New Delhi: The Buckley Institute’s 2026 national survey revealed that 22 per cent of American undergraduate students agreed with the statement that “the US deserved 9/11″.
The Buckley Institute, a conservative nonprofit associated with Yale University, commissioned Inquire LLC to survey 803 American undergraduates between 5 September and 14 September. It found that more than one in five college students agreed that the US deserved the terrorist attack.
However, 72 per cent disagreed with the statement while another 6 per cent were unsure.
“This year’s survey shows a surge in favour of socialism that parallels national trends. At the same time, support for censorship has matched or surpassed survey highs,” states the survey.
The students chosen for the survey were not born during the horrifying attacks plotted by al-Qaeda in 2001.
“This year’s survey demonstrates that censorious attitudes remain stubbornly high on America’s college campuses,” said Buckley Institute Founder and Executive Director Lauren Noble. “During the 250th anniversary of America’s founding, its college students have swung heavily in favour of socialism. Alarmingly, those same students are more likely to support shutdowns, violence to stop hate speech, and other tools of censorship.”
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Free speech in theory and censorship in practice
The survey found that many college students support free speech in theory but endorse censorship in practice.
“Belief in the continued importance of the Constitution (73 per cent) and First Amendment (87 per cent) remained at or near all-time highs, with little deviation among specific subgroups. Additionally, 66 per cent, the highest on record, agreed that hate speech is technically protected by the First Amendment,” states the survey.
According to the survey, 45 per cent of American college students agree that physical violence can be justified to stop what they see as hate speech, with liberal students (54 per cent) leading moderates (36 per cent) and conservatives (30 per cent).
At least 72 per cent of those who agree that physical violence can be justified to stop hate speech also agree that hate speech is protected by the First Amendment.
“Overall, 65 per cent of America’s college students said they were proud to be American. Liberal students are the least proud ideological group at 62 per cent, then moderates at 67 per cent, and conservatives at 86 per cent. Notably, men were 20 points more likely to agree that they are proud to be American than women,” states the survey.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)