Poll: Nearly Two-thirds of Americans Fear Sharing Their Political Views
Joel B. Pollak
22 Jul 2020
A new poll commissioned by the libertarian Cato Institute and released on Wednesday suggests that nearly two-thirds of Americans are afraid to share their political views.
According to the poll, 62% of Americans — and 77% of Republicans — are afraid to share their views. Even a majority of Democrats (52%) report that they are afraid to share their views.
The only group that feels they are free to share their views are “staunch liberals,” 58% of whom say they can do so.
Cato’s Emily Ekins writes:
A new Cato national survey finds that self‐​censorship is on the rise in the United States. Nearly two-thirds—62%—of Americans say the political climate these days prevents them from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive. The share of Americans who self‐​censor has risen several points since 2017 when 58% of Americans agreed with this statement.
…
Strong liberals stand out, however, as the only political group who feel they can express themselves. Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) of staunch liberals feel they can say what they believe. However, centrist liberals feel differently. A slim majority (52%) of liberals feel they have to self‐​censor, as do 64% of moderates, and 77% of conservatives. This demonstrates that political expression is an issue that divides the Democratic coalition between centrist Democrats and their left flank. …
What’s changed? In 2017 most centrist liberals felt confident (54%) they could express their views. However today, slightly less than half (48%) feel the same. The share who feel they cannot be open increased 7 points from 45% in 2017 to 52% today. In fact, there have been shifts across the board, where more people among all political groups feel they are walking on eggshells.
…
Nearly a third (32%) of employed Americans say they personally are worried about missing out on career opportunities or losing their job if their political opinions became known.
The poll was conducted July 1-6 among 2,000 American adults, with a 2.36% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.
President Donald Trump addressed fears of the “cancel culture” in his July 3 speech at Mount Rushmore.
Yea, if I was dumb enough to believe our first black president was a foreign born Muslim, I’d keep my mouth shut, as well.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
Nearly two-thirds—62%—of Americans say the political climate these days prevents them from saying things they believe because others might find them offensive.
I have been doxed in the past for very innocent comments I've made on the internet. I will only every share my views annon. I will not discuss them openly under my real name and I will not discuss them with anyone until I have properly vetted them as not being an insane unhinged super liberal. I will absolutely not discuss them at work or with family. There is only one approved viewpoint according to some.
I'm not losing friends over it, so I'll just quietly vote.
It has little to do with what party you associate most with, and more to do with people's emotions when it comes to these types of topics, and many just can't keep it as a mature adult debate.
I see it a lot when hanging out, even at family gatherings when politics come up. People get too emotionally invested in the topic, yet are seldom physically invested to do anything about it.
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
Most of the replies have been mocking, but I think there is a concern here.
I am not saying the poll is legit or unbiased. I have no idea either way.
However, I do think that political bullying is becoming more and more of a thing. There are a ton of examples of violence and harassment directed towards people who have on a hat or attach a bumper-sticker to the car that supports Trump.
I used to see that same thing when someone supported MLK or people like Ali, Kareem, etc for their beliefs.
I don't think we should try to intimidate folks into believing one way or another. I think we should all have a right to support a party or a candidate freely w/out any repercussions.
I didn't support Trump, but I would never have ridiculed or attacked someone who did. I don't support a lot of the things the BLM organization are demanding, but I am not going to try and humiliate the people who do support them.
Freedom of choice should be provided to all Americans.
There are a ton of examples of violence and harassment directed towards people who have on a hat or attach a bumper-sticker to the car that supports Trump.
Maybe a ton of verbal ridicule which they deserve for supporting trump. But let’s see the ton of violence directed towards trump supporters. They didn’t go to a strange town with clubs and sticks and shields then run down a group of anti protesters there with a 4000 pound auto killing one. Come on vers let’s see your ton of violence against trump supporters ....a ton of proof please ...pffft the lies from trump and his supporters as usual.
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Thomas Jefferson.
For anyone to suggest that harassment only comes from one side, they are either ignorant to what actually goes on from both sides or are just trying to fan the flames. That coin has two sides.
I belong to this forum and one FB forum that is "strictly" for talking about politics. They are designated as such and it's what their intention is for. Outside if that, I rarely ever mention the subject to anyone else.
I live in a state where Trump won with 66% of the vote. For anyone thinking that there isn't an equal amount of venom coming from both sides, come down here and see how folks get talked to for having a Biden sticker on their car or wearing a Biden hat.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I live in a country that isn’t politically polarized as what we see in the U.S. these days, but I have no fear of expressing my political leanings (centrist... it depends on the issue). I’d just state my case, listen to the other person’s argument, and in the end, we might disagree but we’d just crack another cold one and move on.
When the OTHER side becomes rational again, we will be able to do that. Trump must go first.
No, the roles just reverse.
It's a never ending cycle of bickering and division. It's what they want, and the populace falls right in line, leaving them to share drinks and cigars together, laughing at how we are just sheep in their flock.
We don't have to agree with each other, to respect each others opinion.
We are no longer a nation that values free speech.. the government may not be running around arresting people for unpopular speech, thus violating the 1st amendment... but then again, they don't have to. they have angry mobs of people doing the policing for them.... who, ironically use their own free speech to stifle the free speech of others...
the fear of being doxxed, the fear of being fired, the fear of being outcast, the fear of losing friends and family, the fear of being labeled a racist/communist/misogynist/etc, the fear of being physically harmed... it's very real.
Used to be people had that fear if they said something really off the deep end, there was a compulsion for most people to at least keep it between the guardrails.. now you need to watch every single word that comes out of your mouth if you are a public figure or if you have a social media presence and others know who you are. It doesn't have to be anything bad, it just has to be counter to the "accepted norm" for you to get trashed
It does come from both sides but the left is louder and much more effective at it because they are generally younger and have a much larger social media presence.. but I have no doubt, the only thing stopping the right from doing it more is just that they aren't nearly as good at it.
Michigan Teacher and Coach Fired for Tweeting Trump is our President Now I'm sure there is another side to this, I'm sure the school district will deny that was the reason and they may be right.. but it's out there now and people will believe it.. and they will think twice and censor themselves before doing it again..
Windsor Principal On Leave after "Tone Deaf" Black Lives Matter Post The only thing "tone deaf" about her post is that she doesn't completely agree with the movement. There is nothing violent, vulgar, racist or even all that edgy about her post.. it just doesn't fit the narrative so others see it as a threat. Another example where people will take and say, "I ain't speaking up about how I really feel"..
Black Republican ‘horrified and absolutely terrified’ after Boston activist’s vulgar video attacks her interracial relationship
By Sean Philip Cotter | sean.cotter@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald
PUBLISHED: July 21, 2020 at 8:16 p.m. | UPDATED: July 22, 2020 at 7:28 a.m.
A Black Republican who’s challenging U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley says she’s fled her Randolph home in fear for her life after a Boston activist’s video went viral questioning the woman’s Blackness and making crude references to her sex with her white husband.
“This is racism to the ultimate level. … Racism is racism no matter where it comes from,” Rayla Campbell, the Randolph Republican, told the Herald on Tuesday. “I was horrified and absolutely terrified. I had to uproot my family and just stay elsewhere.”
In a Friday video widely disseminated by the blog Turtleboy over the weekend, Roxbury community activist Monica Cannon-Grant repeatedly called Campbell a “heifer” and made frequent crude references to Campbell’s white husband.
Cannon-Grant, who’s also Black, took issue with Campbell’s run against Pressley, as well as white district attorneys’ opposition to Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins. Cannon-Grant said that Black women should defend fellow Black women like Pressley and Rollins, particularly against white opposition.
Campbell, who’s running a write-in campaign to get on the November ballot, said she wants apologies from Cannon-Grant, Pressley and U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, who also has touted Cannon-Grant’s support in his U.S. Senate run, but the two members of Congress didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Rollins has quickly distanced herself from the video, telling the Herald and Campbell herself that the attacks on Campbell’s family life are deeply inappropriate.
Cannon-Grant, a longtime anti-violence advocate in Boston who received plaudits and a glowing Boston Globe profile after she organized a mammoth Black Lives Matter rally in Franklin Park last month, didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment on Tuesday. On Monday, her organization’s Facebook page posted a statement criticizing the Turtleboy blog and highlighting several deeply racist messages she said she’d received since the video began to make waves.
“I do wish I had been more careful with my words when I commented about an individual seeking public office last week, and for that I take responsibility — this work requires more from me right now, and I’m learning to deal with this bigger spotlight,” Cannon-Grant wrote.
Rollins confirmed that she called Campbell to check on her and condemn the video. The DA said she told Campbell — who she said she’s never met before — that she had nothing to do with the video.
“Public attacks that go after innocent family members and children are a bridge too far,” Rollins said. “I have not watched the video that Monica made, but I am told that it makes reference to Rayla’s husband, his race, and intimate aspects of their relationship. How is this relevant to a candidate’s electability, policy and platform? It isn’t. Who someone chooses to love and the people they call family are deeply personal and completely off-limits during campaigns.”
In the video, Cannon-Grant made repeated graphically vulgar references to Campbell’s interracial sexual relationship, and said there’s “something wrong with” Campbell, who she described as a “melanin-adjacent woman whose proximity to white supremacy is so disgusting.”
“I thought we as a people have gotten way past that,” Campbell said of the attacks on her interracial marriage.
I though you loved trolls. You helped elect one as president in 2016.
This is coming from the guy who stands up and proudly claims he didn't vote for either candidate, yet chastises people for making a decision and voting among the two shiniest turds to elect.
Hysterical.
At DT, context and meaning are a scarecrow kicking at moving goalposts.
I simply couldn't vote for either presidential candidate. But now, I will call you out for deciding to choose the crappy candidate which I have now come to not like more than the other crappy candidate I also decided to not vote for because it is good drama on a football message board. Meanwhile, I search the internet for great deals on Kool menthol cigarette cartons and try to confirm the next Fruit of the Loom sleeve-less t-shirt convention.
At DT, context and meaning are a scarecrow kicking at moving goalposts.
I see you have a hard time grasping English. They have classes for that. Yet no problem trying to act like you are somehow superior to those who disagree with you.
Such a brave little fellow.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I see you have a hard time grasping English. They have classes for that. Yet no problem trying to act like you are somehow superior to those who disagree with you.
Such a brave little fellow.
#Triggered #Snowflake
A brave little fellow? Really?....Never talk to your junk like that. Eve alluded to it the other day, but you don't need to keep bullying it. Goodness, you will bully anything, apparently.
...What a masochist.
At DT, context and meaning are a scarecrow kicking at moving goalposts.
I think it’s funny that he tolerates whatever you say to him, yet he threw me on ignore for who knows what.
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.”
I think it’s funny that he tolerates whatever you say to him, yet he threw me on ignore for who knows what.
You know what they say about if you can't stand the heat...
I've been taking it pretty easy on him. People have to get to troll level 4 before I really give them both barrels. He falls well short of that. But hey, at least he keeps on trying.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Only those who don't have the fortitude to say anything and only rant. You're doing a great job. Try manning up and debating something for a change.
#whiner
When you start crap and then try to blame someone else people can see it. Take a seat kid.
I suppose you should start with not giving people crap for voting for someone who you concluded, along with the other candidate, were poor candidates.. But people made a choice. You didn't. Don't chastise people for making a choice if yours didn't include a candidate.
I also didn't vote for either candidate. What makes me better than you, in terms of how you treat people, is I don't ridicule their choice. You do.
At DT, context and meaning are a scarecrow kicking at moving goalposts.
![[Linked Image from i28.photobucket.com]](http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c201/shadedog/mcenroe2.jpg)
Yet you are ok with the ignorance of those who support DJT 
![[Linked Image]](http://www.dawgtalkers.net/uploads/small-gator-chomp.gif)