Are young people more likely to support political violence than older people?

"The murder of Minnesota Democratic state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in June. An arson fire at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's house in April. The shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York sidewalk in December. Before that, the hammer attack that nearly killed Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul, at their San Francisco home, and two attempted assassinations of President Trump. The events have shaken people on the left and the right."

"A survey of more than 4,100 people conducted last year by a California State Long Beach professor found that 93% of baby boomers and 86% of Generation X members say violence is never acceptable to stop political speech, even the most offensive speech. 'The wrong conclusion to draw, of course, is that millions of young people are celebrating acts of political violence,' said Kevin Wallsten, a professor of political science who led the survey."

High-profile political violence in the United States has included assassinations, arson, shootings, and near-fatal attacks affecting figures across the political spectrum. Recent incidents include the assassination of a conservative activist on a college campus, the murder of a state lawmaker and her husband, arson at a governor's house, the killing of a major healthcare CEO, a hammer attack on a former House speaker's spouse, and two attempted presidential assassinations. A survey of over 4,100 people found generational differences: 93% of baby boomers and 86% of Generation X reject violence to stop speech, versus 71% of millennials and 58% of Generation Z. A political scientist warns against assuming broad youth endorsement of violence and urges leaders to reduce tensions and reaffirm that democracy depends on listening to other viewpoints.

Read at The Mercury News