90% of undergrads believe words can be violence

[Eman623]

“When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words,”

• Nine out of ten undergrads believe that “words can be violence”
• Differences in views becoming more stark between liberal and conservative students

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 2, 2025 — Ninety one percent of undergraduate students believe that words can be violence, according to a new poll by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and College Pulse.

The survey’s findings are especially startling coming in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination — an extreme and tragic example of the sharp difference between words and violence.

“When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words,” said FIRE Chief Research Advisor Sean Stevens. “Even after the murder of Charlie Kirk at a speaking event, college students think that someone’s words can be a threat. This is antithetical to a free and open society, where words are the best alternative to political violence.”

FIRE poll: 90% of undergrads believe words can be violence even after killing of Charlie Kirk

Ninety one percent of undergraduate students believe that words can be violence, according to a new poll by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and College Pulse.

www.thefire.org

Ironically, silence is also violence to some. You can't say stuff the mob doesn't like. You can't even remain silent. Good speech will be compelled by the threat or use of actual violence!

 

[SeaMajor7]

College Marxist mills gonna mill out Marxists.

 

[Zincwarrior]

Fighting words - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Rogue AI]

When did Americans become such a bunch of pussies?

Of course this is the direct result of the fact conservatives are intellectual creatures seeking to resolve problems with thoughts and word, whereas liberals are violent and thuggish creatures unable to compete on that level. By making mere words tools of violence, liberals are justifying their thuggish nature. How sad.

 

[Zincwarrior]

College Marxist mills gonna mill out Marxists.

They must be following Trump's lead.

Trump Loses It on Paramount Over 60 Minutes Sit-Down With ‘Traitor’ Marjorie Taylor Greene: ‘NO BETTER THAN THE OLD OWNERSHIP!’

Trump demanded a “total APOLOGY” from 60 Minutes and raged that Paramount was “NO BETTER THAN THE OLD OWNERSHIP.”

www.mediaite.com

 

[Dekster]

“When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words,”

• Nine out of ten undergrads believe that “words can be violence”
• Differences in views becoming more stark between liberal and conservative students

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 2, 2025 — Ninety one percent of undergraduate students believe that words can be violence, according to a new poll by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and College Pulse.

The survey’s findings are especially startling coming in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination — an extreme and tragic example of the sharp difference between words and violence.

“When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words,” said FIRE Chief Research Advisor Sean Stevens. “Even after the murder of Charlie Kirk at a speaking event, college students think that someone’s words can be a threat. This is antithetical to a free and open society, where words are the best alternative to political violence.”

FIRE poll: 90% of undergrads believe words can be violence even after killing of Charlie Kirk

Ninety one percent of undergraduate students believe that words can be violence, according to a new poll by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and College Pulse.

www.thefire.org

Ironically, silence is also violence to some. You can't say stuff the mob doesn't like. You can't even remain silent. Good speech will be compelled by the threat or use of actual violence!

Oh how tragic....well if you ignore that so does the law which is why "assault" generally involves only words. It is "battery" that involves contact.

 

[yidnar]

“When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words,”

• Nine out of ten undergrads believe that “words can be violence”
• Differences in views becoming more stark between liberal and conservative students

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 2, 2025 — Ninety one percent of undergraduate students believe that words can be violence, according to a new poll by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and College Pulse.

The survey’s findings are especially startling coming in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination — an extreme and tragic example of the sharp difference between words and violence.

“When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words,” said FIRE Chief Research Advisor Sean Stevens. “Even after the murder of Charlie Kirk at a speaking event, college students think that someone’s words can be a threat. This is antithetical to a free and open society, where words are the best alternative to political violence.”

FIRE poll: 90% of undergrads believe words can be violence even after killing of Charlie Kirk

Ninety one percent of undergraduate students believe that words can be violence, according to a new poll by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and College Pulse.

www.thefire.org

Ironically, silence is also violence to some. You can't say stuff the mob doesn't like. You can't even remain silent. Good speech will be compelled by the threat or use of actual violence!

and the majority of leftists believe that labeling someone as a Nazi, racist , Fascist , threat to democracy , transphobe ECT .. isn't violent speech ..

 

[toobfreak]

“When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words,”

If a person graduates college thinking that words hurt them and can be violence, I only have two thoughts for them:

1. You should seek to get a refund from your teaching university.
2. Thank god we didn't have to rely on people like you back 80 years ago when we were actually fighting the Nazis, the Chinese, the Koreans, and the Vietcong.

 

[Eman623]

They must be following Trump's lead.

Trump Loses It on Paramount Over 60 Minutes Sit-Down With ‘Traitor’ Marjorie Taylor Greene: ‘NO BETTER THAN THE OLD OWNERSHIP!’

Trump demanded a “total APOLOGY” from 60 Minutes and raged that Paramount was “NO BETTER THAN THE OLD OWNERSHIP.”

www.mediaite.com

You win the First to exhibit Trump Derangement award for this thread!

 

[Eman623]

Oh how tragic....well if you ignore that so does the law which is why "assault" generally involves only words. It is "battery" that involves contact.

Fighting words - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Verbal assaults and fighting words fall into a different class of speech than advocacy of unpopular (to the listener) opinions.

For example, Burning a flag may be offensive to some, but is it not a personal attack so you can't claim fighting words or verbal assault (or in this case, demonstrative assault).

 

[Zincwarrior]

Verbal assaults and fighting words fall into a different class of speech than advocacy of unpopular (to the listener) opinions.

For example, Burning a flag may be offensive to some, but is it not a personal attack so you can't claim fighting words or verbal assault (or in this case, demonstrative assault).

I was just noting the Fighting Words Doctrine.

 

[Dekster]

Verbal assaults and fighting words fall into a different class of speech than advocacy of unpopular (to the listener) opinions.

For example, Burning a flag may be offensive to some, but is it not a personal attack so you can't claim fighting words or verbal assault (or in this case, demonstrative assault).

The law is a moving target.

 

[ColonelAngus]

Universities have become communist brain washing farms.

 

[Eman623]

The law is a moving target.

Maybe so, but the 1A's guarantee of freedom of speech, especially political speech, is hopefully more stationary.

 

[toobfreak]

Maybe so, but the 1A's guarantee of freedom of speech, especially political speech, is hopefully more stationary.

The 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech was I think intended to apply to the INDIVIDUAL, not organizations or agencies of the government.

If our electees for public office have a "right" to lie to us making grossly exaggerated and false promises they have no intention nor ability to keep, then, not only are our elections worthless (what is the point voting for anyone when you cannot trust anything they promise?), but our government and country are lost as once elected to office, they are free to do anything, totally unaccountable to those who put them there.

Just imagine if I could lie to an employer to get a $203,000/year job by telling them I had a Masters from Harvard and had accomplished x,y, & z working for others, and there was no recourse for the employer to fire me.

That is your US government.

 

[M14 Shooter]

“When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words,”

Anyone who believes words are violence clearly do not understand violence.

 

[SweetSue92]

When did Americans become such a bunch of pussies?

Of course this is the direct result of the fact conservatives are intellectual creatures seeking to resolve problems with thoughts and word, whereas liberals are violent and thuggish creatures unable to compete on that level. By making mere words tools of violence, liberals are justifying their thuggish nature. How sad.

Good times make soft people, as we see from this survey

 

[1srelluc]

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

“When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words,”

• Nine out of ten undergrads believe that “words can be violence”
• Differences in views becoming more stark between liberal and conservative students

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 2, 2025 — Ninety one percent of undergraduate students believe that words can be violence, according to a new poll by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and College Pulse.

The survey’s findings are especially startling coming in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination — an extreme and tragic example of the sharp difference between words and violence.

“When people start thinking that words can be violence, violence becomes an acceptable response to words,” said FIRE Chief Research Advisor Sean Stevens. “Even after the murder of Charlie Kirk at a speaking event, college students think that someone’s words can be a threat. This is antithetical to a free and open society, where words are the best alternative to political violence.”

FIRE poll: 90% of undergrads believe words can be violence even after killing of Charlie Kirk

Ninety one percent of undergraduate students believe that words can be violence, according to a new poll by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and College Pulse.

www.thefire.org

Ironically, silence is also violence to some. You can't say stuff the mob doesn't like. You can't even remain silent. Good speech will be compelled by the threat or use of actual violence!

.

Time to completely defund the universities that crank this stupid shit out.

.

 

[Eman623]

The 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech was I think intended to apply to the INDIVIDUAL, not organizations or agencies of the government.

If our electees for public office have a "right" to lie to us making grossly exaggerated and false promises they have no intention nor ability to keep, then, not only are our elections worthless (what is the point voting for anyone when you cannot trust anything they promise?), but our government and country are lost as once elected to office, they are free to do anything, totally unaccountable to those who put them there.

Just imagine if I could lie to an employer to get a $203,000/year job by telling them I had a Masters from Harvard and had accomplished x,y, & z working for others, and there was no recourse for the employer to fire me.

That is your US government.

Speaking of moving targets, I think you are moving away from the topic of this thread.