MEDIA COMMUNICATIONSDivision of University Relations403 Olds HallMichigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MI 48824-1047

MEDIA CONTACTS: Amy J. Baumer IPPSR, (517) 355-6672, Ext. 132 orKristan Tetens, University Relations, (517) 432-0921Darren Davis, Department of Political Science, (517) 432-0028; [email protected] Brian Silver, Department of Political Science, (517) 355-2237; [email protected]

For assistance in arranging interviews with Davis and/or Silver, contact Amy J. Baumer, Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, (517) 355-6672, Ext. 132.

4/23/02

STUDY: AMERICANS UNWILLING TO GIVE UP CIVIL LIBERTIES IN EXCHANGE FOR ENHANCED SECURITY

A new Michigan State University survey sponsored by the National Science Foundation has found that even though 84 percent of Americans are "very concerned" or "somewhat concerned" about a future terrorist attack on the United States, a majority of them are unwilling to relinquish civil liberties in exchange for enhanced security. Most Americans also identify U.S. foreign policy as a "very important" or "somewhat important" factor leading to terrorism directed against U.S. interests.

The nationwide survey was conducted by Darren Davis and Brian Silver, faculty members in the Department of Political Science.

Nearly 55 percent of those surveyed said they were generally unwilling to allow the government broader powers to combat terrorism if those powers meant limiting traditional constitutional protections.

Specifically:

92 percent said they opposed government investigation of non-violent protestors.

82 percent said they opposed government use of racial profiling.

77 percent said they opposed warrantless searches of suspected terrorists.

66 percent said they opposed government monitoring of telephone and e-mail conversations.

53 percent said they opposed the indefinite detention of terrorism suspects.

However, those surveyed did indicate a willingness to give up some civil liberties in three areas:

54 percent said they supported the idea of a national identification card.

60 percent said schoolteachers should not have the right to criticize U.S. anti-terrorism policies in class.

71 percent said that it should be a crime to belong to a terrorist organization.

The survey found that some Americans are more likely than others to want to protect their civil liberties. Those describing themselves as "not proud to be American" and those with "low trust in local law enforcement" were the least likely to want to give up rights.

Race also seems to play a role in determining whether American citizens are willing to sacrifice certain civil rights for greater security. On the whole, African Americans are more resistant than Hispanic/Latino/Chicanos and Caucasians to trading civil liberties for increased security.

"More than half of those responding expressed concern that a bioterrorist attack could directly affect themselves or their family," said Davis. "Yet despite this fear for their personal safety, Americans seem to be holding fast to most civil liberties regardless of their worry about future attacks."

"The opposition to racial profiling was also much higher than we expected," said Silver. "We think this may account for why those with lower trust in local law enforcement are less willing to give up civil liberties."

The survey was conducted between November 2001 and January 2002.

"The timing of our survey was helpful in capturing people's longer-term perceptions about the issues," said Silver. "Other surveys were undertaken immediately after Sept. 11 and, consequently, missed the public impact of the anthrax scares that began in October."

The survey also asked respondents about their perceptions of the root causes of terrorism.

When asked "How much responsibility does the United States bear for the hatred that led to the terrorist attacks?" approximately 55 percent of the survey respondents answered "some" or "a lot."

Those describing themselves as conservative were less likely to place blame on the United States (40 percent) than were those describing themselves as liberal (63 percent). Those who said they were "proud to be American" were less likely to blame the United States (61 percent) than those who said they were "some, little or not proud to be American" (95 percent).

Most respondents identified American foreign policy as a "very important" or "somewhat important" factor leading to terrorism directed against U.S. interests. Nearly 90 percent view America's support of Israel as a factor.

Many view America's foreign economic pursuits (72 percent) and foreign aid policies (45 percent) as factors. Just over half (54 percent) view the "Islamic religion" as a factor.

Although a bare majority (51 percent) of Caucasians think the United States bears some or a lot of responsibility for the hatred that led to the Sept. 11 attacks, nearly 60 percent of African-Americans and more than 70 percent of Hispanic/Latino/Chicanos hold this view.

"These findings do not necessarily mean that people think U.S. foreign policy is wrong," said Silver. "However, most do perceive a connection between U.S. foreign policy and terrorism directed against the United States."

The Office for Survey Research, part of MSU's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research, administered the random digit-dialing telephone survey of 1,488 individuals. The survey was funded by the National Science Foundation and two MSU units, the College of Social Science and the Program in Public Opinion and Political Participation. It has a sampling error rate of +/- 2.7 percent.

More information, including an executive summary of the study, is available at http://www.ippsr.msu.edu

The Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) is the non-partisan public policy network at MSU dedicated to connecting legislators, scholars and practitioners through applied research, public policy forums and political leadership instruction.

IPPSR's Office for Survey Research (OSR) was established in 1989 to produce rigorous survey research on pressing public policy and scientific issues. Housed within MSU's College of Social Science, OSR offers its expertise and capacities to policy decision-makers and researchers in the public and private sectors.

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