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(StepUP prototyping) · Pardon our dust.
Attitudes towards political violence in the United States
What They Found
Democrats think 47 percent of Republicans support violence against Democrats. But only 13 percent really do. Even more striking: only 3.5% of Democrats and 2.4% of Republicans support throwing rocks at opposing protestors, yet 40% from both parties think the other side would support this - a ten-fold exaggeration. Social media makes this worse by amplifying extreme voices. Meanwhile, 85% of Republicans and 89% of Democrats believe in unconditional free speech, but each side thinks only about half the other party believes this. This creates dangerous cycles where people respond to imaginary threats.
Bridging Divides Initiative (BDI)
In a fragmented civic landscape, BDI provides the infrastructure, intelligence, and insight that community leaders and bridge-builders need to act strategically and collaboratively. By surfacing real-time risks and spotlighting grassroots solutions, they empower organizations like The Change Lab to respond to division with clarity, care, and coordination.