91% of College Students Say “Words Can Be Violence” — Could That Normalize Real Harm?

A recent poll by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and College Pulse found that 91% of U.S. undergraduates agree to some degree with the statement that "words can be violence." The survey, which sampled 2,028 students including undergraduates at Utah Valley University — the campus where conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was allegedly killed — raises fresh questions about how students understand the relationship between speech and physical harm.

Poll Findings

When asked how well the phrase "words can be violence" described their thoughts, students responded as follows: 22% said it described their views completely, 25% said "mostly," 28% "somewhat," 15% "slightly," and only 9% replied it "does not describe my thoughts at all." That means roughly 47% of undergraduates say the phrase describes them "completely" or "mostly," and about three-quarters accept it at least to some degree.

FIRE compared student responses with separate polling of the general public. Among the broader public, 34% "completely" or "mostly" agreed, while 59% expressed at least some agreement that words can be violence.

Why This Matters

Critics have warned that equating speech with violence can erode students' resilience and normalize extreme responses. In a 2017 Atlantic piece, psychologist Jonathan Haidt and FIRE President Greg Lukianoff argued that teaching students to treat speech as a form of harm can increase anxiety and reduce the capacity to cope with offensive or challenging ideas. That dynamic, they warned, may also make it easier for a small number of people to rationalize physical retaliation when offended.

Polling from Gallup adds context: adults aged 18–29 are more open than older cohorts to the idea that political violence can sometimes be acceptable. Gallup reports that 30% of 18–29-year-olds say it is sometimes acceptable to use violence to achieve political goals, compared with 21% of 30–44-year-olds, 13% of 45–59-year-olds, and 4% of those 60 and older.

Campus Behavior and Comfort

The FIRE/College Pulse survey also tracked attitudes toward disruptive campus tactics. There are modest signs of moderation since last spring: 68% of students now say it is at least "rarely" acceptable to shout down a speaker (down from 72%), 47% say it is at least rarely acceptable to block others from attending a campus speech (down from 54%), and 32% say it is acceptable to use violence to stop a speech (down slightly from 34%).

High-profile incidents can deepen silencing effects. FIRE reports that 45% of students say they are "less comfortable" expressing controversial political views in class following what happened to Charlie Kirk. Responses vary by ideology: moderate and conservative students nationwide became significantly less likely to endorse shouting down speakers, blocking entry to events, or using violence to stop speeches, while liberal students' support for those tactics remained steady or increased slightly.

Perceptions of Free Expression

On the national climate for free expression, 84% of Utah Valley students say the country is headed in the wrong direction; students at other colleges give similar responses (73%), mirroring public sentiment. Yet 53% of students say their own campuses are headed in the right direction.

Conclusion

The FIRE/College Pulse findings depict a generation in which many students see a blurred line between offensive speech and violent harm. While some measures of tolerance for disruptive tactics have declined slightly, the widespread acceptance of the idea that "words can be violence"—combined with rising openness among young adults to political violence—poses a challenge for free expression, campus debate, and public safety. The survey underscores the need for education that strengthens resilience and clarifies the moral and legal distinction between speech and physical violence.