Report Card on Prejudice in America

Report Card on Prejudice in America

New Zogby/GSN Survey Reveals That:

- A Racist Lives Next Door - Most Americans believe they don't make decisions based on race... but think their neighbors do

- A gay President is OK, but most Americans wouldn't sanction his or her marriage

Respondents also think most Americans believe:

- Republicans are most responsible for many of the world's ills

- Muslims are most likely to engage in terrorism

- People least want to work with the morbidly obese

LOS ANGELES, July 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Most Americans believe their fellow citizens hold strong biases against minorities, according to a landmark poll by Zogby International commissioned by GSN. The survey of 10,387 American adults, one of the most comprehensive ever conducted on prejudice, according to Zogby, explores attitudes about race, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender, physical appearance, and politics. The poll's margin of error is +/- 1 percentage point.

The "Report Card on American Prejudice" is part of a wide-ranging effort by GSN to spur a national dialogue on intolerance and bigotry. The survey's release provides a powerful follow-up to the July 17th premiere of the groundbreaking new television series, "Without Prejudice?" which airs Tuesdays at 9 pm (EST) on GSN -- the network for games.

-- On Race: While 67% of respondents claimed to have no preference
themselves between a white, black or Arab clerk in a convenience
store, 71% said, "most Americans" would seek out the white clerk.
Just 1% said Americans' first choice would be to approach a black
clerk, while less than 0.5% said the same for an Arab clerk. And yet,
ironically, 55% of respondents said race relations have improved over
the past 10 years. Other results on race (where respondents picked
from among several races):

-- 73% said in the event of a shooting, most Americans would
expect African Americans to be involved

-- 55% said in the event of a drug bust, most Americans would
expect African Americans to be involved

-- 53% said in the event of identity theft; most Americans would
expect whites to be involved

-- 70% said in the event of insurance fraud, most Americans would
expect whites to be involved

-- On Political Affiliation: When asked which political party most
Americans believe to be responsible for many of the gravest problems
facing the world:

-- War: 62% blamed Republicans vs. 14% Democrats

-- Global Warming: 56% blamed Republicans vs. 10% Democrats

-- Prejudice: 52% blamed Republicans vs. 22% for Democrats

-- Poverty: 49% held Republicans accountable; 29% Democrats

-- Corruption: 47% blamed Republicans vs. 31% Democrats

-- Crime: On this issue, respondents reversed the trend, with 42%
blaming Democrats vs. 23% Republicans

-- On Religion: By a wide margin, respondents believe Americans think
Muslims are the most likely to engage in terrorism (83%). Moreover,
42% believe Americans would be most concerned about their child dating
a Muslim; followed by an atheist (17%), and a Mormon (14%). In
addition:

-- 37% believe Americans think Catholics are most likely to be
involved in sexual abuse -- far more than any other religious
group

-- The poll turned up relatively few instances of Americans
believing their neighbors have negative views toward Jews

-- On Sexual Orientation & Gender: 62% said they believe Americans
oppose same-sex marriages. Yet 58% would elect a gay person for
President -- about the same as for an Arab-American (57%), and more
than for a person over age 70 (51%), or for an atheist (51%). On
gender, 93% think Americans believe men are most responsible for
crime, extra-marital affairs (82%), and sexually transmitted diseases
(72%).

-- On Disability: When asked to choose whom they believe most Americans
would least want to work with, 26% of respondents said someone who is
morbidly obese. Twenty-two percent said someone with a facial
disfigurement. Respondents thought Americans would object much less
to deaf (3%) and blind (1%) co-workers.

Pollster John Zogby said, "Over my years of polling, I've learned that Americans tend to offer socially acceptable responses when questioned on their own views about race and prejudice. That's why in this poll we predominantly asked people about "most Americans'" views on race and prejudice. We believe this provides a far more accurate window into how people really think about these issues. Americans are more forthcoming when discussing the problem in the context of their neighbors' lives than in the context of their own lives."

Dena Kaplan, GSN's Sr. Vice President for Marketing, said, "Our network is proud to sponsor the Without Prejudice Project. This pioneering effort -- which includes the poll, partnering with leading advocacy groups, and the broadcast of our new game show, 'Without Prejudice?' -- will help provoke a constructive national conversation about our inner-most feelings toward race, religion and other issues that define the way we, as Americans, treat one another."

GSN has partnered with several leading national advocacy groups on the Without Prejudice Project. Listed below is a contact from each organization; all are available for comment:

Richard McIntire Andi Zentz
Corporate Communications Sr. Communications & Marketing Associate
NAACP YWCA USA
4805 Mt. Hope Drive 1015 18th Street, NW - Suite 1100
Baltimore, MD 21215 Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 410-580-5787 Tel: 202-467-0801
rmcintire@naacpnet.orgazentz@ywca.org

Damon Romine Ibrahim Hooper
Entertainment Media Director National Communications Director
GLAAD Council on American-Islamic
5455 Wilshire Blvd. Relations (CAIR)
Suite 1500 453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Los Angeles, CA 90036 Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 323-634-2012 Tel: 202-742-6449
Romine@GLAAD.orgihooper@cair.com

Lisa Navarrete
VP, Office of Public Information
National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
1126 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-776-1744
lnavarrete@nclr.org

Pollster John Zogby will also be available for comment regarding the poll. He may be reached at: 315-624-0200 x229

For the entire Zogby/GSN poll, visit http://www.zogby.com/.

About the Without Prejudice Project

GSN created the Without Prejudice Project to provide an opportunity for people across the country to participate in a thoughtful, productive conversation about prejudice. Using distinguished pollster, Zogby International, GSN commissioned a poll designed to explore Americans' preferences and biases. The poll findings will serve as a barometer of the country's tolerance and a platform for honest discussion. To stimulate the conversation, GSN will launch a comprehensive project including PSAs, an online forum (featuring snap polls, blogs, discussion guides and community building resources from our partners), a PR effort, and print, TV and online media. GSN is partnering with leading advocacy groups on the Without Prejudice Project, including NAACP, YWCA, GLAAD, CAIR and NCLR. To learn more, please visit http://www.gsn.com/withoutprejudice/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Game Show Network

CONTACT: Richard Schwartz, +1-212-239-8678 or +1-917-734-6239,
richard@sourcecommunications.net, or Ken Frydman, +1-212-239-8678 or
+1-917-626-4270, ken@sourcecommunications.net, both of Source Communications
LLC, for the Game Show Network

Web site:

http://www.gsn.com/
http;//www.zogby.com

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