03-23-2021, 04:46 AM
This is a state poll, but interesting as it is for what it says of a state that Donald Trump barely won in 2016 (North Carolina) it answers a question that nobody has answered. I have assumed that Americans across the political spectrum hold the Capitol Putsch in extreme disdain, but I well know that I am strongly biased (who isn't biased?). After two months one poll quantifies how Americans think of political violence such as the Capitol Putsch of January 6.
The times are changing. This poll is hard to believe, but I have seen other polls of North Carolina that suggest the same thing. This suggests that North Carolina has gone from being a lean-R state (as shown in the 2020 election) to decidedly D.
Demographic change? That happens slowly. One thing did change, and this is the first poll of any kind that has addressed one of my questions about the post-Trump political scene:
North Carolina may not be a viable microcosm of America, but in essence
1. Peaceful protest is acceptable irrespective of the political orientation
2. Political violence, including the violent disruption of political process, is unacceptable
3. Although such people are clearly in the minority, about one tenth of Americans approve of political violence to get their way.
My guess is that the third group consists largely of extremists on the Left and Right. Obviously that is far larger than some current protest movements with a left-leaning orientation (Black Lives Matter) and, frankly, much of the Right (including the "gun rights" movement and anti-abortion cause).
I can say this: if the state were Massachusetts or Wyoming and something has disdain among 80% of the public such would suggest that it is unpopular nationwide. America may be polarized -- but not that much. Violence is as American as cherry pie -- but so are tornadoes and rattlesnakes. At least I can take shelter from a tornado and can back off from a rattlesnake.
If Democrats can connect incumbent or challenger Republicans to support of the January 6 insurrection, then they have a powerful tool for defeating that pol.
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personal comment:
It is distressing that only 84% of the people think it acceptable to show a sign in front of a government building opposing a government policy and that 11% of the people think it acceptable to take over a government building as a protest. The first may be cognitive failure (in short, stupidity or ignorance) or a contempt for human rights (a totalitarian tendency). Acceptance of political violence out of disdain for a political result, as of an election or a ruling of a court, is also generally an extremist position. There will be people who see the takeover of the Capitol building as an expression of patriotism and not of treachery.
The times are changing. This poll is hard to believe, but I have seen other polls of North Carolina that suggest the same thing. This suggests that North Carolina has gone from being a lean-R state (as shown in the 2020 election) to decidedly D.
Quote:NC - Meredith College
March 12-15
699 registered voters
Approve 56%
Disapprove 40%
https://www.meredith.edu/assets/images/c..._final.pdf
Demographic change? That happens slowly. One thing did change, and this is the first poll of any kind that has addressed one of my questions about the post-Trump political scene:
Quote:Political Violence
With the racial equality protests and the riots on January 6 at the Capitol, the issue of political
violence has become prominent in American politics. Security experts suggest that we will see more
political violence in coming years, as a result of the hyper-polarization in the country. North
Carolinians strongly support non-violent protests guaranteed in the Constitution, but strongly
oppose more violent types of expression. Political acts such as holding a sign in front of a
government building (67.8% support) and participating in a peaceful march (84.2% support).
Every demographic group, including political partisans, strongly support those types of
expressions.
On more extreme political acts—taking over a government building, using violence or assassination
against political opponents, or bombing—well over 80 percent of North Carolinians oppose those
type of acts. Only the youngest respondents—and only about 20% of them—supported the idea of
using more violent means of political statements.
“Although we should be concerned about any type of political violence,” McLennan stated, “the
public roundly opposes this type of behavior. However, the fact that over 11% of North Carolinians think that taking over a government building or just under 10% feel that it is acceptable to commit violence against a political opponent or assassinate a political leader that is acting inappropriately should be of great concern to use all.”
Violence at polling places, although rare, is concerning to respondents to our survey. Over 40% of
respondents indicated that their willingness to vote would be decreased if they saw political
observers carrying firearms outside the polling place. Also, if there was violence between
representatives of the two major parties outside the polling place, almost two-thirds of respondents
indicated that they would be less likely to cast their ballots. On the issue of potential violence at
polling places, such as seeing political observers carrying firearms, over half of the Democrats
(52.9%) indicated they would be less likely to vote, but only 28.7 percent of Republicans felt that it
would affect their voting behavior.
In terms of the causes of increased political violence over the last year, a plurality of North
Carolinians (38%) say that extremists on the political left and right are equally to blame. There is,
however, a large partisan gap among the respondents with a large percentage of Democrats
(46.5%) blaming right-wing extremism and Republicans (36.8%) blaming political violence
primarily on left-wing extremism.
“There is little evidence that most North Carolinians condone political violence,” McLennan states,
“but there is evidence that partisans in the state see the causes of violence quite differently.
Whether it is Republicans blaming Antifa for violence or Democrats blaming the Proud Boys and
similar groups for the increased violence, the consequences of these attitudes could be significant.
Law enforcement should treat all violence as equally important, but political leaders may reflect the
same attitudes as many of our respondents and cause some who cause political violence to be
under-investigated or punished.”
North Carolina may not be a viable microcosm of America, but in essence
1. Peaceful protest is acceptable irrespective of the political orientation
2. Political violence, including the violent disruption of political process, is unacceptable
3. Although such people are clearly in the minority, about one tenth of Americans approve of political violence to get their way.
My guess is that the third group consists largely of extremists on the Left and Right. Obviously that is far larger than some current protest movements with a left-leaning orientation (Black Lives Matter) and, frankly, much of the Right (including the "gun rights" movement and anti-abortion cause).
I can say this: if the state were Massachusetts or Wyoming and something has disdain among 80% of the public such would suggest that it is unpopular nationwide. America may be polarized -- but not that much. Violence is as American as cherry pie -- but so are tornadoes and rattlesnakes. At least I can take shelter from a tornado and can back off from a rattlesnake.
If Democrats can connect incumbent or challenger Republicans to support of the January 6 insurrection, then they have a powerful tool for defeating that pol.
...........................
personal comment:
It is distressing that only 84% of the people think it acceptable to show a sign in front of a government building opposing a government policy and that 11% of the people think it acceptable to take over a government building as a protest. The first may be cognitive failure (in short, stupidity or ignorance) or a contempt for human rights (a totalitarian tendency). Acceptance of political violence out of disdain for a political result, as of an election or a ruling of a court, is also generally an extremist position. There will be people who see the takeover of the Capitol building as an expression of patriotism and not of treachery.
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated Communist but instead the people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists -- Hannah Arendt.