Few Americans Strongly Committed To Integrationist’ Policies Of Dr. King’s Civil Rights Era.

More than 40 years after the height of the Civil Rights Movement and the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., a major national survey administered by The Gallup Organization has found that many Americans do not view integration as an issue of critical importance in their workplaces and communities, with less than a third strongly agreeing with statements such as, “I support rules that require the hiring of minorities for an integrated workplace” and “I support school programs like bussing as a means of integration.”

The data were obtained from The 10 Lenses Survey, one of the largest-ever national surveys examining American beliefs, experiences, attitudes, values and behaviors relating to cultural diversity. Developed with The Diversity Channel, Inc. of Bethesda, Maryland, the survey supports the concept that Americans view issues related to race, national origin, culture and ethnicity through ten distinct perceptual filters called “lenses.”

“In the 1950s and 60s, Dr. King’s dream of a more integrated and tolerant society was used as a rallying point to demand equity for black Americans, to put an end to legalized discrimination, and to integrate schools, workplaces and neighborhoods,” said Mark Williams, CEO of The Diversity Channel and author of THE 10 LENSES: Your Guide to Living and Working in a Multicultural World (Capital Books, 2001). “Today, our data indicates that a surprisingly small number of individuals strongly agree with the ‘Integrationist’ perspective on issues such as affirmative action and workplace hiring policies.”

Williams believes the Integrationist Lens, which tends to focus on black- white issues and historical legacies leading up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, is not highly prevalent today due to the nation’s growing racial, ethnic and cultural diversity, as well as a cultural “backlash” against diversity- related laws and government-mandated intervention.

People of color were more than twice as likely to hold the Integrationist Lens than whites, with 13% of Asians holding it as a primary lens; 14% of blacks; and 17% of Hispanics, compared to whites at 6%. Politically, survey respondents who identified themselves as Democrats (14%) were more than twice as likely to hold the Integrationist Lens than those who identified themselves as Republicans (5%).

According to Williams, all of the perspectives that make up “The 10 Lenses” have strengths and weaknesses. Today’s businesses and communities must learn to leverage the strengths of each. With recent Census figures indicating the U.S. will become even more racially and culturally diverse in the coming decades, it is important that the Integrationist perspective “not be dismissed as outdated or irrelevant,” said Doug Mishkin, an employment-law expert with Patton Boggs, LLC. “Now more than ever, businesses must comply with the laws that promote integration of the workplace — laws designed to prevent discrimination against Americans of all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.”

The challenge for the Integrationist Lens is to evolve a commitment to Civil Rights Era ideals to fit the realities of a multicultural society. A report released by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University in April, 2001, for example, found that segregation persists in the nation’s large urban centers, with the Hispanic and Asian populations growing increasingly likely to live in “ethnic enclaves.” The report was cited by advocates calling for more effective fair housing and integration policies for all Americans.

Similarly, American businesses continue to struggle with issues of integration, discrimination and tolerance. Of the total survey respondents, 26% said they had been the victims of workplace discrimination or harassment based on race, culture or ethnicity. Within that group, more than half took action, including talking to a supervisor (13%), resigning (8%), confronting the offender (8%), filing a complaint (5%), or suing the company (3%). Twenty percent of white respondents claimed to have experienced discrimination or harassment; 52% blacks, 30% of Hispanics, and 26% of Asians claimed to have experienced discrimination or harassment.

“We can’t assume that people today are coming into our workplaces or schools more educated about racial, ethnic and cultural differences than they were during the Civil Rights Era,” said Williams. “We are in danger of moving from ‘bipolar’ segregation to segregation across multiple racial and ethnic lines. As we celebrate and honor the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., we need a renewed commitment to promoting tolerance and understanding across all of our differences. We must honor Dr. King’s vision by finding new ways to fully integrate American society.”

The 4,000-person, 78-question survey confirmed that Americans view cultural diversity in ten distinctly different ways. Using sophisticated sampling techniques, Gallup researchers determined the breakdown of Americans within each of the “lenses” identified by Williams:(1)

* Assimilationists (7% of survey respondents) want individuals to submerge their individual and cultural identities in favor of nationalistic and patriotic ideals.

* Colorblinds (31%) see people as individuals and ignore race, color, ethnicity and other external cultural factors.

* Culturalcentrists (1%) believe racial minorities should detach from the dominant culture in order to survive, rebuild and/or maintain their cultural norms, customs, and traditions.

* Elitists (1%) believe in the superiority of the upper class and embrace the importance of family roots, wealth and social status.

* Integrationists (9%) support breaking down all barriers between racial groups by merging people of different cultures together in communities and in the workplace.

* Meritocratists (8%) believe in the individualist credo of America: if you have the abilities and work hard enough, you can compete with anyone to make your dreams come true.

* Multiculturalists (16%) celebrate the diversity of cultures in the United States, and the contributions they make to national character and history.

* Seclusionists (Less than 1%) feel strongly that the only viable solution to society’s challenges related to race and culture is for different groups to live and work apart.

* Transcendents (43%) focus on the human spirit — people’s universal connection and shared humanity.

* Victim/Caretakers (1%) feel that they are still suffering from the generational impact of previous oppression and therefore deserve compensation from society and the dominant culture.

More information on The 10 Lenses Survey, The Diversity Channel and the book by Mark Williams can be found at http://www.the10lenses.com .

(1) Through the assessment, survey respondents can be more than one lens, which is why the percentage adds to more than 100%.