In a new poll, conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute between August 8-12, it’s been found that over 2/3 of Americans think that the Second Amendment is just as important as the First Amendment."As important as the 1st," I don't think that's exactly what the survey asked. At least I couldn't find that as one of the questions. For biased and mendacious people who interpret surveys with an axe to grind, I suppose you could take that from the results.
Here are some other FACTS that came out of the survey, according to a US News article about it.
As far as legislative victories over the last few years, there's no question the gun-rights folks are winning. But, where public opinion is concerned, they are losing, losing, losing.- Just 11 percent of people say allowing more private citizens to carry guns for protection is the most important thing that can be done to prevent mass shootings, according to the survey.- Fifty-two percent of the public favor passing stricter gun control laws, while 44% are opposed.- Nearly 7-in-10 (69%) Americans oppose loosening current gun control laws, while 26% are in favor.
How long do you think it will be before the latter begins to affect the former?
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
If public opinion were really like these groups try to paint it to be with silly polls, there wouldn't be any guns left.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, the truth is that most people do not want gun control.
Winning.
"For biased and mendacious people who interpret surveys with an axe to grind, I suppose you could take that from the results"
ReplyDeleteSo kinda like posting an article about an Oregon Police chief pushing for mandate background checks and tweeting "Most cops are on the gun-control side" about it?
http://mikeb302000.blogspot.it/2012/08/oregon-police-chief-doug-pettit-anti.html
Most cops are, just like most civilians.
DeleteFour of my friends are police officers—one in NYC, two in Martha's Vineyard, and one in Dallas/Fort Worth ... An admittedly small sample size, but none of them are on the gun control side, and one of them is actively pro-2A.
DeleteAnecdotal, of course.
Yes, anecdotal, to say the least. The thing they have in common is they're YOUR friends.
DeleteIt should be noted that these are not people I've become acquainted with due to their views on firearms, but people I've been good friends with for over 20 years who ended up becoming police officers.
DeleteHere you go Greg, some more proof that you are wrong that you will promptly ignore:
Deletehttp://www.leaa.org/Cops%20Versus%20Gun%20Control/copsversusguncon.html
Frail Liberty, that link was directed at Mikeb, no? It looks like a good organization.
DeleteThe "Cops against Gun Control" site is interesting but it doesn't help us understand how representative they are of cops in general.
DeleteGreg things it's a "good organization." I think they're just another fringe group of extremists like the pro-gun blogs run by civilians.
We're extremists because we advocate for liberty? But if you insist on calling us extremists, I'll go with Barry Goldwater's line on the subject.
DeleteYep, sorry Greg. That was for Mike. Blah.
DeleteNo worries. It's too bad your intended audience didn't get the message.
Delete"Barry Goldwater's line on the subject."
DeleteRefresh my memory.
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. . . moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue." The more years go by, the better Goldwater looks.
DeleteWhy don't you quote from the webpage of the survey organization? I'll do it for you:
ReplyDelete"More than two-thirds (68%) of Americans agree that the constitutional right to own and carry a gun is as important as other constitutional rights, while 3-in-10 (30%) disagree."
Now the survey presents a wide variety of attitudes, but that one statement is correct. Of course, rights aren't subject to surveys, and laws that affect rights shouldn't be, either.
That's an interpretation, just like the quote I used. I'm sure you get that too from the survey.
DeleteWhat happens when the survey says, Mikeb has no right to free expression? When rights depend on surveys, no one is safe.
DeleteThe reason the pro-gun side is winning is because we care more.
ReplyDeleteThat is to say, even if a majority of the public answered a poll question to the effect that they agreed there should be stricter gun control, their opinion doesn't translate into any real world activities—it's just their casual opinion when asked. They don't join gun control organizations, they don't lobby Congress, they don't start a gun control site or blog (and barely comment on the ones that exist), they don't march or protest in any significant numbers, they don't vote according to a candidate's stance on firearms, and they don't even bother to donate to anti-gun organizations.
Not that it's a scientific method or anything, but it's an example of what I'm talking about: on Facebook, the National Rifle Association has 1,586,112 likes. The Violence Policy Center has 447.
Pro-gunners are motivated, passionate and involved in the issue, and the anti-gunners simply are not. And that being the case, elected officials are not going to bother pushing gun control because they know that it will not benefit them politically, and can only hurt them.
How long do I think it will be before the latter begins to affect the former? Twenty years ago. I think your time came and went.
Also note that most of the gun control blogs and groups won't allow a free discussion on their sites. The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (read Ownership) won't allow me to follow them on Twitter and won't allow anyone who isn't a follower to read their page. Joan Peterson only lets in a few comments, then blocks people. The New Trajectory blog stopped allowing comments at all. Mikeb is the rare exception.
DeleteBefore he jumps in, I'll acknowledge that it's the right of the blog's creator to decide who gets to comment, if anyone. But not allowing comments or free discussion shows a basic fear and a basic inability to deal with opposition.
Guav is right about the pro-gun guys being more motivated to act, sadly.
ReplyDeleteHowever, our government isn't supposed to be representation of only those who are most active; it's supposed to represent all of the people and their best interests. If dozens and dozens of polls all indicate strong support for stronger gun regulation, it is incumbent upon our leaders to act to represent that interest. People need to speak up and not let the extremists dictate policy.
Sure, they're not *supposed* to listen to the views of only the most active, but let's deal with the world as it is, not as we wish it would be.
DeleteYou can poll me and ask where I stand on a whole host of topics, but me choosing a side on an issue doesn't mean I particularly care about the issue, or that it's important to me (or anyone else). And our elected officials know that.
You can take polls until you're blue in the face, but the fact of the matter if you guys want legislative victories, you're going to need to energize and motivate large numbers of people to deeply care about the issue as much as the pro-gun side does, and to actively participate, agitate and donate to achieve those goals. If you cannot do that, then I don't think there's any hope for your cause.
That is, as I see it, the reality of the situation.
Absolutely true, Guav.
DeleteOregonian, you are the extremist. You say what our government should do? Our government exists to preserve our liberties--that's its primary job. You, like the prohibitionists before you, seek to take freedom away. You seek to curtail choice.
DeleteBut the truth of the matter is that gun control candidates can't win outside of a few control freak areas. Your side has tried and tried to win legislative support, and since the mid-nineties, you've failed. You may blame the NRA or gun owners or the gun fairy, and we'll all be happy to take credit for your failure.
Besides the public at large is more pro than anti on the gun issue, which you can take the other side of the coin, there is simply less anti gun supporters in the public at large now days.
DeleteWhen gun control became an issue a lifetime ago, the term reasonable restrictions became the term of the day. The public at large bought into this notion and supported it, until it got out of hand and the promise became a magic carpet ride of hell.
People now realize what has happened and the magic carpet ride is over. That ride led to the curtailments of other rights and the public at large has had enough of the take away government style of personal rights denied across the board.
The antis cry out for support, the fact is their support has declined greatly. All the ones that support the antis have already cried out. The antis are now viewed as the extremists, not those support for the 2A.