Jesus in Their Mouths, Violence in Their Hearts

 

The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) has conducted a new "American Perspectives" survey of some 2,000 Americans, post-insurrection, and found some disturbing trends.

Nearly three in 10 Americans, including 39% of Republicans, agreed that, "If elected leaders will not protect America, the people must do it themselves, even if it requires violent actions" (emphasis added).

About eight in 10 said the current political system is "stacked against conservatives and people with traditional values." A majority agreed with the statement, "The traditional American way of life is disappearing so fast that we may have to use force to save it" (emphasis added).

"If I believe something, I may act on it, and I may not," said Daniel Cox, director of the AEI Survey Center on American Life. "We shouldn't run out and say, 'Oh, my goodness, 40% of Republicans are going to attack the Capitol.' But under the right circumstances, if you have this worldview, then you are more inclined to act in a certain way if you are presented with that option."

The AEI survey found that partisan divisions were most evident along religious lines. About three in five white evangelicals told the pollsters that Joe Biden was not legitimately elected, that it was not accurate to say Trump encouraged the attack on the Capitol, and that a Biden presidency now has them feeling disappointed, angry, or frightened.

The AEI survey found that white evangelicals were especially prone to subscribe to the Q Anon movement's conspiracy theories. Twenty seven percent said it was "mostly" or "completely" accurate to say Trump "has been secretly fighting a group of child sex traffickers that include prominent Democrats and Hollywood elites."