¡Hola, amigos! Did you catch the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll? 🔍 It found that a whopping 2 in 3 Americans believe that harsh political language is practically fueling real-world violence.
The three-day online survey of 1,037 U.S. adults (with a margin of error around 3%) was conducted right after the tragic killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot while speaking at a college campus in Utah.
Here’s what stood out:
- 63% say heated rhetoric does "a lot" to encourage violence
- 31% feel it gives "a little" nudge
- 79% think people are less tolerant of opposing views than 20 years ago
- 71% agree that "American society is broken" 💔
- 66% worry about violence over political beliefs in their own communities
Experts have noticed a spike in politically motivated attacks — about 150 in the first half of this year, nearly double the same period last year, according to University of Maryland researcher Mike Jensen.
Even President Donald Trump has not held back, warning about "radical left lunatics" and urging supporters to "beat the hell out of them." Such words, critics argue, might add fuel to the fire 🔥.
With a nation feeling more divided than ever, these numbers spotlight a sobering reality: words can hurt, words can harm. How can the U.S. dial down the heat and bring back respectful debate? 🤔
Reference(s):
Poll: 2 in 3 Americans say harsh political rhetoric fueling violence
cgtn.com
