WASHINGTON, June 16 (NNN-XINHUA) – American pride continued its downward trajectory, reaching the lowest point in two decades, according to a Gallup survey released on Monday.
A majority of adults, 63 percent, still said, in the new poll, that, they are either “extremely” or “very” proud to be Americans.
However, that’s a 7-point dip from last year and the lowest figure recorded in the 20 years since Gallup first started asking the question.
The new low came at a time when the United States is facing public health and economic crises, brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest, following the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, in police custody.
In the poll, 42 percent said they’re “extremely” proud and 21 percent said “very” proud. Fifteen percent said they are “modestly” proud, 12 percent “only a little proud” and nine percent “not proud at all.”
These latest data are from a May 28-June 4 poll, which also found 20 percent of Americans satisfied with the way things are going in the United States.
The percentage of Americans expressing extreme pride in the country has been declining over the past 20 years, especially recently.
Just over half, 55 percent, felt extreme pride in the initial Jan, 2001 reading, prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In the three subsequent years, between 65 percent and 70 percent were extremely proud as the public rallied around the flag.
By 2005, that reading fell to 61 percent and remained steady until 2015 when it dropped to 54 percent.
The current reading is the sixth consecutive year since then that it has fallen to a new low in Gallup’s trend.
