Americans, especially Black, Hispanic,& young people, are very concerned w/ safety at polling places

[Celerity]

Last edited Mon Aug 8, 2022, 06:28 PM - Edit history (1)

Americans’ Fears are Suppressing Participation in the Democratic Process

https://globalextremism.org/post/fear-and-elections/



A new poll commissioned by GPAHE and conducted by Edge Research shows that Americans are generally more afraid than we were five years ago. We’re most afraid of crime, as expected, but we’re also afraid of each other. We feel as, or more, divided than we did during the Civil War. Mass shootings, political and racial divisions, and extremist rhetoric and violence are all taking their toll on Americans’ sense of safety and security. Most significantly, these fears are causing Americans to be wary of involvement in the democratic process, including voting, as many now fear their polling places are unsafe. Young people as well as Black and Hispanic people feel the most afraid to participate.



GPAHE conducted this poll because we wanted to measure the impact of growing extremism and violent attacks on Americans. We wanted to understand how, if at all, racially and politically motivated violence, extremist political rhetoric, and extremist group activity are affecting our willingness to participate in the democratic process and our general sense of safety. What we found is alarming. Our sense of unease fuelled by both violence and social division leaves the majority of Americans experiencing some level of fear about the potential actions of others in day-to-day life. Not a single place we asked about – the grocery store, schools, houses of worship, and more – was rated as a place that Americans feel “completely or very safe.”



Only 41 percent feel safe at polling places. The least amount of people, 22 percent, feel safe at concerts or festivals. Black (48 percent) and Hispanic (46 percent) people have a far lower sense of personal security in day-to-day life than white people (60 percent), and one-in-five young people (18-25) reported feeling actively at risk (19 percent at risk compared to 10 percent overall). White and older Americans report feeling the safest, but they’ve experienced the greatest decline in sense of safety over the last five years.



Fears are divided along racial and party lines

We are united in our fear but divided, as on most things, on the cause. The erosion in our sense of security is stemming from a number of factors – general crime but also our own divisiveness, with mass shootings being the exception. It is no surprise that for those of us who feel less safe than five years ago, 74 percent of us fear mass shootings, given the number of such incidents that our nation has witnessed in the last few years, and we fear both single actor shooters and coordinated violence from organized extremist groups.



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[Irish_Dem]

1. Threats of violence are being used to scare Americans.

To make them compliant, docile and to demoralize them.

Voters, teachers, public health workers, election workers, women, POC, LGBT, etc.

[unc70]

2. Misspelled "arround" is distracting

Not a big thing, but it makes the report seem less professional.

[Celerity]

3. I contacted them and made them aware

cheers

[Celerity]

6. they sorted it and wrote me a nice email

[Sky Jewels]

4. Again, all states should follow our example here in Oregon.

We’ve been entirely vote by mail since the late 90s. Washington state is also 100%. It’s great.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

5. This is the result of the terrorist organization known as the Republican party.

The vast, right-wing propaganda machine generates stochastic terrorists.

See also:
https://now.org/summary-of-voter-suppression-efforts/