As Americans across the country gather to celebrate the nation’s founding, a new survey reveals the level of people who are "extremely" or "very proud" to be American is near record lows.
In the survey released this week, 41% of respondents told Gallup pollsters they were "extremely proud;" another 26% said they "very proud."
Fifteen percent of respondents said they were either "only a little" or "not at all" proud this year. That is the second highest since Gallup began asking in 2001. It was only higher in 2020.
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In the heart of the nation’s capital, the results met mostly with confusion and anger this Fourth of July 4.
News 4 asked attendees at the National Independence Day Parade in downtown D.C. about the results. Some blamed it on "what they’re being taught in school," the elections, social media and misinformation.
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Joe Hennessey, in town from North Carolina, suggested, “We're getting a little fat and lazy like the Romans, maybe. What do you think?"
Pollsters didn’t ask respondents for reasons behind their pride answers, but Gallup did release differences based on age, race, and political party.
Of white Americans, 47% say they are extremely proud to be American, a 16% gap with non-white Americans.
Of Americans 55 and older, 54% say they are extremely proud, compared to 21% of 18–34-year-olds.
And in this election year, 59% of Republicans say they're extremely proud compared to 34% of Democrats.
All of those are well outside the 4-point margin of error.
