Is America really that polarized?
asserted
America → polarize → ?
HOUSTON and EDGEWATER, Md. — Shanna Berry and Alma Ong are friends, and one way they keep it that way is not talking politics.
asserted
they → keep → politics
In January, the pair was asked what they thought of the U.S. capture of Venezuela's then-president Nicolas Maduro.
asserted
they → ask → president
Sitting in a cafe, they initially declined to speak, citing their friendship.
asserted
they → sit → friendship
Berry is a Christian, a retired hairdresser and an Air Force veteran who has supported President Trump.
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who → support → Trump
When pressed, she relented and offered her take on Venezuela.
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she → press → Venezuela
"I feel like the end of the regime was necessary," said Berry, who is in her early 50s and wore a bright yellow cardigan.
asserted
who → feel → cardigan
"I'm not sure of the legalities of how it was done and I'm a little jaded by the notion that it also had a very strong leaning towards having access to the oil in Venezuela, but I know that there are a lot of Venezuelan people who are really happy."
asserted
who → do → people
As Berry spoke, Ong's eyes widened.
asserted
eyes → speak → ?
She grew up in London, came to the US in the 90s and does not like the president.
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She → grow → president
She was surprised by Berry's answer.
asserted
She → surprise → answer
"I agree with absolutely everything she just said," Ong said in astonishment.
asserted
Ong → agree → astonishment
Political researchers say America is deeply polarized politically, but that the problem is not as extreme as people think.
asserted
people → say → ?
Surveys show there is a messy majority in the middle who share views that cross partisan lines.
asserted
that → show → lines
Kristin Laurin, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, said Berry's and Ong's exchange matches a lot of research on political polarization.
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exchange → say → polarization
"That was just such a perfect example of two things that I see in the literature," Laurin said.
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Laurin → see → literature
One is that people don't want to talk about politics, because they're concerned about conflict.
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they → want → conflict
And that failure to talk can lead people to overestimate their political differences.
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failure → talk → differences
"These two friends were making assumptions about each other that turned out to be totally wrong," said Laurin.
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Laurin → make → other
"It turned out, actually, they kind of believed the same thing.
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they → turn → thing
"
What drives this perception gap?
asserted
What → drive → gap
Laurin said politicians and political elites try to paint their opponents as extreme to frighten and fire up their voters.
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politicians → say → voters
Meanwhile, social media amplifies political rage bait to drive engagement.
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media → amplify → engagement
"Our perceived polarization far outstrips the actual polarization," Laurin said.
asserted
Laurin → perceive → polarization
Researchers also have found that despite legitimate political differences, many people share similar values.
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people → find → values
For example, in April, former FBI director James Comey was indicted for posting a photo of seashells on a beach that the Department of Justice said constituted a death threat against the president.
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Department → indict → president
Not only were Democrats appalled, so were many conservatives inside the beltway and beyond.
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conservatives → appal → beltway
"I must be in a parallel universe to be talking about the shell art of James Comey," Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law professor at George Washington University Law School, told Fox News.
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Turley → talk → News
Shortly after the indictment, at a riverside restaurant near the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, both Republicans and Democrats sided with Comey and the first amendment.
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Republicans → side → Comey
"Comey has always been an opinionated guy," said Stan Fletcher, a restaurateur who voted for Trump all three times.
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who → say → Trump
"But no one should be indicted for their opinion, ever.
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one → indict → opinion
While people may think of the left and right as two warring camps, Fletcher sees something different.
uncertain
Fletcher → think → something
"I believe that 95% of America falls under a bell curve where we are all moderates," Fletcher said.
asserted
Fletcher → believe → curve
But "what you hear is the wackos on the left and the wackos on the right."
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hear → hear → right
The non-partisan Pew Research Center suggests that Fletcher is onto something.
uncertain
Fletcher → suggest → something
Pew says the political landscape is more diverse than many appreciate.
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many → say → ?
It classifies Americans into nine separate groups based on values and attitudes.
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It → classify → values
Pew calls one group, the "Pragmatic and Polite Right."
asserted
Pew → call → group
Among that group, 56 % are Republicans or Republican-leaning and 37% are Democrats or Democratic-leaning.
asserted
% → lean → group
The group, which has the oldest average age, places a high value on civility in politics, are conservative on economic issues and more moderate on race and immigration.
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which → have → race
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
