PRINCETON, N.J., May 17 (UPI) -- Americans are more likely to characterize the state of moral affairs as "poor" rather than "excellent" or "good," a Gallup survey released Monday indicated.
Gallup's annual poll on moral values indicated 76 percent of respondents said moral values in the United States are getting worse while 14 percent say they were improving. Seventy-six percent of respondents said they thought moral values were "poor," while 15 percent said they thought the U.S. moral state was "good" or "excellent."
Respondents cited parents' failure to instill proper values into their children, poor examples in government and business, societal factors such as increasing violence and crime, a turning away from God and a disintegration of the two-parent family, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.
Respondents blamed individuals for the moral decline, Gallup said.
Those who said they thought moral values were improving cited as examples a better understanding of people from different backgrounds and cultures, and Americans uniting during tough times and helping people in need.
Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,029 adults conducted May 3-6. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.
