Americans Support Gun Rights Over Gun Control -Pew Poll Shows

[Hatman 🍁]

lol America

[they don't love you like i love you]

Fortunately, as Beet mentions, even as more Americans support so-called "gun rights," fewer of them have guns - although there's some evidence that they're less willing to admit that they don't own any. The following graph is instructive:

This is probably the most disturbing factoid. It shows that there are people outside of the die-hard gun nut base who are now buying into the idea that owning a gun is actually some sort of civic obligation, not just a right and that not owning one is immoral.

[Kraxner]

Fortunately, as Beet mentions, even as more Americans support so-called "gun rights," fewer of them have guns - although there's some evidence that they're less willing to admit that they don't own any. The following graph is instructive:

This is probably the most disturbing factoid. It shows that there are people outside of the die-hard gun nut base who are now buying into the idea that owning a gun is actually some sort of civic obligation, not just a right and that not owning one is immoral.

Lol the gun derangement syndrome in this thread is hilarious, all comments by red avatars reminds me of something out of democraticunderground.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Sad and pathetic, although I will never understand why all the yuppies out of the conservative 80s (look at the spike in mid to late 1990s) were the ones that got sooooooooo anti-gun when they had kids.  My parents were among them.  There's no way they would've let me go to a friends' house when I was a kid if they knew the parents were gun owners.  They are still fervently anti-gun.  It's one of the big things that their generation got right. 

Suburban parents (especially soccer mom types) who know nothing about something but just associate it with "dangerous" and oppose it out of blind fear and because they think it will endanger their kids. It's the same dynamic that plays into much of the opposition to marijuana legalization.

Wait, associating guns with danger is a no nothing position?  That wasn't even the point, because there are still just as many suburban parents today but there's been a huge shift.  But still, parents are far more justified in being mortified of guns and gun culture than they are with marijuana.

[King]

Democrats can't sell free healthcare to Americans. Until they figure out how to not be such political pushovers, it's best to leave issues like guns on the back burner.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Fortunately, as Beet mentions, even as more Americans support so-called "gun rights," fewer of them have guns - although there's some evidence that they're less willing to admit that they don't own any. The following graph is instructive:

This is probably the most disturbing factoid. It shows that there are people outside of the die-hard gun nut base who are now buying into the idea that owning a gun is actually some sort of civic obligation, not just a right and that not owning one is immoral.

Sadly, our humanity is slowly withering away.  Small arguments and light skirmishes are to be ended in death for the loser.  Hear a bump in the night?  Fire away.  We don't care about hurting others.  Shouldn't be "sneaking around".  The media fear culture has infected America beyond repair. 

Does anyone have gun control opinion numbers in the non-religious population?  I'd love to see them. 

[Likely Voter]

This is another area where question wording and specificity matters, especially with specific proposals.

For example:  Quinnipiac June 24-30, 2014
"Do you support or oppose stricter gun control laws in the United States?"
Support: 50
Oppose: 47
"Do you support or oppose requiring background checks for all gun buyers?"
Support: 92
Oppose: 7

Polls done in 2013 also consistently showed majorities supporting bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition clips.

[Deus Naturae]

Sadly, our humanity is slowly withering away.  Small arguments and light skirmishes are to be ended in death for the loser.  Hear a bump in the night?  Fire away.  We don't care about hurting others.  Shouldn't be "sneaking around".  The media fear culture has infected America beyond repair. 

Yeah, that's just total BS. Gun violence is on the decline in the US:

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As would I. Sadly, the only thing I can find when I try to search for it are a bunch of articles about Catholic priests who want to restrict gun ownership.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Sadly, our humanity is slowly withering away.  Small arguments and light skirmishes are to be ended in death for the loser.  Hear a bump in the night?  Fire away.  We don't care about hurting others.  Shouldn't be "sneaking around".  The media fear culture has infected America beyond repair. 

Yeah, that's just total BS. Gun violence is on the decline in the US:

What does that have have to do with people's actual feelings on the issue?  People are obviously more tolerant of those who die in gun-related incident than before. 

[Deus Naturae]

Sadly, our humanity is slowly withering away.  Small arguments and light skirmishes are to be ended in death for the loser.  Hear a bump in the night?  Fire away.  We don't care about hurting others.  Shouldn't be "sneaking around".  The media fear culture has infected America beyond repair. 

Yeah, that's just total BS. Gun violence is on the decline in the US:

What does that have have to do with people's actual feelings on the issue?  People are obviously more tolerant of those who die in gun-related incident than before. 

You claimed that America was becoming a more violent society where people were more likely to shoot other people. That's just flat-out untrue.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Sadly, our humanity is slowly withering away.  Small arguments and light skirmishes are to be ended in death for the loser.  Hear a bump in the night?  Fire away.  We don't care about hurting others.  Shouldn't be "sneaking around".  The media fear culture has infected America beyond repair. 

Yeah, that's just total BS. Gun violence is on the decline in the US:

What does that have have to do with people's actual feelings on the issue?  People are obviously more tolerant of those who die in gun-related incident than before. 

You claimed that America was becoming a more violent society where people were more likely to shoot other people. That's just flat-out untrue.

No, I claimed we are becoming a country that cares less when we do.

[dead0man]

Indeed.  You never hear people complain about shootings anymore, not like you did in the 80s when it was all anybody talked about.


(just to be clear, that's sarcasm)

[Beezer]

My guess is that part of the problem (as some have mentioned as well) is the broad nature of the question. These days "gun rights" are moreover part of the broader GOP-Democratic ideological war. 20 years ago it might have been possible for conservative Republicans to call for sensible gun control laws. These days though a topic like this is perceived through the lens of the general culture war for the soul of America. Those who accept stricter gun laws are essentially seen as taking a big dump on the graves of the Founding Fathers. That's why even conservatives who've never held let alone owned a gun may support gun rights. Of course when you break it down to a question like "do you think schizophrenic felons should be allowed to purchase AK-47s w/o background checks" the percentages change.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Democrats aren't interested in controlling guns, only law-abiding citizens who wish to own them, which isn't going to do a damn thing to fight crime.

Exactly.  Criminals break the law by definition, so if they want guns, they're going to try to get them.  They don't care about the law in the first place, so trying to restrict gun rights that way is completely stupid.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Indeed.  You never hear people complain about shootings anymore, not like you did in the 80s when it was all anybody talked about.


(just to be clear, that's sarcasm)

Then explain the why after a mentally ill kid shoots up an elementary school we get public opinion numbers like this.  Or the lack of outage over accidental deaths of children when their dumb ass uncle tries to show 'em a little freedom.  Or half this country supporting a sociopath like George Zimmerman who feels the need to brandish a gun in at MOST a fistfight.  You don't see this pervasive attitude where a minor scrum turns deadly and it's all like "welp!  Had it comin'" and all the "stand your ground" BS?  The sick nature of gun culture is not about principle, per se, but about the tolerance of extremes and overreaction, and never understanding when something is taken too far.  "Guns don't kill people"... yea, no ****.  Guns make it VERY VERY EASY to kill people.  If people were only concerned about subduing people in self-defense, stun guns and tasers and other non-deadly ways to incapacitate a person would be all the rage.  But nope!  Tread on me and pay with your life.  

You people would be so much more takeable, also, if you just admitted that you think they are fun and you feel good holding it.  You show it, but when gun control laws are proposed it becomes all principle and self-defense and irrelevant Constitutional script.  Just say they are fun so we can at least have an honest discussion. 

[King]

Oldiesfreak and AggregateDemand, a match made in hell.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Oldiesfreak and AggregateDemand, a match made in hell.

Yea srsly.  I love how they just use that blanket term "criminals".  In their far-right world, there is just nothing to distinguish one law-breaker from another.  All criminals.  All bad.  Such a black-and-white (heh) world to live in. 

[dead0man]

You people would be so much more takeable, also, if you just admitted that you think they are fun and you feel good holding it.  You show it, but when gun control laws are proposed it becomes all principle and self-defense and irrelevant Constitutional script.  Just say they are fun so we can at least have an honest discussion. 

Guns ARE fun.  Most people that have fired them will tell you that. (there is nothing that is fun for everybody)  I do feel good holding one.  They are heavy, they are metal, they are made with exceptional engineering.  Just like a well made car, watch, etc.  Using a piece of fine engineering is a lot of fun for a lot of people.

Now, what do you want to discuss?

[Franzl]

Democrats aren't interested in controlling guns, only law-abiding citizens who wish to own them, which isn't going to do a damn thing to fight crime.

Exactly.  Criminals break the law by definition, so if they want guns, they're going to try to get them.  They don't care about the law in the first place, so trying to restrict gun rights that way is completely stupid.

How do you feel about the criminalization of drugs?

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

You people would be so much more takeable, also, if you just admitted that you think they are fun and you feel good holding it.  You show it, but when gun control laws are proposed it becomes all principle and self-defense and irrelevant Constitutional script.  Just say they are fun so we can at least have an honest discussion. 

Guns ARE fun.  Most people that have fired them will tell you that. (there is nothing that is fun for everybody)  I do feel good holding one.  They are heavy, they are metal, they are made with exceptional engineering.  Just like a well made car, watch, etc.  Using a piece of fine engineering is a lot of fun for a lot of people.

Now, what do you want to discuss?

Cool.  I wanted to discuss what I wrote above.  I wish others displayed your honestly. 

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Obama and Biden have been silent on guns since Lord knows when.  They certainly avoided it while the mid-terms were going on.

[Beezer]

Exactly.  Criminals break the law by definition, so if they want guns, they're going to try to get them.  They don't care about the law in the first place, so trying to restrict gun rights that way is completely stupid.

Which is why in Europe we see countless armed robberies and homicides...

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

In Europe, we have a different culture surrounding hunting and guns. In the UK the idea of a working class person hunting is completely absurd - it is a sport of the landed gentry. That is why the left in America is walking in an electorally risky direction by being "the" party of gun control. I think gun control is good (European) but I certainly think it's a strange thing to spend political capital on.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Guns ARE fun.  

Not so much when you're on the receiving end.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Guns ARE fun.  

Not so much when you're on the receiving end.

dead0 is right, they are fun.  Try it sometime.