South Bay teens worry that democracy is under threat

"A random survey conducted by Mosaic of nearly 20 local students found that most believe democracy in the U.S. is under threat from censorship, political polarization and government overreach."

""The First Amendment to me means that you are able to voice your opinion without any restrictions," said Naithik Viswajith, a freshman at Santa Clara High. "(But) there has recently been lots of violence ... this has made a lot of people scared to voice them.""

""We're seeing many warning signs and early beginning stages of fascism, which has been taught to us in World History," said Catheleen Chirinos, a Santa Clara High junior."

""ICE cannot infringe on those rights, yet mistakes like detaining a legal veteran show policies need revision. It's abhorrent," said Nguyen."

A random survey of nearly 20 South Bay students found that most believe democracy in the U.S. is under threat from censorship, political polarization, and government overreach. Teens in the South Bay expressed frustration that their voices are not being heard despite the region's political activity and left-leaning tendencies. Respondents cited fears about unchecked government power, ICE immigrant raids, and unprecedented partisan division. Several students connected current trends to historical warnings about fascism and described how violence and intimidation have chilled free expression. Concerns included potential constitutional violations by ICE and the broader cultural and policy implications for immigrant communities.

Read at The Mercury News