U.S. Political Views
not Rigidly Defined
By Jazelle Hunt
Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - Politically, the nation is less sharply divided collection of red and blue states, and more
j rainbow patchwork of political ideologies, according to the Pew Center.
The report, “Beyond vs. Blue: The Political Typology” (and its supplemental reports) breaks American politics
down beyond primary colors. Political typology, a system the Pew Center devised 27 years ago, groups people based
in their attitudes on key issues as opposed to their limited partisan labels.
“More Americans today hold consistently liberal or consistently conservative values across a wide range of issues,
Democrats and Republicans are further apart ideologically, and more partisans express deeply negative views of the
ither political party,” the report reads. “But the typology shows that the center is hardly unified.”
This year’s typology survey revealed eight attitude categories. The highest share of African Americans (accounting
for 30 percent of the group) fall into a category called the “faith and family left.” Religion “is a very important part of
life” for 85 percent of this group’s members. They are, or lean, Democrat, favoring robust social programs, while also
molding conservative attitudes on moral and religious issues such as same-sex marriage, marijuana legalization, and
abortion. For Republicans looking to draw black voters from the left, this would be the fount - fully 37 percent of the
faith and family left consider themselves conservative.
The faith and family left is the only category that is majority-minority - it also encompasses the largest share of
Latino and foreign-born voters. And yet, the views on racial issues are murky within this group. While 74 percent
support affirmative action, only 28 percent believe the government should continue making changes to give blacks
equal rights. At the same time, 57 percent believe that “blacks who are unable to get ahead are responsible for their
awn condition.”
According to the report, this is now the prevailing attitude in the
United States.
“While the public is divided over whether additional societal changes are needed to further racial equality, most do
lot believe that discrimination is the main reason why many blacks can’t get ahead today,” it states. “By more than
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Democrats and Republicans More Ideologically Divided than in the Past
Distribution of Democrats and Republicans on a lo-item scale of political values
Michelle Howard (Courtesy photo)
Michelle Howard
Becomes Navy’s
First Female
Four-Star Admiral
1994 2004 2014
Democrat Republican Democrat Republican Democrat Republican
▲  11
onsistentiv Consistently Consistently Consistently Consistently Consistently
Democrats and Republicans are more polarized than ever before, but most Americans fall somewhere in
the varied center between the two extremes. Infographic by Pew Research Center.
Civil Rights Act signing
recreated via Twitter
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The LBJ Presidential Library marked the 50th anniversary of the signing of the
landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act on July 2 using technology that’s decidedly 2014.
The Austin library re-enacted via Twitter President Lyndon B. Johnson’s day as it unfolded 50 years ago,
when he signed the act into law on July 2, 1964. Followers learned that at 9 a.m., according to Johnson’s di
ary, the president had breakfast with his wife Lady Bird and reported that his blood pressure was good. He
also exercised and wished his daughter Luci a happy 17th birthday.
At 11:45 a.m., Johnson met with Dr. Frederick Patterson, President of the United Negro College Fund.
Twenty minutes later, he called Roy Wilkins, executive secretary of the National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People, saying “if we work together, we’ll find the answers 'cause we’re right.”
Five minutes after that, he sent Luci a birthday rose and note saying she’d “brightened the day . 17 years
ago.”
The 1964 act helped end legal discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion and national origin. Many
consider it the most significant law produced by the civil rights movement.
Some of the tweets included photos and videos from the era, as well as links to documents and telephone
conversations. Johnson’s day five decades ago also included a swearing-in ceremony for the new ambassador
to South Vietnam and a Cabinet meeting during which he informed those assembled of the House passing
the act on a vote of 289 to 126.
The signing of the Civil Rights Act wasn’t on Johnson’s original schedule, but was added in time to take
place in the White House’s East Room at 6:45 p.m.
In April, the LBJ Library hosted a civil right summit marking the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act
that featured President Barack Obama and three former presidents.
By James Wright
Special to the NNPA from The Washington Informer
The Navy made history Tuesday when it promoted
Michelle Howard, an African-American, to be its first
female four-star admiral.
Howard received the promotion in a ceremony pre
sided over by U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus at
the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at
the Arlington National Cemetery.
Howard, 54, a 1982 graduate of the U.S. Naval Acad
emy in Annapolis, is the first black woman to command
a ship, the USS Rushmore.
In her acceptance speech, she said that “willingness to
step up and contribute to a noble cause in your life is a
sign of true selflessness.”
“Our sailors and Marines are this legacy,” Howard
said. “They are
volunteers, and with every mission, they demonstrated
our core values, values our founders would have under
stood - courage, honor, commitment.”
Howard, who received her master’s degree in Military
Arts and Sciences from the Army’s Command and Gen
eral Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is the
first black woman to achieve three-star rank in the U.S.
Armed Forces and is the first woman to achieve the rank
of admiral in the Navy. She is also the first black and
first female vice chief for Naval Operations.
NAACP board chair Roslyn Brock, who honored
Howard last year with the organization’s Chairman’s
Award, lauded the promotion.
“As the first female four-star officer in the Navy’s
236-year-history, Admiral Howard inspires us all,”
Brock said. “Her accomplishments over a 30-year career
in the military are a testament to the power of strategic
thinking, deep knowledge and hard work. It is a distinct
pleasure to again recognize Admiral Howard for her
leadership and service to our nation.”
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