The American Uncivil Wars
How crude, rude and obnoxious behavior has replaced good manners and why that hurts our politics and culture
Here's how Americans sized up the civility of different groups:
CIVIL UNCIVIL Police officers 86 percent 11 percent Athletes 74 percent 19 percent Government workers 71 percent 23 percent Lawyers 60 percent 35 percent Journalists 56 percent 37 percent Politicians 55 percent 40 percent
Blacks generally see the world through more charitable eyes than whites with one big exception: More than three times as many blacks see police officers as a group whose behavior has become more uncivil. The numbers:
BLACKS WHITES Those who think incivility has worsened in the past 10 years 69 percent 80 percent Those who think Americans' driving behavior is basically civil 62 percent 54 percent Those who think the way Americans speak to each other has gotten better in the past 10 years 40 percent 20 percent Those who think talk radio contributes to civility 44 percent 28 percent Those who think lawyers are civil 71 percent 59 percent Those who think athletes are civil 86 percent 72 percent Those who think police officers are uncivil 28 percent 8 percent
Americans who think these institutions are to blame for incivility: Rock music 67 percent Talk radio 52 percent Schools 34 percent
Here's how Americans rated the service of:
SATISFIED UNSATISFIED Retail stores 85 percent 11 percent Banks 84 percent 13 percent Fast-food restaurants 75 percent 17 percent Credit-card companies 60 percent 25 percent Car repair shops 58 percent 32 percent
U.S. News/Bozell poll of 1,005 adults conducted by KRC Research & Consulting, Feb. 8-12, 1996, with assistance from U.S. News pollsters Celinda Lake of Lake Research and Ed Goeas of the Tarrance Group. Margin of error: plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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