the majority don’t believe it.
GBAO Strategies Pollster Jim Gerstein says over 75 percent of White respondents reported being previously told by media that Blacks suffered disproportionately from the disease when you ask them in their view whether Blacks and Latinos have been more impacted, only the Black respondents say that it is true.
In Louisiana, 53 percent of COVID deaths have been African Americans, who make up just 32 percent of the population.
The survey polled White, Black, and Latino southerners during a seven day period starting the day after the death of George Floyd, and Gerstein pointed out what he says is some progress on the issue of communicating historical racial inequities. He says their survey showed that a majority of respondents feel that Blacks suffer worse economic outcomes due to a lack of opportunity rather than poor personal choices.
“But at the same time even though here is a major across each once again we see a big gap between the different groups,” says Gerstein.
Gerstein says that appears to be the first time a majority of whites have expressed that opinion.
Respondents were also asked about the COVID recovery and whether lawmakers should use the opportunity to pursue racial justice reforms in healthcare and education, or just restore the status quo. Blacks supported big reforms over the status quo by a 16 percent margin, but whites backed the status quo over reforms by a 31 percent margin.
The survey also showed Blacks were much more likely to know someone diagnosed with COVID-19 compared to Whites, 37 percent vs. 27 percent.