VERY Troubling...

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THIS poll seems to show why demographics are vital in determining a nation's character. America has a European language, culture, set of laws...even its Constitution was written by and derived from English Common Law...for now.

This poll, IF accurate, seems to indicate that different groups feel differently about such fundamentally American principles as Freedom of Expression.

The entire purpose of the 1st Amendment is to SPECIFICALLY PROTECT controversial, offensive, even incendiary speech, contrary to what folks like Joy Behar appear to think (https://m.washingtontimes.com/…/joy-behar-on-trump-why-ca…/…)

In the U.S. "racist," "sexist," speech, as well as holocaust denial, even flat earth views are THANKFULLY protected speech.

WHY?

No idea is inherently dangerous...NOT even Marxism/Collectivism.

The antidote to "wrong,", or "mean-spirited" speech is "right," or more "kindly speech."

Personally, I HOPE this poll is incorrect. The wording of the poll, like most polls, can be seen as misleading. At the least it IS, in fact what can be termed "leading."

A more neutral question would be, "Do you believe all views are worthy of protection?"

It's impossible to know whether the results would differ, but they might.

Better still, adding income level would give more information. Do poorer people feel differently about freedom of expression? Do more well off people? After all, many successful Hollywood folks have expressed support for speech restrictions.

STILL, the poll below seems to indicate an ominous trend for America's foundation of Civil Liberties, especially since many in our media today, seem to have soured on the 1st Amendment, at least in their support for "hate speech" laws, etc. Joy Behar is simply one among many such voices.

It IS a fact that England, Germany and other European countries have laws that ban certain views - Holocaust denial, speech considered "Islamaphobic," etc.

Without question, there are political groups, like the Justice Democrats, who want to see America radically transformed and polls like this one only serve to bolster that view.
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