How would you describe a member of the opposite political party? Maybe you find them “annoying” or even “stupid.” Or you might even call them “bigoted” or “immoral.” Americans are deeply politically divided, and harsh language is not uncommon. Large majorities of Republicans and Democrats say they can’t agree on basic facts, and both parties report hating political opponents more than they love political allies. Although we lack reliable polling data from the 1800s, some scholars suggest we haven’t been this polarized since the Civil War.
