“The more absolute the hush, the more shocking the thunderclap. Our masters have not heard the people’s voice for generations, and it is much, much louder than they can remember.” – Alan Moore
The term “silent majority” has been used for centuries, referring to an unspecified large group of people or group who do not express their political opinions publicly or speak up for what they believe in. In the 1919 presidential election, Bruce Barton wrote, “Calvin Coolidge always speaks up for the silent majority.” In 1831, New York U.S. Rep. Churchill Cambreleng referred to those who refused to vote on a Congressional bill as “the silent majority.” The term was later used by Richard Nixon in October 1969 to marginalize and discredit a massive anti-war demonstration.
For years, we have heard the term “silent majority,” but few people really know who the silent majority is. Some people think it is a bunch of disgruntled activists who find comfort in hiding behind the facade of a big group. Others believe it is a political group of people who don’t have an affiliation with any political party. Still others consider the silent majority as a nomadic group of castoffs who walk though life without a care in the world as long as nothing effects their lives.
Actually, the silent majority is all of the above and more. It is a large group that does not express their opinions publicly. The silent majority has existed since our colonial era. Less than 50% of the colonials wanted independence. They were happy paying homage to the king as long as they were left alone. It wasn’t until the first shots of the Revolution were fired at Lexington and Concord that the colonies united against the redcoats to fight for their rightful independent liberty.
According to a Washington University study by James L. Gibson, and Professor Sidney Souers, the silent majority is a large conglomerate of people of all races and political affiliations, who hide behind a silent curtain because of increasing political polarization. More Americans than ever – some 40% – are choosing to keep their mouths shut rather than openly express their opinions.
“This republic was not established by cowards; and cowards will not preserve it.” – Elmer Davis
In the age of social media where everyone has a voice, fear causes people to stay mum, creating a silent majority. A recent Cato study found a third of the people are silent out of fear it could cost them their jobs or friendships. Over 60% said today’s political climate kept them from expressing political opinions. A total of 77% of Republicans, 59% of independents and 50% of moderates admitted to self-censorship. Why is it that every liberal said that they never hold anything back?
A report by More in Common, a group dedicated to understanding political polarization in the U.S., found 68% reported “it is acceptable to express what they think” about race, or Islam only with those like them. On immigration, 73% felt that way. On gay and lesbian issues, the figure is 70%. There was a large discrepancy between liberals and conservatives who believed they could speak freely. They surmised political correctness is a major problem plaguing American politics today.
Conservatives, and many independents, have strong convictions regarding abortion, terrorism, the separation of church and state, immigration, the environment, marriage, taxes, deficits, vouchers, gun control, health care, social security, education and media bias. Yet there is a growing number who’ve thrown in the towel and have become card-carrying members of the silent majority. Why?
The Beacon Group, a political think tank, concluded much of this new “conservative cowardness” is a result of the GOP’s failure to support Trump during his first election. Although he was the clear choice of conservatives and independents, some members of the GOP did everything in their power to derail the Trump express. And much of his Congress did the same. By the time they realized Trump was real and a proven winner after turning the country around, the GOP had destroyed their very own brand.
When Trump first took office, the left and liberal media declared war against every Republican in office. They called them fascists, homophobes, criminals, dictators, racists and tyrants. The media headlines accused Trump of high crimes against the U.S. They even blamed him for the pandemic. Yet the silent majority didn’t make a peep to defend him. Many Republicans, moderates and independents took refuge behind the silent curtain to avoid standing up to media and the left.
Joseph Sutherland, an analytics executive from Washington University, said what is more surprising than how many Americans are self-censoring is “who is doing it.” Those who are highly educated typically feel more empowered to take an active role in civic life, yet these are the same people that are most afraid to speak their mind. Only 27% of those without a high school diploma self-censor.
Free speech in America has never been denied by threat of death or punishment, such as in Russia. That’s why political scientists wonder why the left is so vocal on social and political issues, while many conservatives remain silent. For the past decade, the cleavage between the left and the right defending their beliefs has grown exponentially. The left and has gone forward and the right has gone backwards.
”Cowards die many times before their actual deaths.” – Julius Caesar
Political intolerance has declined in the U.S., suggesting that the public’s opinions in general are not the driving force behind self-censorship. Instead, pressure to keep one’s views to oneself seems to originate from one’s immediate social environment, their friends, family, co-workers and quite often neighbors. Regardless of why people self-censor, it mortally wounds a democracy.
With an increase of over 20% in the cost of living, sky-high shelf prices and a border crisis, the silent majority finally found their voice and elected Donald Trump. Americans were so dissatisfied with the economy under progressive mismanagement, Election Day could not come soon enough. There were 88,380,679 mail-in and early in-person votes cast nationally as Trump won every swing state and the popular vote. It took a crisis of major propensity for the silent majority to speak up.
Walter Cronkite told us, “A healthy nation is one that is talking to itself.” America is a center right nation. Yet those in the center and those who lean center right have allowed progressives to bully them unmercifully in the past few decades without fighting back, and they’ve lost the courage to fight back. How many more crises can we endure and how much damage will we allow radicals to do to our republic before the silent majority comes out from behind their protective wall of silence?
There is a direct correlation between what Vladimir Lenin did to control the Russian people and what progressives are doing in America. He took away the people’s guns, seized control of the press and outlawed free speech. That can happen in America if we allow it to happen. The cost of freedom, liberty and free speech is not cheap. Thousands of Americans have shed their blood and given up their lives preserving democracy around the world. We need to continually hear the voices of the silent majority. Never forget: “The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.” – Alexis de Tocqueville
