WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans are sharply divided on issues from race to religion, often along generational and partisan lines, a survey concluded on Tuesday.
The survey of nearly 2,500 Americans by a pair of Washington think tanks found sharp divisions on a host of issues, ranging from immigration policy to attitudes toward followers of other religious faiths.
"Ten years after September 11, 2001, we seem far less united as a nation," the report from the Brookings Institution and the Public Religion Research Institute said.
"The survey findings suggest that we are in the midst of a struggle over what growing religious, racial and ethnic diversity means for American politics and society, and that partisan and ideological polarization around these questions will make them difficult to resolve," it said.
One of those divides is between young and old. There are sizable gaps between seniors aged 65 and older and those aged 18 to 29 on whether to provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, support for gay marriage and favorable views of blacks, Hispanics, Muslims and atheists.
The relative tolerance of the younger "millennial" generation was seen, optimistically, as suggesting "the arc of American history will, again, bend toward inclusion," the report concluded.
The survey, which was completed during the first two weeks of August, asked how Americans felt a decade after the terror attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., and found 53 percent said the country is safer from terrorism now than it was before the attacks.
But eight in 10 believed Americans enjoy less personal freedom and seven in 10 said America is less respected in the world than before the attacks.
While the majority of Americans believe in religious tolerance as a basic right, many expressed suspicions directed toward Muslims and, to a lesser extent, Mormons. Two of the top Republican candidates for president, Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, are Mormons. .
Overall, 58 percent of those surveyed held a "favorable" view of Muslims, though less than half of Republicans held that view compared to two-thirds of Democrats. The survey had an error margin of 2 percentage points.
There were also gaps between generally liberal Democrats and more conservative Republicans in how comfortable they were with having a Muslim teaching elementary school in their community, with having a mosque built near their home, with witnessing Muslim men praying in an airport and with women wearing Muslim garb.
Over the past eight months, the percentage of Americans who believed American Muslims want to establish Sharia law in the United States grew by 7 points to 30 percent, the report said, citing a February 2011 survey. Sharia or Islamic law covers all aspects of Muslim life including religious obligations and financial dealings.
Sixty percent agreed that too many Americans think that all Muslims are terrorists, and 88 percent admitted knowing little or nothing about Muslim beliefs and practices.
Seventy-nine percent said people in Muslim countries have an unfavorable opinion of the United States. Of those, three-quarters believed such views were not justified.
Views on immigration were also sharply divided, with 62 percent desiring a policy that would combine enforcement with a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. One-third want enforcement coupled with deportation of illegal immigrants.
Another question asked was whether discrimination against whites was as big a problem today as discrimination against blacks and other minorities. Less than half agreed with that view, but the proportion was much higher among Republicans and Tea Party supporters.
(Reporting by Andrew Stern; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.