“Far from being a threat to America’s health, reopen protests may be its medicine — suggesting that American culture does not flourish by looking back but by retesting its convictions,” said the report from Frontier Center, provided to Secrets.
The study disputes the characterization by critics that the movement’s focus is primarily on reopening the economy, no matter what the human toll in coronavirus deaths is. It also found that many independent voters and those who have not participated politically in the past are members.
“Contrary to the common narrative about their motivations, reopen advocates are not focused primarily on their jobs or the economy. Their rally signs say, ‘Let us work,’ but this is focused on an abstract notion rather than a selfish desire,” wrote authors Anne Segal and Jack Sorock.
“They are concerned about the concept of government barring its citizens from working and the effect this has on their neighbors and community,” they added in their report, The Reopen Movement: Motivations and Pathways to Support, conducted with the group Open the States.
The report bolsters claims by protesters in several states that their defiance of stay-at-home rules is built on concerns that their liberty is being squeezed by governors who are taking too much power to institute rules.
Armed with an “exuberance of freedom,” those in the movement believe it is their “‘Christian duty’ to model behavior that encourages others" and that it "stands up for the victims of government oppression, and is a wake-up call to empower others,” read the report.
The authors also say that it is different from the Tea Party movement, which was more economically driven. It found that many in the "Reopen Movement" were not part of the Tea Party and that they were more driven by their Christianity.
“The reopen movement does not appear to be a rehash of conservative mass movements like the Tea Party and that Reopeners are strongly faith-driven and new to political activism,” the report read, posted below.
And, it added, they consider themselves “untamed.” It continued, “They find peace of mind through defiance, because it results in felt-freedom, understanding of their own mettle, holding authorities accountable, and standing up for others.”
Frontier Center graphic.
The three-part survey of 974 “strong supporters” of the "Reopen Movement" also found overwhelming support for Trump, even from new potential voters.
For example, there is more support for Trump among "Reopen Movement" voters now than in 2016. Just over 87% voted for Trump in 2016, and now nearly 97% would vote to reelect.
There is a 17.3% increase in support for Trump among independents who support the "Reopen Movement."
And 7.8% of Reopen supporters didn’t vote in 2016, giving Trump a potentially new crop of supporters.
The report concluded, “The protesters are demonstrating a new selflessness — a sacrifice different from staying at home and closing non-essential businesses. Their selflessness requires moving into untamed territory, which in this case risks very real conflict with authorities. These ‘Untamed’ are resisting out of duty to what they say is unlawful infringement of their rights based on unscientific, flawed premises that result in deeply troubling collateral damage to the American community.”
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