SHOCKING - Poll Reveals Some Americans Support Violence to Promote Abortion

A recent poll conducted by the University of Chicago's Project on Security and Threats has brought to light a concerning trend in Americans' views on abortion rights. The survey shows that support for violence as a means to restore the federal right to abortion has grown significantly over the last six months.

Photo credit: ev

Highlights

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
8/3/2023 (1 year ago)

Published in U.S.

Keywords: Abortion, poll, violence, Americans, United States

In January, 8% of Americans agreed with the statement "The use of force is justified to restore the federal right to abortion." However, the latest poll indicates a sharp increase, with 12% of respondents supporting the use of violence for this purpose in June.

The rise in support for violent means was most noticeable among self-described Democrats. In January, 8% of Democrats favored violence to restore abortion rights, but by June, this number had doubled to 16%. Independents' support also increased, going from 11% to 14% during the same period. Among Republicans, the figure remained unchanged at 6%.

This poll comes in the aftermath of a series of attacks against pro-life institutions that began in May 2022. Catholic churches, pregnancy resource centers, and other pro-life organizations across the nation were targeted in pro-abortion attacks. The surge in violence was triggered by a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court in May 2022, indicating the possibility of overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide.

The University of Chicago's Chicago Project on Security and Threats conducted the survey titled "Dangers to Democracy: Tracking Deep Distrust of Democratic Institutions, Conspiracy Beliefs, and Support for Political Violence Among Americans." The research aimed to gauge Americans' attitudes towards justifying violence for various political ends.

Conducted from June 22 to 26, the poll surveyed a wide range of adults aged 18 and over, with a margin of error of 2.3 percentage points and a 95% confidence level.

The findings of this poll underscore the growing polarization surrounding the abortion debate in the United States. As violence in the name of political causes becomes increasingly contentious, experts and leaders are likely to focus on addressing the root causes of such radicalization and finding common ground in the ongoing discourse on abortion rights.