The vast majority of American voters support the right to public religious expression and oppose cancel culture, a poll released Tuesday by Summit Ministries found.
Of the voters surveyed, 79% stated that they supported the rights of people who “adhere to the values found in the Bible” to publicly express their religious beliefs, according to the poll. Meanwhile, 12% of voters stated that they did not support the right and 9% said they were “unsure.”
Additionally, the poll found that 77% of voters stated “‘canceling’ or blacklisting someone for their opinions or beliefs” is “harmful to American society.” At the same time, 13% of voters answered that they thought canceling someone is “helpful,” while 10% said they were “unsure.” (Poll: Large Plurality Of Americans Say Cancel Culture Has Gone Too Far)
The poll showed that a bipartisan majority opposes cancel culture, with 6% of Republicans, 10% of independents, and 21% of Democrats stating that cancellations are “helpful.” However, the poll found that Republicans and independents are more likely to self-censor in order to avoid backlash. The poll found that 45% of Republicans, 44% of independents, and 38% of Democrats are “hesitant” to share their opinions “for fear of backlash from family, friends, or co-workers.”
The poll also found that 31% of voters are “concerned” voicing their opinions could cost them their jobs, while 63% were either “not very concerned” or “not concerned at all.” An additional 6% stated they were “unsure.”
“There are many things that divide Americans, but this poll shows that Republican, Independent, and Democrat voters are united about one thing: they strongly oppose the current trend of canceling and blacklisting people for their beliefs,” Dr. Jeff Myers, president of Summit Ministries, said in a statement to the Daily Caller. “Americans overwhelmingly support the right of people to express their religious convictions.”
“Yet a stunning one-third of voters fear losing their jobs for expressing their beliefs. This is a dramatic revelation,” Myers continued. “Freedom cannot thrive if a large number of people live in fear of losing their livelihoods for having a viewpoint. Corporate and political leaders must take these concerns seriously.”
1,000 likely general election voters across the country were polled from Feb. 16 to Feb. 22. The poll has an accuracy of +/- 3.1% at a 95% confidence interval.