Maya Sugarman/KPCC
TEC-9 handguns, pictured above, were recovered in Los Angeles at a recent gun buyback organized by the LAPD. A new poll suggests that 75 percent of Latinos and 62 percent of black people worry about becoming a victim of gun violence.
One in five Americans knows a victim of gun violence, according to a new survey, and 42 percent worry about becoming one.This is why the gun-rights movement is doomed to fail. Every year there are 100,000 victims of gun violence. The friends and relatives number in the millions. The majority of them agree with the gun control argument, especially the most reasonable suggestions like background checks and the assault weapons ban.
That's according to a new Kaiser Health Tracking Poll, which added that among survey respondents who said they knew a victim, more than 60 percent said that victim was a family member, good friend – or that they themselves were the victim.
Among the groups most likely to know a victim of gun violence:
- Black people: 42 percent reported knowing one.
- People between 18 and 29 years old: 28 percent.
- Residents of an urban area: 24 percent.
Over the next five or ten years the balance will tip more and more in favor of gun control.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
I couldn't disagree more. It's irrelevant how many victims feel this way or that way. If they had access to a firearm at the moment they were being assaulted, common sense tells anyone that these same individuals would be all in favor of responsible and free gun ownership. As it is, restrictions placed on the poor make it impossible for them to defend themselves in large urban areas such as New York and Chicago. These people have been priced out of adequate self-defense because of all of the expensive hoops they must jump through even to own a simple shotgun. This is nothing less than evil. Of COURSE they say they want gun control...gun grabbing bastards have made it impossible for them to afford one for themselves!!! If they can't afford them, the next best thing is to try to prevent others from having them. Of course, in the real world this tactic does not work as the criminals don't give a damn about the law, now do they?
ReplyDeleteWhat matters in the end is whether or not gun control laws are constitutional. This discourse should be about facts...not feelings. Some of the proposed laws and some of those already on the books are constitutional. Others clearly are not. In order for folks (such as yourself) to achieve what they want, we'd have to essentially overturn the 2nd Amendment. If you advocated for that, I'd at least have the impression that I was dealing with folks that were sincere. As it stands now, the majority of those that are in power and publicly call for the disarming of the citizenry are rather hypocritical. I'd be more than happy to surrender my semi-auto firearms if Bloomberg and Feinstein surrender their guns first. They have small armies of personal protection carrying both semi AND fully automatic weapons. Can you say "double standard"?
The constitution isn't just going to get shredded because of the emotional pleadings of a vocal minority. Good luck with the gun grabbing.
"vocal minority?" Hahahahaha
DeleteYou haven't been reading this blog long enough to determine if I'm sincere or not based on my thinking about the 2A.
In your zeal to repeat the same old bullshit that the NRA suggests to you, you forget one important thing. The world of gun owners is not divided between good guys and bad guys. They are not two distinct groups. There's a big overlap. Just consider how many headline gun-violence stories focus on lawful gun owners. Some of them actually were good guys until they snapped. Others where only disguised as good guys. That's why you so called good guys need to be restricted and controlled.
I've been reading this blog long enough to know that you aren't against murder; the only exception is if it is committed by a non-uniform wearing citizen gun owner.
Deleteorlin sellers
I have. As far as I can tell, you're not.
DeleteThat's why you so called good guys need to be restricted and controlled.
DeleteAnd there it is in a nutshell. No more need be said except...good luck with that.
"Victims of Gun Violence Tend to Want Gun Control"?
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could indicate where the survey makes this point.
That's my own idea. Do you disagree? What percentage of gun violence victims and their friends and family do you think move towards the gun rights side due to their personal experience.
DeletePlease spare me another lecture on evidence and proof. I asked what you think.
What anyone thinks--read, guesses--is irrelevant. Facts and logic. You're welcome to have a hypothesis, but until it's supported by evidence, that's all it is.
DeleteWhat do I think? Based upon what you write, I think you're very committed to your beliefs. And I think you're convinced you're right and are determined to remain convinced regardless of any evidence to the contrary...again, based upon your writing.
DeleteCouldn't the same be said of you, RM?
DeletePerhaps. All of us tend to have a large personal investment in the beliefs we hold dear. That's a good reason to analyze the studies that support your side (or mine) as thoroughly as those of the dissenting folks. As for percentages, I have no idea. However, again, I'm willing to design, conduct and analyze a rigorous DGU study with you. Hey, it might even indicate that you're right. There's really only one way to find out. If you're at all interested email me and we can start hammering out the details.
DeleteI don't want to hammer out anything with you, no offense. I don't have the time. I would be willing to post on the blog anything you put together.
DeleteI'm not offended, merely disappointed. The advantage of two people of opposing views working together is the avoidance of bias. I ask that you, too, not be offended when I suggest it's unfortunate to propose limiting civil liberties while not having the time to investigate some contested arguments (DGUs in this case). Nonetheless, I respect your decision and withdraw the offer.
DeleteThere's a lot of overlap in those groups, especially #1 and #3. But you have to balance their opinions against the number of people who defended themselves with a firearm over the same period, a number that we've discussed many times before, a number that you grossly underestimate.
ReplyDeleteMike, for a while there you seemed to cool off on the idea of banning "assault weapons". You admitted that they were poorly defined, you were saying handguns were the real problem, and I recall you even went so far as to say AWBs are destracting to "proper gun control" (licensing and registration). Now you are back on the wagon leading the charge. What gives?
ReplyDeleteWhy did Obama pardon this gun suck, I mean really what the fuck, one strike you ass is out right Mikey....
ReplyDeleteLarry Wayne Thornton – Forsyth, Georgia.
Offense: Possession of an unregistered firearm, 26 U.S.C. §§ 5861(d), 5871; possession of a firearm without a serial number, 26 U.S.C. §§ 5861(i), 5871.
Sentence: Four years probation.