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Poll: Racial divide in Virginia over ‘dream’

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virginia-blue-oversizeAs the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech approaches, Virginians say 60-30 percent their children will live in a nation where people are mainly judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Virginia residents are divided 45-44 percent, however, on whether people today are judged mainly by the color of their skin or the content of their character, the independent Quinnipiac University poll finds.

There are pronounced racial divisions looking at the nation today and looking at the future.  Whites say 53-37 percent that people today are judged on the content of their character, and that outlook jumps to 66-23 percent when looking at the future.

Blacks say 71-19 percent that people today are judged by the color of their skin, and say 54-41 percent that still will be true for their children.

Men and women and adults in all age groups are optimistic for the future.

“Black and white Virginians are strongly divided on whether we have overcome and whether we shall overcome,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

From Aug. 14-19, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,589 Virginia adults with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points.  Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, Iowa and the nation as a public service and for research.

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