The slogan “Make America Great Again” was plastered on hats, T-shirts and other memorabilia throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, and it has been one of President Donald Trump’s biggest rallying calls.
But what really makes America great? That’s a question that polling firm The Barna Group recently asked U.S. citizens, with the results exposing the diverse reasons why people “take pride in being an American.”
When asked what makes America great, the largest share of respondents — 24 percent — said that the “opportunity to become who you want to be” and the so-called “American dream” are what they love most (note: the results are based on respondents’ top two choices).
Next, 21 percent of respondents chose both the U.S. Constitution and free speech and the press, with religious freedom and democracy each garnering 20 percent.
These proportions become increasingly fascinating when exploring political and religious differences.
For instance, 21 percent of conservatives revere Christian values, while just 3 percent of liberals say the same. This same dynamic unfolds when it comes to the Constitution, with 30 percent of conservatives valuing it compared to 15 percent of liberals.
Meanwhile, 53 percent of evangelicals value religious freedom compared to 20 percent of the nation overall; evangelicals also revere America’s Christian roots (40 percent) more than the general public does (11 percent). There are other notable generational and ethnic differences as well.
The Barna Group’s survey was conducted online from June 5-9, 2017, using a representative sample of U.S. adults. Read the full results here.