Afraid Now That Trump Has Been Elected President? More Than 4 Out of 10 Americans Say They Are Too

42 Percent of All Americans Say They’re Now Feeling Afraid

Donald Trump winning the White House was a shock to many, including members of the Trump campaign. But Hillary Clinton voters  in large numbers are feeling not just shock.

Three out of four Clinton voters (76%) say they are actually feeling afraid that Donald Trump is about to become president, Gallup reports Friday. Overall, 42 percent of all Americans say they’re now feeling afraid. 

Compare that to how Americans felt when Barack Obama was elected in 2008. Just 27 percent of Americans said they were feeling afraid.

Now, two out of three Clinton voters (66%) say they are devastated. Across the nation, overall, one in three Americans share that feeling.

And almost six in ten Clinton voters (58%) say they are angry. Overall, 29 percent of Americans describe themselves that way too.

Many across America have good reason to feel afraid. Trump has promised to sign the First Amendment Defense Act, making discrimination against LGBT people and other groups legal. He has promised to deport 11 million Americans, and ban all Muslims from entering the country – even those who are here today but go abroad for work or vacation. Trump has promised to place conservative justices on the Supreme Court, with the intent of overturning the Obergefell decision on same-sex marriage. And he has promised to “repeal and replace” Obamacare, meaning those with pre-existing conditions – which can include being a woman – will find themselves uncovered, and 20 million who have healthcare through the government exchanges will likely lose their coverage.

That’s just for starters.

Across the country reports are coming in of Trump supporters threatening children, women, Muslims, Hispanics, and LGBT people. 

Trump has declared war on the free press and the First Amendment, as recently as Thursday night, posting a tweet complaining that thousands of Americans are protesting his election in the streets nationwide.

Ryan Lizza at The New Yorker smartly summed up Trump’s late night tweet:

42 percent of all Americans say they’re now feeling afraid. It should be a lot more. 

 

Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license