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Another Perspective
Diagnosing Racism
Sorry, Tea Party bashers — opinion polls can’t show whether some political groups are more bigoted than others.
Earlier this month, the University of Washington’s Institute for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Sexuality released some data from a survey it had conducted. In seven states (Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, and California), the Institute had asked white people whether they supported the tea parties, and also whether they agreed with a variety of race-related statements — such as that blacks and Hispanics are hardworking, trustworthy, and intelligent. Forty-five percent of those who said they strongly supported the tea parties said they agreed that blacks were intelligent, for instance, compared with 59 percent of strong tea-party opponents.
Left-wing media outlets, most notably two different writers for Salon.com, jumped on the numbers. The Institute itself, apparently unfamiliar with the difference between correlation and causation, claimed the results suggested that tea-party supporters are “motivated by more than partisanship and ideology.” (That statement has since been removed from the Institute’s website, but a blogger’s quote of it is available here.)
But almost immediately, skeptics raised some questions about the results the Institute had provided — they pointed out, for example, that only the views of strong supporters and strong opponents of tea parties were included, and that the Institute’s table didn’t provide the full range of responses to the questions about blacks and Hispanics. Relative to the average white person, did tea-party supporters express more racism, did tea-party opponents express less, or both? Did the people who didn’t “agree” with these statements actively disagree, or did they refuse to express opinions?
It took requests from three different journalists (that I know of), but at last, the truth is out: The Institute’s full data set provides no evidence whatsoever that supporters of the tea parties are disproportionately racist.
First up was the politics website FiveThirtyEight.com.
In response to a request from the site’s Tom Schaller, the survey’s lead investigator, Prof. Christopher Parker, provided this table — which doesn’t even include the questions about industriousness, trustworthiness, and intelligence. Instead, the questions measure what Parker calls “racial resentment” — though they can reasonably be called transparent attempts to bait conservatives into giving “racist” answers. Here’s an example:
It’s really a matter of people not trying hard enough; if blacks would only try harder, they could be just as well off as whites.
Mainstream conservatives believe that people of all races can improve their lot in life through hard work, and further that most poverty is the result of behavior. (These are not crazy beliefs: Those who finish high school, work full-time, and marry before having children rarely end up in poverty (pdf) and usually end up in the middle class.) When presented with a statement that racializes that sentiment, should conservatives decline to agree? Maybe, but liberals — who believe that structural barriers, more than behavior, affect people’s outcomes in life — face no such tradeoff, so any gap between liberals and conservatives could represent mere differences in political beliefs.
So, I asked Parker for more data about the questions that were in the original table. He provided some (pdf). These results show that the more a white person supports the tea parties, the more likely he is, when prodded by a pollster, to disagree with statements that express positive views about racial minorities.
But a key fact about the survey had yet to enter the discussion: Respondents were also asked whether whites are hardworking, trustworthy, and intelligent. Parker provided the details to Cathy Young of RealClearPolitics, who wrote:
While only 35% of strong Tea Party supporters rated blacks as hardworking, only 49% described whites as such. While the gap is evident, these responses are close to those for all whites (blacks are rated as “hardworking” by 40%, whites by 52%). While whites who are strongly anti-Tea Party seem free of bias on this item — blacks and whites are rated as “hardworking” by 55% and 56%, respectively — this is not true for intelligence and trustworthiness. Whites in every group are less likely to rate blacks than whites as “intelligent” by similar margins: 14 points for Tea Party supporters (45% vs. 59%), 13 points for all whites (49% vs. 62%), 10 points for Tea Party opponents (59% vs. 69%). On “trustworthy,” the gap is smaller in the pro-Tea Party group (41% vs. 49%) than in the anti-Tea Party group (57% vs. 72%). One could write headlines about the “racial paranoia” of white liberals who consider blacks less trustworthy than whites!
So, the question is: When the Institute released its initial summary of the results, why did it include results for opinions about blacks and Hispanics (which suggest disproportionate racism among tea-partiers across all questions) but leave off opinions about whites (which show a completely different trend)?
In a phone interview, Parker explained that he simply hadn’t been able to analyze that portion of the data yet — when Young “pressed” him for the additional numbers, he had a grad student put them together, and Young had to wait for “days.” “You’ve got to understand, this is a huge data set, and I’m the only one working on it,” he said. “The question at the time was whether tea-party supporters are racially intolerant, so I started right in on that.”
Of course, the new data — especially when seen in the light of the Institute’s speculation about what “motivated” tea partiers — raises questions about bias. “First and foremost, I’m a scientist,” Parker said. “The data is what the data is, whether I agree with it or don’t agree with it.”
Letter to the Editor View all comments (39) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Robert VerBruggen
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Tim*| 4.27.10 @ 8:17AM
We,Tea Party Rebels don't allow agendists to " Define " us.
Once again , it appears that The Left attempts to slander & marginalize those , who dare to stand in their way & oppose their Socialist Agenda.
Remember In November !
The Tea Party Rebellion Escalates.
Alan Brooks| 4.27.10 @ 9:02PM
Since everybody's a victim of some other ethnic group, we'll all pay each other reparations.
But the attorneys will get most of it.
Brian Mc| 4.27.10 @ 8:21AM
If a pollster had asked me a question that would compel me to lump a race, any race, into particular molds whether it be character, moral standing, work ethics or anything else, I would have hung up. Get rid of your "dash" and just be an American already! Like any unhealthy compulsion, we must all fight our compulsion to prejudices, whatever the target of same.
Melvin| 4.27.10 @ 8:21AM
I posted this on another article, I meant for it to be posted here.
"You damn right, accusing me of being an angry white male." Why am I angry? I'm angry for being blamed for slavery in which my family had nothing absolutely nothing to do with and many Blacks and Hispanics rub by face in it every single day.
I'm tired of of the quotas, the special treatment, the laws that are intended to silence me when I rise to my defense.
I'm angry of being called a racist, bigoted homophobe by people who don't even know me.
I'm angry for being blamed all the social problems that many Black Americans, and Hispanics have brought upon themselves.
I'm angry at those who enter my Country illegally and blame me for stealing California, Arizona, and Texas.
I'm tired of seeing a Mexican draped with the flag of Mexico urinating on the flag of my Country during the Cinco Demayo celebration in California.
And most of all I'm just plain tired, of what I thought was my President telling me over the main stream media that he is appealing to Latinos, African-Americans, Women and Youth to turn out in force for the 2010 mid-term elections.
My father taught me to treat others as I wish to be treated and now my President is telling me, the same vile crap that I hear every single day.
So answer this? What the hell is the use anymore? No matter how much I try, it just isn't enough for some.
Bohred| 4.27.10 @ 8:08PM
In my rich high school we had racial sensitivity meetings. The white kids and teachers would all proclaim that they had nothing to do with slavery. Then they would get to redneck me, and the teachers would blanch. My family had slaves. 35 to be exact. We bought and owned them. The community still exists, I am related to them. Figure that out. But, I am also my Danish Great grandfather who came to the US to escape the Kaiser. I am also my Grandmother who's people, as dirt poor farmers, where murdered by the Red-legs. I am also my ancestors who where American Indians, who died by the millions and survived to marry the white man.
Who am I , I am an American.
Get over yourselves.
zeke| 4.28.10 @ 11:50AM
wonderful. right on.
Louis Jenkins| 4.27.10 @ 8:57AM
"my President telling me over the main stream media that he is appealing to Latinos, African-Americans, Women and Youth to turn out in force for the 2010 mid-term elections."
Why wouldn't he ask for these people to turn out? They put helped put him over the top in the last election. We cannot allow him to out do us. We must for once show the Pretender n Chief what can be done by the Tea Party, the Unaffiliated, the Libertarians. Doing less is unacceptable.
Petronius| 4.27.10 @ 11:23AM
It's time we repelled the attacks of racism and bigotry with a chorus of Grow Up against all the liberal weenies who refuse to compete. Life is COMPETITIION. The liberal believes it is an easter egg hunt governed by luck. He believes he isn't "getting" his "fair share" of the goodies because his betters "take" everything. He therefor has no concept of value. When he does any work and is not satisfied with his compensation, it's the fault of the "rich". So he becomes the perpetual slacker.
And so to the nut. He brands all authority figures as hypocritical and dishonorable and looks to his "mommy government" to make life "fair" for him.
There are the fortunate few who have the inside track to good living, but for the rest of us life is an arena, not a sandbox where everybody "gets" a level pailfull. And he finally has his way for the present. His President will strike down all who are above him until their standard of living is no better than his. And he credits this to the mob in which he claims membership; black, latino, or queer or tranny if he's a miscreant. And for 50 years he has made his living through coercion, extortion, and judicial fiat. And like the indulgent parents who lack the backbone to say "no" we have permitted these parasites to bleed us white because we fell into their trap and bought their argument, not because they won't listen, but because They control our legal establishment. It beats working for a living. All this aside: now get this libtards; you do not get rejected and fail because of your complexion. You fail because of your attitudes and behavior. You are rotten spoiled snotty overgrown Children who aren't qualified to do anything except carry a picket sign. And when your President destroys Our economy, we'll then see who survives.
Pete| 4.27.10 @ 2:04PM
Love the easter egg hunt analogy...
Ned| 4.27.10 @ 11:26AM
Actually, for a UDumb study this seems relatively unbiased - clumsy, but sort of semi-neutral... and hardly paranoid at all.
My son is a stoo-dunt there currently, and you wouldn't believe the garbage he brings home, some of which must have been beamed down from Mars, it's so bizarre. "How bizarre?" you ask? How about a project in a "digital arts" class to communicate with space aliens via vaginal contractions? I kid you not - that's just wrong on so many levels, but it passes for college level thought at the Joseph Stalin Teacher's College Montlake campus.
And keep in mind that anything labeled "Institute for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Sexuality" is predicated on the presumption of guilt by nasty old hetero male whitey.
Margie| 4.27.10 @ 5:07PM
It seems your Son's teacher's didn't get the memo from Steven Hawkings, scientist extraudinaire~ he said that aliens are definitely out there but we should NOT try and communicate with them, as they are probably dangerous! Who would know better.. right?!
http://www.csmonitor.com/Scien.....ens-may-no
Ned| 4.27.10 @ 5:23PM
... and it ONLY costs me $2000 a month! What a bargain...
Margie| 4.27.10 @ 5:41PM
For that money you could send your children halfway into outer space to investigate the phenomena themselves.
Richard| 4.27.10 @ 11:40AM
The "racism" of the tea partiers is a leftist projection. The left sees the American people as crypto KKKers waiting for the proper moment to dig up their hoods and nooses. The left has little knowledge of America because they live in a bubble, knowing only other leftists, watching leftist tv and movies, being educated by leftists, etc. Their "knowledge" of America is a caricture they project when stressed.
wayne| 4.28.10 @ 2:29AM
Good point Richard. One thing that always impresses me is how many mind readers there are in the world. They know what is truly in my heart, even if I don't. It's just amazing!
It seems some people expect too much of other people. I mean, regardless of what I may think of someone, if I treat them humanely, with respect and decency, what more can they realistically want from another person? What can it be? Is it domination? Why would that be? But then, I don't want to be a mind reader.
BerlGoetz| 4.28.10 @ 9:33AM
Christianity, I think, encourages us to be accepting and merciful to all, especially those unlike us. On the other hand, I think it is normal for people to harbor biases. By elevating racism to a heinous and unacceptable sin, the political class aspires to moral authority. Whose moral authority should we trust more?
M2TS File Converter | 4.29.10 @ 1:15AM
ges us to be accepting and merciful to all, especially those unlike us. On the other hand, I think it is
chris| 4.29.10 @ 11:38PM
I say if California imposes its economic punishment on Arizona all Tea Party Members and American Patriots should;
BOYCOTT DISNEYLAND IN ALL REPSPECTS, All Parks, Toys, Movie Productions, of any kind. All products and/or services of any kind. Not only in California but Florida too, all across the United States!
Take OUR MONEY and buy the things you NEED over the Internet from Arizona American Companies ONLY! TAX FREE!
Include Hollywood in every way with the Boycott as as well. Support Conservative Actors , male/female otherwise Stay Home. Leave the LIB Actors hanging on the own words don;t spend our money on them at all!
No box office success all from any of their movies. No support of any kind! Stay Home!
Bust them out for several years, No DVD's, No Rentals, Cable cancelations of all Premium Channels HBO, Showtime et al from all cable companies or air capture Dish Network, Direct et al.
Take OUR money out of their financial system altogether for a couple of years, including all Mexican food establishments anywhere in the USA . All Mexican Products within the United States imported from Mexico[NAFTA] including all tourism dollars,[stay home or get yourselves killed] no wire transfers too Mexico from American Curency Exchanges or any other instrument including Western Union, Money Gram. Nada!
Boycott their booze,beer,cheese any and all foodstuffs of any kind.
A Financial HIT on Disneyland Countrywide[Remember Chris Dodd, Boxer Frankenstein Pelosi Reid] may wake up California Legislators, San Franfreakscio!
We have the unfettered discretion to control where we spend OUR MONEY
Boycott California entirely. Spread the word all across the Country to every Tea Party entity with this meassage and mean it. We canceled our vacation plans to Disneyland, Notts Bery Farm, Cyprus Gardens Picific Ocean Park[POP] we can do exacatly what the "Goofy" Politician in San Fansicko called for as his imposition on Arizona. Oh, BTW See an illegal Mexican call ICE. What goes around comes around, lets make his own boycott call and demands bite him in his own a$$
Turn up the HEAT nice and HOT. Smoke Em with the law and our money.
If they want financial warfare, the TeaParty members and American Patriots can impose economic warfare on a level that will make them bleed dry.
We got the bucks to keep in our wallets. Less tax money for the idiots running California,
No tourist money or tax money in their coffers We help them bust themselves out.
They're already doing a good job of it themselves we'll just help them put themselves out of their missery quicker. This is also a refferendum on Obama et al. He doesn't like Arizona's right under the "Tenth Amendment"
Lets clean their clocks on all fronts economiclly until the Federal immigration laws are enforced by the Feds and in particular OBAMA /BIDEN
"Buy American & Buy Arizona"[copywrite applied for]