A roadmap from the American People for Congress

By Newt Gingrich
Former Congressman
Real Clear Wire

At America’s New Majority Project we just received the results of a survey on the American people and their reaction to terrorism and those who support terrorism.

The results are stunning.

The American people are prepared to defend civilization and the rule of law from barbarism and terrorism with strong, specific government actions.  

In some specific attacks on civilization, Americans are prepared to limit First Amendment protections for terrorists and their supporters. They agree with former Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson’s observation that the Constitution is not “a suicide pact.”

Americans overwhelmingly believe that activities designed to intimidate or frighten Jewish Americans can be punished legally (66 percent to 17 percent)

We also believe that expressing support for killing of Jews in America and abroad can be punished (60 percent to 23 percent).

Americans believe that calling for destruction of the state of Israel can be punished (51 percent to 27 percent).

By a smaller margin (45 percent to 36 percent) Americans believe expressing support for Hamas or other terrorist groups is not protected speech.

By 48 percent to 36 percent, Americans believe non-citizens do not have the same First Amendment protection as citizens. This would include many of the demonstrators on college campuses and the estimated 100,000 demonstrators in front of the White House who yelled “Allahu Akbar,” smeared the White House fence with red paint, and defaced statues.

By 66 percent to 22 percent, Americans would deport non-citizens who publicly support the killing of Jews or support Hamas or other terrorist organizations.

The hostility to terrorists and people who support terrorists transcends partisan preferences. By 54 percent to 28 percent (almost 2:1) voters prefer a Republican candidate who supports deporting non-citizens who publicly support terrorist groups over a Democrat candidate who opposes it. This is one of the most decisive results we have had in our polling.

The American people have given Congress a clear road map for defending our civilization from terrorism and its allies.

Now it is up to the Congress to act.

This article was adapted from Gingrich 360 – a multimedia production company based in Arlington, Virginia, featuring the work of Speaker Newt Gingrich and Ambassador Callista L. Gingrich.