Poll: Californians say 9-11 changed U.S.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Californians say a lot of good and bad changes have occurred in the United States since Sept. 11, and many believe more terrorist attacks are imminent with California as a likely target, according to a Field Poll released Sunday.

Ninety percent of the voters surveyed said last year's terrorist attacks made Americans more patriotic, while 82% said the country also is more fearful.

Other positives included Americans becoming more united, more determined, more family-oriented and more secure. The negatives included the country being less tolerant, more belligerent in its foreign policy, less optimistic and less democratic.

Eighty-three percent of those questioned this September said they believe more attacks are likely to occur somewhere in the United States. Of those asked whether they believe California is a likely target, 66% said they believe it is.

Californians surveyed said positive work has been done to help the country's security in some areas, while improvements are still needed elsewhere.

Forty-one percent said a lot has been done to help airline security and 38% said military capabilities have improved a lot. Conversely, only 12% said the nation has prepared a lot for computer security from cyber-attacks and 19% said they believe a lot had been done to stockpile emergency antibiotics and pharmaceuticals.

Californians also were somewhat pleased with the job the media has done in reporting about potential terrorist threats. Forty-one percent of those polled statewide said the media is striking the right balance, while 36% said the press is scaring the public by reporting too much. Nineteen percent said the media is not providing enough information.

The telephone survey was conducted from Aug. 23 to Sept. 3 with 507 registered voters. The survey has a 4.5% margin of error.

Uploaded September 9, 2002