Christian Smith with Michael Emerson, Sally Gallagher, Paul Kennedy, and David Sikkink

The majority of Americans are not deeply concerned about culture wars issues, argue Christian Smith and his colleagues in the following viewpoint. The polarized liberal-versus-conservative conflicts over such issues as abortion, multiculturalism, and moral values may exist among political activists and policy makers, but are not of great concern to the general public, the authors contend. Most Americans are more worried about crime, the economy, and public education, the authors maintain. Smith is an assistant professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to a 1994 poll cited by the authors, what did the majority of respondents believe to be the biggest problem facing the country?
2. What...