A poll released Thursday found that a majority of Americans believe words equate to physical violence.
In total, 80% of respondents at least slightly agreed with the statement “words can be violent” and 22% said it “fully” explained their point of view. According to The Foundation for Individual Rights Expression (FIRE) called a poll conducted in October “shocking.” Only 12% of Gen Z respondents disagreed that speech can lead to violence.
“Equating words with violence can even incite actual violence by trivializing actual physical harm, shutting down conversations, and justifying the use of force in response to offensive speech.” said Greg Lukianoff, FIRE President and CEO. said In a press release. “Free speech is not violence. It is the best alternative to violence ever invented.”
Women are more likely to believe that words equate to violence, with 86% responding in the affirmative, compared to 73% of men. According to Go to press release. Democrats were more likely to agree with this comparison, a total of 89%, compared to 73% of Republicans and 72% of independents.
Almost 90% of Americans surveyed said they believe they should have the right to speak freely during public comment sessions, and more than 70% said they have the right to criticize public officials during Congressional meetings. 55% said they believe they should have that right. FIRE has discovered people posting videos on social media mocking political candidates.
A woman speaks through a megaphone at Southbank Promenade in Melbourne, Australia on September 12, 2024. (Photo by Darian Trainor/Getty Images)
Many Americans polled reported having had to censor their own speech, with 85% doing so in the last month alone, and 38% saying someone had complained about something they said. It turns out that he was at least slightly worried that he would lose his job if he told them.
According to the poll, about 64% of respondents said free speech in the United States is heading in the wrong direction, and just over 40% said free speech rights are “not very” or “not at all” safe. I answered.
Events such as the protests have raised questions across the country about what qualifies as free speech and where to draw the line. As countless protests across the country turn violent and have to be forcibly dispersed, a federal judge recently laid out grounds for an anti-Israel group to sue university officials for restricting their ability to protest. It was determined that there was. (Related: Harvard professor claims not inviting offensive speakers is ‘a form of expression’)
The poll was conducted from October 4th to October 11th and surveyed 1,000 people with a margin of error of 3%.
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