PLASTIC THIS JULY.
WE SHARE EASY TIPS TO GO PLASTIC
FREE.
>>> FIRST OFF IT'S NO SECRET
THAT AMERICA HAS BEEN DIVIDED
ACROSS PARTISAN AND RACIAL
LINES.
BUT A NEW SURVEY ILLUSTRATES
JUST HOW DEEP SOME OF THOSE
DIVISIONS ARE, HOW DIFFERENTLY
SOME PEOPLE THINK OF WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE A GOOD AMERICAN AND
HOW PEOPLE SEE THE ROLE OF GUNS
AND VIOLENCE IN POLITICAL LIFE.
JOINING US NOW, HAVE THE STUDY'S
CO-AUTHOR, EYE SACK POLL
LETTERED.
THE STUDY LOOKED AT WHAT PEOPLE
VALUED WHEN THEY THINK OF BEING
AN AMERICAN.
THERE WAS AGREEMENT ON VOTING
RIGHTS, RESPECT FOR
INSTITUTIONS, FREE SPEECH AND
RESOLVING POLITICAL CONFLICT
PEACEFULLY.
BUT THERE WAS DISAGREEMENT ON
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING BORN IN
THE U.S., BEING CHRISTIAN, AND
OWNING FIRE ARMS.
HOW DEEP ARE THE DIVIDES THAT
YOU FOUND WHEN IT COMES TO
AMERICAN IDENTITY?
>> WELL, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT
THERE IS A GENERAL BROAD
AGREEMENT ON KEY PRINCIPALS SUCH
AS RESPECT FOR INSTITUTION ARE
AS BEING IMPORTANT FOR WHAT
MAKES FOR A TRUE AMERICAN.
AND ALSO PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF
CONFLICT OF POLITICAL CONFLICT.
BUT, WE SEE THAT THAT A LOT OF
PEOPLE ACTUALLY VALUE BOTH
CHRISTIAN RELIGION IN THE UNITED
STATES AS PART OF THE AMERICAN
IDENTITY.
WHAT MAKES A TRUE AMERICAN IS
BEING CHRISTIAN AND BEING BORN
IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WHAT WE SEE IS ACTUALLY THAT
IT IS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS MORE
SO THAN WHITES, WHERE WE SEE THE
IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTIANITY AND
NAYTIVITY, BUT WHAT REALLY
DIVIDES PEOPLE IS ACROSS
PARTISAN LINES.
WHAT WE SEE IS THAT EVEN THOUGH
THERE ARE RACIAL DIFFERENCES,
THE DEEPER CLEAVAGES ARE BETWEEN
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN HOW
IMPORTANT THEY THINK NATIVITY
AND CHRISTIANITY ARE AS PART OF
IDENTITY.
>>> ISAAC THERE'S ALSO A
DISAGREEMENT OF CARING FIREARMS
AT POLITICAL PROTESTS ARE A
PROBLEM.
>> IF YOU FIND YOURSELF TO BE A
DEMOCRAT YOU ARE MUCH MORE
LIKELY TO NOT SUPPORT FIREARMS,
BE LIKELY TO BRING FIREARMS TO
PROTEST AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
JUST LOOKING AT IT VISUALLY,
IT'S DRAMATIC, PEOPLE STRONGLY
LIKE THIS, IF THEY ARE
REPUBLICANS, THEY STRONGLY
DISLIKE IT IF THEY'RE DEMOCRATS.
IT'S STAGGERING TO LOOK AT.
>> ALEXANDRA FILINDRA DO THESE
POTENTIALLY POSE A THREAT TO THE
STABILITY OF THE U.S. POLITICAL
SYSTEM?
>> IT IS A PROBLEM THAT WE
SHOULD DEFINITELY TAKE SERIOUSLY
BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE
THE SUPREME COURT AND A LOT OF
STATES HAVE RECOGNIZED AS A
RIGHT THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO
CARRY ARMS AND MANY STATES
ACTUALLY HAVE ENABLED PEOPLE TO
CARRY ARMS IN PUBLIC SPACES
INCLUDING, PROTESTS.
THERE IS NO ESSENTIAL
LIMITATIONS OF CARRYING FIREARMS
IN A PROTEST SPACE.
SO WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE
OUR POLITICAL RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE
AND EXPRESS OPINION AS A
GOVERNMENT ARE COLLIDING WITH
OUR RIGHTS TO CARRY FIREARMS.
AND IN A CHARGED ENVIRONMENT,
WHERE PEOPLE DISAGREE IT IS
ESSENTIAL THAT PEOPLE FEEL SAFE
TO DISAGREE.
AND WHEN WE SEE FROM THE SURVEY,
TOO, IS THAT AND FROM PREVIOUS
SURVEYS CONDUCTED THAT PEOPLE
ARE LESS LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE
IN PROTESTS IF THEY THINK THAT
COUNTER PROTESTERS WILL BE
ARMED.
SO, THERE'S AN ISSUE OF PULLING
BACK AND NOT PARTICIPATING.
>> YOU FOUND THAT PEOPLE SAW
THINGS DIFFERENTLY WHEN IT COMES
TO TALKING ABOUT EVENT SHALL
LIKE THE ATTEMPTED CAPITAL
INSURRECTION OR DEMONSTRATIONS
AFTER GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH.
ARE PEOPLE SPEAKING TWO
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES OF PROTEST
VERSUS RIOT, FOR EXAMPLE?
>> IT REALLY IS, AND IT MAKES
EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE.
WE KNOW FROM POLITICAL SCIENCE
THAT WE ARE RATIONALIZING PEOPLE
AND WE FEEL THINGS FIRST AND
MAKE SENSE OF IT LATER.
SO, IF YOU FIND YOURSELF TO
BELIEVE THAT WHAT HAPPENED LAST
SUMMER TO GEORGE FLOYD WAS
UNTHINKABLE AND YOU WERE PART OF
A PROTEST, IF SOMEONE STARTS TO
SAY TO YOU, THAT THE RIOTS LAST
SUMMER WERE TOUGH, YOU'RE
ALREADY TURNED OFF.
WHEN THINKING ABOUT BRINGING
PEOPLE TOGETHER, YOU GOT TO KEEP
THESE THINGS IN MIND.
BECAUSE PEOPLE FEEL VERY
STRONGLY HOW EVENTS ARE
DESCRIBED, LET ALONE WHAT
HAPPENED THERE.
AND IT CAN MAKE COMMUNICATION
DIFFERENT.
>>> ALEXANDRA FILINDRA PEOPLE
TEND TO SAY THAT REJECT
POLITICAL VIOLENCE, BUT YOU SAY
THAT FALTERS WHEN YOU GET INTO
POLITICAL QUESTIONS.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE
SAYING THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO
PARTICIPATE IN VIOLENT
DEMONSTRATIONS THAT ARE MEANT TO
PROTECT THEIR GROUP'S RIGHTS,
WHATEVER THEY UNDERSTAND AS
THEIR GROUP OR WHEN THEY SAY
IT'S APPROPRIATE TO USE ARMED
VIOLENCE IN SUPPORT OF PEOPLE'S
RIGHTS, AND ALSO A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT
THE GOVERNMENT, IN IT SELF, IS A
THREAT TO OUR RIGHTS IN A WAY
THAT PEOPLE NEED GUNS TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES FROM GOVERNMENT.
SO WE'RE CREATING A VERY
OPPOSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP AND
INCREDIBLE LEVELS OF MISTRUST
TOWARDS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
THE PEOPLE THAT WE, BY CHOICE,
PUT IN A PLACE TO MAKE DECISIONS
FOR US.
AND THAT IS A VERY DANGEROUS
POSITION TO BE IN WHEN
SUBSTANTIAL MINORITIES, BUT
SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN
SOCIETY VIEW OUR DEMOCRATIC
INSTITUTION AS A PROBLEM THAT
REQUIRES VIOLENCE TO BE
CONTAINED.
>>> OKAY.