Is acceptance of diversity growing?

Several assessments indicate that nonwhite Americans will represent an ever-increasing portion of the population in the coming decades.

In 2019, Americans who identified as Black, Hispanic and Asian made up 40 percent of the country ’s population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, their combined share is predicted to increase to more than 50 percent by 2044.

According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, 64 percent of U.S. adults say the prospect of a nation in which Blacks, Latinos and Asian Americans make up a majority of the population is neither good nor bad for the country. Nearly 24 percent say this is a good thing while only 11 percent say it is bad.

These results, when compared with a similar Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2016, indicate those saying a

majority Black, Hispanic and Asian population is a good thing have increased by 10 percentage points, while the number of those saying it is a bad thing has declined by 11 points.

While Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say this change would be bad for the country — about 19 percent of Republicans vs. about 4 percent of Democrats — the number of Republicans who express this view has declined by 20 points since 2016.

The Pew results imply a decrease in racist views over the past four years. However, this observation seems contrary to the substantial support that President Donald Trump received for his racist rhetoric and policies. Perhaps those polled are reluctant to acknowledge their racist views?

Don Steiner Schenectady