In a nation that prides itself on the ideals of freedom and democracy, America faces a troubling trend: the rise of intolerance from both ends of the political spectrum.
Here are Five Facts on the rising intolerance in America.
1. Antisemitism and racism are surging among the left and right.
Across the nation, the number of documented antisemitic incidents reached a new record in 2022, while most Black Americans believe racism will get worse in their lifetimes. Helping drive these concerning trends are political forces on the far left and right. Local chapters of the far-left Democratic Socialists of America have been condemned for celebrating Hamas and its recent attack on Israeli civilians. Meanwhile, federal law enforcement officials have identified far-right white nationalist groups like the Proud Boys as “the biggest domestic terrorism threat to the country,” and the Proud Boys have also hosted far-right members of Congress at speaking events.
2. Only 58 percent of Americans believe tolerance is an important value.
According to Wall Street Journal survey, only 58 percent of Americans consider tolerance an important value, which is 22 percentage points lower than just four years ago.
3. A growing number of voters feel the two parties have become too extreme.
It's not just a few individuals or outlier groups that feel disaffected by the current political parties. There is a growing perception among the American electorate that both major political parties have become too extreme. A 2022 CNN poll found that about half of American voters think so. When parties move toward extremes, they leave behind a large swath of moderates who feel politically homeless.
4. An estimated 41 percent of Democrats and 38 percent of Republicans say that violence is acceptable to prevent the other party from achieving their goals.
This finding came from a recent University of Virginia poll that shows just how divisive our politics have become. Other findings from the poll show that 41 percent of Republicans and 30 percent of Democrats would support red and blue states seceding to form their own separate countries. According to the poll, 31 percent of Republicans and 21 percent of Democrats say that “the ends justify the means and any action taken by my preferred political party is acceptable if it achieves our goals.” And 31 percent of Republicans and 24 percent of Democrats think “democracy is no longer a viable system, and America should explore alternative forms of government to ensure stability and progress.”
5. Roughly 40 percent of Americans believe a civil war is possible within the next decade, according to polling by YouGov and the Economist.
Rachel Kleinfeld, a civil conflict expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told The Guardian that she didn’t think war would break out in the United States, but couldn’t rule it out entirely: “Countries with democracies and governments as strong as America’s do not fall into civil war. But if our institutions weaken, the story could be different.”
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