Poll: Americans love free speech – until they realize everyone else has it too

Americans’ views on freedom of speech are continually changing. One example of this was the protests at US universities against the war between Israel and Hamas. As scientists from the freedom of expression And public opinionwe set out to seek out out what happened and why.

The Supreme Court itself only declared in 1989 that the “fundamental principle” of the First Amendment is that “The government must not ban the expression an idea just because society finds the idea itself offensive or unpleasant.”

For years, conservative politicians and commentators have been warning: There aren’t any sufficiently strong security forces on university campuses of freedom of expression. But when demonstrations occurred, the identical people complained that the protests were crammed with anti-Semitic hate speechLeading conservatives called for a ban and an end to the demonstrations. violent if needed.

The Liberals made the same turnaround. Many of them supported increased regulation from Hate speech against minority groups. But in the course of the protests on campus warned that raids by university administrations, government agencies and the police violated the liberty of expression of the demonstrators Right.

As researchers at Vanderbilt University Project on Unity and American Democracy And The way forward for free expressionWe wanted to seek out out where the Americans stand. We were inspired by a Survey conducted in November 1939 by which 3,500 Americans answered questions on free speech. In June 2024, we asked 1,000 Americans the identical questions.

When an abstract concept becomes more concrete

We found that the overwhelming majority of Americans – then and now – imagine that freedom of speech is a prerequisite for democracy. At least within the abstract.

However, because the questions turn into more specific, their support wanes.

Only about half of respondents in each the 1939 and 2024 polls agreed that everybody in America ought to be allowed to talk on any topic, at any time. The rest believed that some speech—or certain topics or speakers—ought to be banned.

This pattern will not be limited to Americans. A survey by The way forward for free expressiona nonpartisan think tank based at Vanderbilt, also noted high support for freedom of expression within the abstract in all countries, but overall lower support for certain statements that offend minority groups or religious beliefs.

We conducted surveys in March and June 2024 to ask which topics or speakers ought to be excluded. We thought that the general public's desire at no cost speech may need waned within the wake of the unrest on campus. We found the other.

When asked whether seven individuals with very different views ought to be heard, the proportion of respondents who said “yes” increased between March and June. Some of the differences were throughout the poll's margin of error, but it surely continues to be notable that all of them trended in the identical direction.

While these polls show a slight increase in desire at no cost speech, they still fit the final contradiction: Large majorities of Americans passionately defend free speech as a cornerstone of democracy. But fewer of them support free speech in terms of certain controversial speakers or issues.

The First Amendment will not be an à la carte menu

Our surveys have shown that the general public has a nuanced view of free speech. For example, in our June 2024 survey, we added some additional categories of potential speakers to the list we asked about in March. Other respondents included probably with a pro-Palestinian spokesman than with a frontrunner of Hamas and with a scientist who believes that IQ varies based on race, somewhat than with an outspoken white racist.

This pattern suggests that the general public distinguishes between extreme and more moderate positions and is less tolerant of the rights of those with more extreme views.

This shift contradicts the aim of the First Amendment, which should protect unpopular speechThe amendment should explicitly not apply only to certain speakers or positions.

Ours will not be the one survey to seek out that many individuals don’t fully understand the logic and principles underlying free speech.

In 2020, a Knight Foundation poll found that members of each political parties oppose statements that run counter to their values ​​or beliefs.

Later polls, including those conducted by other organizations, got here to more precise conclusions: The Democrats somewhat to support censorship from racist hate speech or misinformation about vaccines.

And the Republicans were against it Drag shows And Kneeling in the course of the playing of the national anthem.

A national poll commissioned by The New York Times and Siena College in February 2022 found that 30% of Americans believed that “sometimes you have to suppress the language that is undemocratic, bigoted or simply untrue.”

A return to basics

In view of the upcoming elections in 2024 and Polarization is increasing Among Americans, some might want only those that agree with them to have their say.

But a true commitment to the basic principles of freedom of expression requires people to make room for the expression of controversial and even offensive views.

History shows that Censorship of hateful ideas is commonly a cure that’s worse than the diseasewhich deepens social divides. James Madison, certainly one of the most important authors of the US Constitution and the First Amendment, wrote in 1800:

“A certain degree of abuse is inseparable Of the proper use of all things…it is better to leave some of its noxious branches to grow luxuriantly, than to impair by pruning the vitality of those which bear the proper fruit.”

The Founding Fathers knew that respect for various viewpoints and the power to specific those views – whether good, bad or harmful – in public are essential to a healthy democracy.