The Morning Buzz | July 3, 2012

Welcome to the Morning Buzz, PRRI’s morning dose of religion-related news with a shot of data – because what doesn’t liven up a morning round-up like some public opinion numbers? In honor of the anniversary of our nation’s birth, cook up George Washington’s favorites: some sliced tongue and toast for breakfast, then a lettuce tart for lunch. You can throw in some flummery to pay tribute to John Adams if you’re feeling really generous. Make sure you wash it all down with madeira wine, though – to do otherwise would be unpatriotic.

One evangelical Christian leader is calling for church leaders to dial down the rhetoric against same-sex marriage, fearing that it will alienate a generation of young adults. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of younger Millennials say that “anti-gay” describes present-day Christianity somewhat or very well.

At the CNN Belief Blog, editor Dan Gilgoff explores the long, much-debated history of “American exceptionalism.” A slim majority (51%) of Americans agree that God has granted America a special role in human history.

A newly released analysis of census data reveals that 7 out of the nation’s 15 largest cities (including New York City and Los Angeles) are majority-minority (that is, a majority of the cities’ population is an ethnic or racial minority).

Thomas Edsall observes that for Mitt Romney, playing it safe on immigration could have its own liabilities.

On Monday, CNN’s Anderson Cooper publicly announced that he is gay, saying that he wants do to more to combat anti-gay bullying. One-third (34%) of Americans say that more gay and lesbian people “coming out” and identifying as gay is a good thing, 18% say it’s a bad thing, and nearly half (47%) say it makes no difference.

Have a wonderful 4th of July! We’ll be taking the holiday off – the Buzz will be back on Thursday.

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