In the wake of the horrific massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, there is a sense that this time there could be some concrete policy changes when it comes to guns. One issue that comes up in much of the coverage is the notion that the public’s view on gun control has shifted towards the “pro-gun” side in recent years. It’s important to look at that assumption.
How popular are they really? (photo: Xomiele)
In the New York Times (12/16/12), readers were told:
Americans remain closely divided on the issue of gun rights, but public support for stricter gun-control laws has waned since 2008, according to several polls taken before the shootings in Newtown, Conn.
USA Today‘s cover story (12/17/12) declared that
a consensus appeared to be growing that a new look at gun controls, even in the face of political and social opposition, was forming in a nation shocked by senseless violence.
The piece went on to describe how “moves to restrict guns further will face powerful opposition in a country where nearly half of Americans have guns in their homes.” They added:
Despite the increased lethal power of firearms, Americans have been trending away from more gun laws, both in their attitudes and in lawmaking. Guns were overwhelmed by economic concerns in the 2012 presidential election.
Americans have increased their support for gun ownership and opposition to new gun laws in recent years. Self-reported gun ownership (45 percent) is at the highest level since 1993. A new ban on semiautomatic weapons—supported in the 1990s and as recently as 2004—was opposed 53 percent-43 percent.
At the beginning of this year, half of Americans said they were satisfied with the nation’s gun laws in general, compared with 25 percent who said they should be more strict and 8 percent who said they should be less strict.
The polls these accounts seem to cite most frequently are Gallup surveys—and others—that tend to ask broad questions about feelings about current gun laws. Those surveys tend to show the public is less than enthusiastic about any new regulations. But that should raise questions about whether respondents know what current gun regulations looks like.
But what if more specific questions were asked, about particular weapons? Those polls exist too. A recent CNN poll (8/7/12–8/8/12) found a sizable majority (57 percent) favoring a “ban on the manufacture, sale and possession of semi-automatic assault guns.” Sixty percent supported a “ban on the sale and possession of equipment known as high-capacity or extended ammunition clips.” And a CBS/New York Times poll (1/15/11—1/19/11) found 63 percent support for banning assault weapons.
As Ladd Everitt of the Campaign to Stop Gun Violence told CounterSpin (1/14/11), there is broad support for these kinds of gun regulations—despite the assertions, after tragedies like this, that the public is unlikely to be swayed. And as Eric Boehlert pointed out this summer (Media Matters, 7/27/12), media rarely discuss the bare facts about gun violence, which kills 30,000 Americans every year.
It is difficult to have a sensible conversation about gun laws when there is no sensible conversation about guns in the media.
It should be the primary tenet of polling the public:
If you want a precise answer
You ask a precise question
That the corpress rarely does so, when the response might deviate from the accepted narrative – accepted by them, of course – should tell you something about what it is they want, don’t you think?
Please, please, please. Before one starts trying to write about more gun restrictions, don’t you think girding oneself with more and better knowledge on the subject is in order? There is a difference between “assault weapons” and semi-automatic sporting rifles. Cartridges go into magazines which go into the firearm. Clips hold cartridges which are then (generally) pushed into internal magazines. So one does not have an assault rifle with a 20 round clip. One has a semi-automatic sporting rifle with a 20 round magazine.
An intelligent discussion should be base on common language and reason not on emotion and inaccurate terminology.
@Bob Warren: Could you please point out what is being confused or conflated in the way you are referring to? I don’t see it, myself: the blog post refers to separate polls that ask about different types of equipment.
@Bob Warren:
“An intelligent discussion should be base on common language and reason not on emotion and inaccurate terminology.”
Semiautomatic sporting rifles are the civilian versions of military assault rifles. The legal definition of “assault weapon” as defined by the ban of the same name is confusing and based largely on cosmetic traits. The category known as “semiautomatic sporting rifle” was created to allow civilian purchasers to own semiautomatic versions of military assault rifles without violating the assault weapons ban. The expiration of the ban has meant that many weapons previously known as “assault weapons” could be marketed as “semiautomatic sporting rifles.”
In common language many people incorrectly use “clip” and “magazine” interchangeably.
I hope that you have contacted CNN and CBS and USA Today to correct them.
Well I can tell you that I invested in gun stocks the day that Obama got in and i am making a ton of green.I can also tell you that gun stores are turning away people since then,with a huge spike since the shooting.You cant get in the door.The old saying that a gun in the hand- is worth more than a cop on the phone, is reverberating.The one constant seems to be most people agree that whatever the government does- will be a stupid knee jerk reaction.Perfect example.The senator in charge of the investigation to curb the sale of assault weapons ,said he must first ascertain what an assault weapon is!So what is an assault weapon?Classic.Lets move to ban something before we decide what it is we are banning.
The gun used to kill those children was a 223 bushmaster.A gun used as a varmint gun -primarily out west.Ok so lets cut out any gun used to shoot coyotes.Then what?Im not being flippant here.Tell me what you want to ban and why.Semi automatic?Just means a round goes off with a pull of the trigger,not a rechambering of the round.In every sense most guns could be listed as that save some shotguns and bolt action rifles.Magazing capacity?Well that is useless really.Even if you have a ten round mag, what is to stop you from carrying more?Two seconds to change them out?Ammo restriction?Well i hate cop killer bullets….. but strangely they are less destructive than the mushrooming type this freak used.Tighter gun sale laws?Well seem pretty tight now to me though I have heard second hand stories .But sure lets look at a better database on that.Especially when tied to the mentally ill.
In the 1950s schools in rural areas had gun day.The kids brought in 22 rifles.They went out back and target shot.No problems ever recorded.Switzerland is thee most heavily armed pop with people all owning fully automatic military weapons(illegal here).They are also the safest population.Nazi Germany and Cambodia had the strictest gun regulations ever passed.They eviscerated their own people.But we here in the USA live in a violent world.We need to look at that.That is the core of our problem.Mental health?Why are no woman involved?Why is it all young white men?So many questions.Lets dive into it without political motivations.
I think most Americans would be willing to give up their guns ….WHEN THE POLICE ARE DISARMED AND FORCED TO GIVE UP THEIR GUNS ! Otherwise – forget it. Think about the many types of military arms the local police have – and then think about the many times they just spray the area or person with bullets — and then find out they got the wrong person — and worse — you should know about all the stories about police corruption — I often wonder who’s more crooked???? the police …. or the Mafia ?? I know who’s more violent — and its not the Mafia.
John so you think most Americans would be willing to give up their guns if the police gave up theirs?Because the police are the core of the problem ?Um yeah, thanks for that input.