Racism Hidden in Gallup Religious Poll

http://www.gallup.com/poll/108688/Religious-Intensity-Predicts-Support-McCain.aspx

Gallup just released a poll about Religion in this Presidential Election. Except it isn't really about religion. Take a look at their misleading headline:

"Religious Intensity Predicts Support for McCain"

But, in very fine print, underneath the headline:

"Hispanic Catholics and black Protestants provide notable exceptions"

That would be fine, except that most of the polls that aren't talking about Hispanic and African Americans are talking about whites.

Here are the polls, in order as they are presented in the article. The questions are always the same: "Is religion important in your life?" and "Who do you support in the presidential election?":



How does Gallup summarize this? "It has been well established from an analysis of previous survey data that certain groups of highly religious Christians -- usually defined as "evangelicals" -- are reliably Republican in their presidential vote preferences"

Well, that is very revealing. The problem is that they do not reveal the numbers or percentages of religion is important vs. religion is not important.

And Gallup chooses its words carefully: "certain groups of highly religious Christians" and "evangelicals". Well, Evangelicals make up only 0.5% of the population.

Is anyone else reading "certain groups of highly religious Christians" as code for "racists"?

White Hispanic Catholics (note: what is a white hispanic?)


I believe they may be talking about those from Spain OR those from Cuba & other Latin American countries who have more Spanish background than native (Indian) or African.

a white person who is descended from some one who from Spanish-speaking Latin America.

It's a shame people don't dig deeper into polls in various regions of the country. It's very clear that white religious people, mostly men, don't vote for Democrats. The Democrats are the party of "everybody else", women, gays, aa's, latinos, native americans, environmentalists, social reformers, etc etc. That's why comments that refer to someone only winning due to a particular group are so incendiary, as if it only matters if you win with white males.

Who the fuck are these "non-religious" people who view religion as important?


:rofl:

Religious groups are great for the poor and other charities. I'm not really religious (though born a Catholic), but I support Churches because they do a whole lot of good.

The truth is, a big percentage of people wouldn't make weekly contributions to charities if they didn't go to Church every week.

without Churches, I can guarantee you that many people would donate far less than they currently do.

That's the bottom line.

She agrees with the values and sense of ethics that the religious folk she's known to a greater extent. She's an atheist, but overall has concluded that she prefers to be around religious people than other atheists.

Overall, she finds them less self-righteous.

Since I was the religious one, she's been hounding me to resume going to church, and to take our kid with me.

I consider myself non-religious in the sense that my religion isn't anybody's damn business and I sure as HELL don't want to hear politicians go on and on about being "called to God" or "doing God's work' or "making prayerful decisions."

In that way, I find religion important.