Many posts have discussed attitudes toward authoritarianism and political violence.
Samuel J. Abrams at Minding the Campus:
[D]ata from the Future of Politics survey of over 1,500 currently enrolled students at 91 colleges and universities reveal that far too many students today believe that force may necessary to manage political or social disagreements in the future. When asked if they agree or disagree with the statement, “Our American way of life is disappearing so far that we may have to use force to save it,” a majority of students (53 percent) agreed. Breaking down the responses further, 42 percent of strong and weak Democratic students agreed with the statement, while 67 percent of strong and weak Republicans agreed. These figures are deeply troubling and, in the words of Nebraska Senator and incoming University of Florida President Ben Sasse, simply “un-American.” As the nation and its many college and university students head into the fall 2022 election, I want to issue a clear and strong message to all students, particularly those on the right side of the aisle: political change comes from political engagement, persuasion, and voting—not violence. Voting can and does shape outcomes for the future of the nation, and the voices of Gen Z are needed more than ever, as members of the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers have dominated American politics for far too long.
