92% of Americans think their basic rights are being threatened, new poll shows
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Most Americans surveyed – 92% – think their rights are under siege, according to a poll released Monday.
Americans are most concerned that their freedom of speech (48%), right to bear arms (47%) and right to equal justice (41%) are at risk, says the Harris Poll/Purple Project, which surveyed 2,002 people nationwide.
"When you frame something as a threat, it creates a bit of a political response, and it creates division and encampments of special interest," said John Gerzema, CEO of the Harris Poll. That's why political parties and lobbying groups warn supporters with strident language, he said: It's easier to drum up backing for a political cause by talking about an issue in terms of "threats."
But when you start to consider which rights and freedoms really matter, Gerzema said, poll responses changed – and Americans re-prioritized which values they cared about most.
Gerzema's advice to the folks in Washington? Focus on the things that are fundamental to the American way of life.
"There is something wonderful going on underneath the surface, and that's what I wish our leaders in Washington would pay attention to," he said. "You start to see the true, softer side of America's rough-and-tumble political reality."