Bob | July 4th, 2008 at 9:14 am
But you are flying your flag today right?
2. Kaus | July 4th, 2008 at 10:49 am
2 observations
1. Obama is AGAIN wearing the flag pin.
2. Not displaying the flag is like Kerry Wood wearing a business suit to pitch the 9th inning….we have to know what team you’re on Pat.
3. Menlo Bob | July 4th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Speaking of Obama, he’s now giving two-a-day press conferences. The second pc to clear up the first pc. It’s becoming apparent that Obama has two opinions on everything. Time for new campaign theme music to bring the point home. Wasn’t it only yesterday that we learned that McCain’s campaign was in disarray? Sounds like it’s becoming the norm for everyone.
4. Menlo Bob | July 4th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Even the New York Times editorial board on Independence Day is impressed* with Obama’s message of Change.
“…Mr. Obama’s shifts are striking because he was the candidate who proposed to change the face of politics, the man of passionate convictions who did not play old political games.”
*registration required
5. Right Of The Star Blog | July 4th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Pat, these are interesting polling numbers, just a few points.
On the Gallop poll Americans did not rank the items, they were answering each item individually stating whether that action expressed patriotism. Gallop then ranked the six items they asked about in the order of the results. Semantics maybe but there is a difference in polling methodology and potential results when given a list and asked to rank the items 1 to 6 vs asking each individually.
Combined the two polls seem to indicate that while most people understand what expressions of patriotism are, only some feel they live up to or exceed those expectation by their actions. These results aren’t unexpected or unusual at all as Democrats tend to be, and are proud of being, more counter culture rather then traditional.
But what you didn’t point out is that when you combine the “greatly deal” with the “moderate amount” on the question of whether wearing a flag pin expresses patriotism you end up with 59% — right under those who feel protesting US policies they oppose is an expression of patriotism at 66% (vs 82% saying supporting US policies expresses patriotism).
With 59% saying wearing a flag pin is an expression of patriotism it’s no wonder Senator Obama has decided to include it in his wardrobe. (Hey, does that mean he’s turned patriotism into an competition, or is he just a typical politician who can read polls?)
That 59% puts you in the minority — the counter culture, which I’m sure your proud of (this is not meant sarcastic, but as a compliment). — Oh, and I love how you wrote this post to avoid pointing out 59% feel wearing the flag pin is at least moderately patriotic, you may not see it but that is a classic example of media bias.
David
6. Pat Cunningham | July 4th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
ROTS: Several things: 1) I love how you avoided all but a very indirect reference to the Fox poll of two years ago in which Republicans were more inclined than Democrats to consider themselves more patriotic than most Americans. 2) Your reference to Obama perhaps turning “patriotism into a competition” was gratuitous since there’s no indication that his wearing of a flag pin makes him think of himself as more patriotic than anyone else (which is where the competition factor would come in). 3) You’re presumptious in saying the fact that 59 percent of poll respondents think wearing a flag pin is patriotic puts me “in the minority — the counterculture.” I’ve worn such pins on certain occasions. My attitude is that displaying the American flag is not necessarily a patriotic gesture, a point dramatically impressed upon me when I was a journalist covering Nazi and Ku Klux Klan rallies where flags abounded among the creeps wearing white robes or brown shirts. 4)Your reference to “a classic example of media bias” is completely irrelevant. This opinionated blog is not intended to be objective journalism. My posts are no more biased than your comments here or the posts on your own blog. You’ve got your axe to grind, and I’ve got mine.
5) When I noted that 40 percent of poll respondents said flag pins are “not much” or “not at all” an indication of one’s patriotism, I thereby made a clear mathematical indication that a minority of respondents felt that way. I stressed that number because I consider it counterintuitive. I would have expected that a larger percentage of Americans felt the pins were patriotic. 6) That stuff at the top of your comment about Americans ranking the items is silly nonsense. Do a little Googling and you’ll find thousands of stories in which it is said that a poll shows that Americans rank this or that. Such stories don’t mean that poll respondents made lists of items. They mean that Americans on the whole rank such-and-such as important or bad or whatever and another such–and-such as not so much so.
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