More than one in five American undergraduate students say the United States deserved the September 11 terrorist attacks, according to a new national survey by the Buckley Institute. The poll, conducted in September among 803 undergraduates, also found that nearly half of respondents believe physical violence is justified to stop what they consider hate speech.
Explainer Free Speech Battles: Navigating Rights and Censorship in Modern Society
The findings highlight growing polarization over free speech and national identity on college campuses, as well as rising support for censorship and socialism among students. The survey results come at a time when debates over campus speech, activism, and ideological divides remain prominent in the United States.
Survey Details and Key Findings
The Buckley Institute’s 2026 National Undergraduate Student Survey, conducted by Inquire LLC, revealed that 22% of undergraduates agreed that America deserved the 9/11 attacks. Among self-identified liberal students, the figure rose to 28%, indicating a notable ideological divide on this question. The survey did not specify the reasons students gave for their responses, but the data point to a significant minority of undergraduates holding this controversial view.
The survey also found that 45% of college students believe violence can be justified to stop hate speech. This view was more common among liberal students, with 54% agreeing, compared to 30% of conservatives. The data suggest that a substantial portion of students are willing to endorse physical confrontation as a means of countering speech they find objectionable. Notably, 72% of those who support violence to stop hate speech also believe that hate speech is protected by the First Amendment, highlighting a complex relationship between support for free speech rights and willingness to restrict or confront certain types of speech.
Lauren Noble, the Buckley Institute’s founder and executive director, commented on the results, stating, "This year’s survey demonstrates that censorious attitudes remain stubbornly high on America’s college campuses."
Attitudes Toward Censorship and Speech
Support for criminalizing offensive speech reached its highest level in the survey’s three-year history, with 40% of students agreeing that such speech should be prosecuted. Among liberals, 47% supported criminalization, making them the only ideological group where a plurality agreed with prosecuting offensive speech. This trend reflects a growing willingness among students, particularly those on the political left, to endorse legal penalties for speech they find objectionable.
The survey also tracked support for other forms of speech restriction. Students who favored socialism were more likely to endorse shouting down speakers, violence against hate speech, and criminalizing offensive speech. These findings suggest a link between political ideology and attitudes toward free expression and protest tactics on campus.
Shifting Political and National Identity
The Buckley Institute noted a parallel surge in support for socialism, with 42% of students preferring to live under socialism compared to 28% for capitalism. This 14-point gap is the largest since the question was first asked five years ago, indicating a significant shift in student attitudes toward economic systems. The data show that students who support socialism are also more likely to favor aggressive tactics to limit speech they consider harmful.
Patriotism among students showed a split. Overall, 65% said they were proud to be American during the country’s 250th anniversary. However, there were differences by political ideology: liberal students were the least likely to express pride (62%), compared to moderates (67%) and conservatives (86%). The survey also found a gender gap, with men being 20 points more likely than women to say they were proud to be American. These findings reflect broader debates about national identity and patriotism among younger Americans.
Broader Context and Ongoing Debate
The Buckley Institute’s report comes amid ongoing national debate over free speech, campus activism, and ideological divides. The Institute’s executive director, Lauren Noble, said the results reflect persistent support for censorship tools among students. Supporters of increased campus speech restrictions have not publicly responded to the survey’s findings.
The Buckley Institute’s annual survey has tracked student attitudes on free speech, censorship, and political ideology for several years. This year’s results show record or near-record levels of support for both constitutional protections and restrictions on speech, illustrating the complex and sometimes contradictory views held by today’s undergraduates. The survey’s findings are likely to fuel further discussion about the future of free expression and political engagement on American college campuses.
