Polls reveal Americans are very decent people, which is why revolution IS possible

Here are some poll results that I have selected because they get at the question of what Americans' basic values are with respect to our relation to the rest of the people in the world. If you go to the link below you can read a lot more poll results, many of which simply ask people, essentially, if they believe various government propaganda lies. Apparently Americans have been persuaded that terrorism is a big threat. But even back in May of 2004 they were evenly split over whether the war in Iraq was a just war (and today even more oppose it than before) and they were oppposed to their children enlisting in the military or to there being a draft.

I am posting these results to counter the view, unfortunately espoused by many in the anti-war movement, that ordinary Americans are part of the problem, that they buy into the "America first" imperialistic ideology of our leaders, that they are "sheeple" and so forth. This view is pushed by the ruling class to demoralize those who might otherwise work to build a popular revolutionary movement. The ruling class doesn't need to persuade its foes that it is WRONG to oppose America's rulers; it only needs to persuade its foes that it is HOPELESS to oppose them since most Americans have the same values as their rulers and people with good values are such a small minority that they will never be able to effect real change.

[Scroll down a bit until you come to the poll results. If they're up here some text gets hidden by the links to the right.]










































http://www.pollingreport.com/defense.htm

Data are from nationwide surveys of Americans 18 & older. Program on International Policy Attitudes/Knowledge Networks Poll. March 16-22, 2004. N=1,311 adults nationwide. MoE ± 2.8. This survey was fielded by Knowledge Networks using its nationwide research panel. Knowledge Networks employs a random-digit-dial telephone methodology to develop a representative sample of households for participation in its panel. Participants receive free hardware and free Internet access. Surveys are administered via interactive TV devices. . "Which is the more important principle for U.S. foreign policy? The U.S. should use its power to make the world be the way that best serves U.S. interests and values. The U.S. should coordinate its power together with other countries according to shared ideas of what is best for the world as a whole." . Serve U.S. Interests Best for World No Answer % % % 3/04 16 83 2
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The Gallup Poll. May 21-23, 2004. N=1,002 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (total sample). "As I read a list of major wars the United States has been involved in during the past 100 years, please tell me, for each, whether you think it was a just war or not. . . ." . Just Not Just Unsure % % % World War II 90 7 3 . The Persian Gulf War 66 28 6 . The Korean War 61 30 9 . The current war in Iraq 49 49 2 . The Vietnam War 33 62 5						.

Arms Control / Weapons of Mass Destruction / Missile Defense

Associated Press/Ipsos poll conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs. March 21-23, 2005. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.

"Which statement comes closest to your view? . . ."
						.
						%
	"No countries should be allowed to have nuclear weapons."					66
						.
	"Only the United States and its allies should be allowed to have nuclear weapons."					13
						.
	"Only countries that already have nuclear weapons should be allowed to have them."					11
						.
	"Any country that is able to develop nuclear weapons should be allowed to have them."					5
						.
	Only the U.S. should be allowed to have nuclear weapons (vol.)					1
						.
	Unsure					4

Program on International Policy Attitudes/Knowledge Networks Poll. March 16-22, 2004. N=approx. 500 adults nationwide. MoE ± 4.5. This survey was fielded by Knowledge Networks using its nationwide research panel. Knowledge Networks employs a random-digit-dial telephone methodology to develop a representative sample of households for participation in its panel. Participants receive free hardware and free Internet access. Surveys are administered via interactive TV devices.
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"Based on what you know, do you think the U.S. should or should not participate in the following treaties and agreements? . . ."
						.
		Should	Should Not	No Answer
		%	%	%
	"The treaty that would prohibit nuclear weapon test explosions worldwide"
	3/04	87	12	2
						.
	"The treaty that bans all use of land mines"
	3/04	83	14	3
						.
	"The treaty that bans all chemical weapons"
	3/04	91	7	2
						.
	"The treaty that bans all biological weapons"
	3/04	91	7	2

Associated Press/Ipsos poll conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs. June 20-22, 2005. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.
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"If you had a son who was the right age to serve in the military, would you encourage him to enlist in the military now or would you discourage him from enlisting in the military now?"
						.
		Encourage	Discourage	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/20-22/05	32	55	12	1
						.
"If you had a daughter who was the right age to serve in the military, would you encourage her to enlist in the military now or would you discourage her from enlisting in the military now?"
						.
		Encourage	Discourage	Neither (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	6/20-22/05	22	66	11	1
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"Do you favor or oppose the reinstatement of the military draft in the United States?"
						.
		Favor	Oppose	Unsure
		%	%	%
	6/20-22/05	27	70	4

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