A new poll shows that nearly half of Gen Z voters report lying about who they voted for.
Forty-eight percent of respondents admit to lying to friends and family members, revealing a concerning trend of self-censorship among young people regarding their political beliefs. The data suggest that many young people are likely Trump supporters hiding their beliefs out of fear of leftist backlash.
The fact that nearly half of Gen Z voters feel compelled to hide their political beliefs points to a larger issue: the Left's campaign of intimidation. And as a college student, I can tell you that our nation’s classrooms are ground-zero for leftist political shaming and intimidation.
People in authority at universities push leftist views onto students and bully them into supporting Democrat politicians and their policies. At Campus Reform, we’ve reported that this pattern of coercion is widespread in higher education.
For example, at Gettysburg College, an admissions counselor tweeted that Trump supporters are “pieces of s**t”; at the University of Kansas, a professor called for men to be shot and killed if they are unwilling to vote for a female president; and a training at the University of Tampa told resident advisors how to handle students who feel “unsafe” if they have a Republican roommate. This language reflects how people in authority in the higher education system treat conservatives.
The Left has normalized this culture of violence and hostility toward Republicans, cultivating a divisive environment where conservatives are shunned and bullied. On today’s college campuses, conservatives have targets on their backs.
This vitriolic, divisive language from those in authority on our campuses explains why self-censorship has become a survival mechanism for young conservatives. A recent, nationwide survey found that more than 80 percent of students self-censor in the classroom to avoid expressing their views in discussions or assignments out of fear of verbal backlash from peers or even failing grades from professors.
Social media is another battleground where young conservatives tread carefully. Many hesitate to reveal their beliefs out of fear of losing friends and followers or receiving harsh or threatening online messages. A 2020 survey found that among Americans 13 and older, “61% of social media users have unfollowed, unfriended, or blocked a connection on social media because of that person’s political views or posts.” Alarmingly, 70 percent of liberals admitted to engaging in this practice.
The root of this problem goes back to how the Left and the mainstream media treat conservatives. Just this past week, President Joe Biden called Trump supporters “garbage” and Mark Cuban said that Trump doesn’t associate with “strong, intelligent women,” suggesting that female Trump supporters are weak and uneducated.
This toxicity is not new: Hillary Clinton famously labeled Trump supporters as “deplorables,” and Barack Obama once dismissed Republicans as “bitter” people who “cling to guns or religion.” The mainstream media throws fuel on the fire by branding former President Donald Trump and his supporters are either “fascist or a “threat to democracy.”
The Left relentlessly tries to silence conservative voices, and alarmingly, many in my generation seem to be conceding to this trend.
My message to Gen Z: Be bold.
Our nation currently lies in grave danger due to an open border and economic devastation caused by reckless, inflationary spending driven by leftist policies – this is not the time to back down. We must reclaim our voice and proudly advocate for what is just. While voicing your political beliefs may offend some, it has the potential to inspire countless others.
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