Janelle Wong: “My research indicates white evangelical conservatism correlates strongly with their perceptions anti-white discrimination, even after taking into account economic status, party, age and region. Fully 50 percent of white evangelical respondents to our 2016 survey reported feeling they face discrimination that’s comparable to, or even higher than, the discrimination they believe Muslim Americans face. Those who hold this perception are more likely to hold conservative attitudes on issues as wide-ranging as climate change, tax policy and health-care reform.”
“Here’s what is not behind these beliefs: economic anxiety. Like PRRI and political scientist Diana Mutz, I find economic anxiety isn’t a primary reason for supporting Trump. Rather, white evangelicals fear losing racial status. White evangelicals’ perceptions they’re the targets of discrimination – more so than other groups — influence far more than simply their votes for Trump.”
“Yes, 80 percent of white evangelicals supported Donald Trump in 2016. And the racial fears and anxieties that underlie their support for the president will probably remain the driver in their political views long after he leaves office.”…
I would like to read a good book about Christian evangelicals that can help me understand them better. From my limited experience with evangelucals that I personally know, I agree that they see themselves as persecuted more than any other ethnic or religious group..
With regard to the evangelicals I know best, I would describe their responses to my discussions on race as “guarded”. And I world say that is also true with RepubliCAN. Offhand, I don’t recall him ever discussing race in detail – even as the liberals on this site (including me) sometimes made sweeping over-generalizations that Republicans are racists.
I would welcome an evangelical response to my comments.