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Americans Clearly Divided on Gun Control
Angus Reid Global Monitor ^ | December 26, 2007 | NA

Posted on 12/26/2007 10:10:53 AM PST by neverdem

People in the United States are almost evenly split between those who want tighter firearm legislation and those who believe this is unnecessary, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 42 per cent of respondents believe their country needs stricter gun control laws, while 44 per cent disagree.

The U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment guarantees Americans the right "to keep and bear arms." Some American states have enacted their own gun control regulations, independent of existing federal legislation.

Earlier this month, eight people died inside a Nebraska shopping mall when 19-year-old Robert Hawkins fired over 30 rounds of ammunition. Hawkins later killed himself.

In April, Cho Seung-hui killed 32 people—fellow students and teachers—at the Virginia Tech University campus in two separate incidents, before turning his gun on himself. The shooting is the deadliest of its kind in American history and revived a debate on whether the country should introduce new legislation on gun control. In December 2005, Virginia judge Paul Barnett stated that Cho presented "an imminent danger to himself as a result of mental illness."

On Dec. 20, the U.S. Congress approved legislation aimed at keeping guns away from mentally ill persons. The bill, which has yet to be signed into law by U.S. president George W. Bush, would demand background checks for gun buyers in order to determine whether their mental health status is clear. Democratic New York congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy—a chief sponsor of the bill—saluted the successful vote, saying, "Together, we have crafted a bill that will prevent gun violence, but maintain the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens."


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: banglist; guncontrol; gunfreezones
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To: Xenalyte

that lloks like my parole officer; is that a confederate flag in the background?


41 posted on 12/26/2007 11:58:37 AM PST by glide625
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To: neverdem
I wonder who paid for the poll. The question doesn't sound like one that any gun rights group would ask. (Being as it's a stupid question!) It's an old trick of the antis to ask "Do you favor stricter gun laws?" without specifying what "stricter" means.
42 posted on 12/26/2007 12:01:23 PM PST by Redcloak (Dingos ate my tagline.)
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To: Vision
Loons.

No.

Their intent is to enslave or kill you. Disarming you by any means makes it safer for them to try.

43 posted on 12/26/2007 12:04:13 PM PST by Navy Patriot (The hyphen American with the loudest whine gets the grease.)
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To: Xenalyte


He writes as he speaks
He IS Wolf Blitzer!
44 posted on 12/26/2007 12:22:14 PM PST by BerryDingle (With friends like the media, who needs enemas?)
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To: Jabba the Nutt
The political reality is that "gun control" is a political loser.

Nationally, that's true.

Why has there been zero, ZERO, public demand and push for more "gun control" after Virginia Tech, the Omaha Mall and the Colorado church attacks?

There are efforts around the country for true believers, e.g. Bloomberg's "illegal gun" initiatives, controls on the sale of ammo, "assault gun" bans, etc. They can't completely stifle themselves.

45 posted on 12/26/2007 12:27:44 PM PST by neverdem (Call talk radio. We need a Constitutional Amendment for Congressional term limits. Let's Roll!)
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To: Condor51
Condor51 said: "My conclusion is that this poll is utter Brady Bunch propaganda bullcarp."

Maybe not.

(0.25*432) + (0.62 * 368) = 336 = 0.42 * 800

This might represent an over-polling of Republicans over Demoncrats of 432 to 368, an admittedly unlikely occurrence.

If equal numbers of Republicans and Demoncrats were surveyed, then we might expect:

(0.25 * 400) + (0.62 * 400) = 348 = (0.44 * 800)

In either case, it should be obvious that, despite having a majority of Demoncrats, that is 62%, in favor of stricter gun controls, there is no way that such mis-guidedness should result in actually permitting any further gun control to be enacted.

The only reason to expect such further infringements is if the Republicans continue to elect RINOs like Arnold in Kalifornia or Mitt Romney. Guns are only useful for many important applications BECAUSE they are "unusually lethal". I wouldn't be interested in owning one which was somehow rendered "unusually NON-lethal".

46 posted on 12/26/2007 12:41:55 PM PST by William Tell (RKBA for California (rkba.members.sonic.net) - Volunteer by contacting Dave at rkba@sonic.net)
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To: M203M4

Hear! Hear!
This right is not a result of government.


47 posted on 12/26/2007 12:45:33 PM PST by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion.)
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To: neverdem

Don’t forget - they are also pushing in Canada and some American jusisdictions for Knife Control, too - just like in the UK. As they made up the term “Saturday Night Special” for inexpensive handguns, “Assault Weapon” for sporting semiautomatic rifles, and “Sniper Rifle” for a scoped bolt-action rifle, they NOW have the term “Rambo Knives” to describe any large sport-utility knife, typically ones a foot or longer and including a blade guard and saw teeth on the back spine of the knife. REALLY! They are coming to take them away.


48 posted on 12/26/2007 12:47:11 PM PST by 2harddrive (...House a TOTAL Loss.....)
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To: xzins

To paraphrase: All it takes to stop a crazy man with a gun is a sane man with a gun.


49 posted on 12/26/2007 12:47:36 PM PST by Tenniel2 (The Clinton era: jackboots, plane crashes, murders - and those were the good days. (Hat tip to Bray))
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To: BerryDingle; Xenalyte

just because I choose to lieve blitzed doesn’t mean I’m a wolf or that I feed adult bverages to dogs or something. Although I had a Scottish terreier who liked Guiness; he’s dead now.


50 posted on 12/26/2007 12:58:05 PM PST by glide625
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To: BerryDingle; Xenalyte

i’d forgotten about that dog; my parents gave him to me when I was a kid; that’s when I learned he loved beer; he also liked to play fetch and after a few beers he’d fall over with the ball or run headlong into the garage door. He was my mentor.


51 posted on 12/26/2007 1:08:37 PM PST by glide625
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To: Varmint Al
No no no no NO. The Second Amendment does not GIVE individuals the right to bear arms. The Second Amendment prohibits the government from interfering with a right that the people ALREADY HAVE.

Put in terms that even a thumbsucking pantywaist J-school grad should be able to understand, the Second, and indeed the entire Bill of Rights, doesn't state what people CAN do. It states what the government CAN'T do.

Feh and double-feh, and off to the range, with a stop at the new Cabela's on the way.

52 posted on 12/26/2007 1:12:44 PM PST by Tenniel2 (Huckabee... Dogpatch's answer to Oliver Cromwell. -- hinckley buzzard)
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To: neverdem
Regardless of how "divided" Americans are regarding gun control, the issue is going to be largely clarified in 2008 with the Parker decision.

No point in trying to predict just HOW the Supreme Court is going to rule. The Kelo case (regarding eminent domain) _seemed like_ a no-brainer. Yet the Court decided for the "other side of the issue" in Kelo.

However, I can predict with confidence that the Parker decision is destined to become one of the most important cases the 21st century, ranking up there with Dred Scott, Brown v. Brown, Roe v. Wade, et. al.

One side or the other is going to be VERY unhappy come the end of June 2008. Which one will it be?

- John

53 posted on 12/26/2007 1:31:01 PM PST by Fishrrman
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To: demshateGod
> I think only the mentally fit should be able to enjoy First Amendment rights (sarc).

That would sure take care of DU and DailyKos! <g>

54 posted on 12/26/2007 1:42:35 PM PST by NewJerseyJoe (Rat mantra: "Facts are meaningless! You can use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!")
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To: neverdem

What the American public believe or want is utterly irrelevant. The right to keep and bear arms is an unalienable right; bestowed by God, it can be neither altered nor revoked by any act of Man or his governments. Period. End of story.


55 posted on 12/26/2007 1:44:02 PM PST by Jack Hammer (here)
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To: neverdem

56 posted on 12/26/2007 1:46:23 PM PST by Domandred (Eagles soar, but unfortunately weasels never get sucked into jet engines)
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To: penowa
Correct. My right to keep and bear arms is no more subject to majority vote and debate than is my right to worship (or not worship) as I see fit.

The spark which started the American Revolution is when British troops were sent to seize the Colonial arsenals.

57 posted on 12/26/2007 2:05:14 PM PST by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: neverdem

And the other 14%? Probably honest-to-God conservatives that value II to the point of being so disgusted at the constant assault on II that they won’t even answer the damn question anymore. Was the polling done in college dormitories or somethin’?


58 posted on 12/26/2007 2:26:22 PM PST by roamincadillac (democrat politicians rely on the mindless and the gullible for votes)
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To: neverdem
People in the United States are almost evenly split between those who want tighter firearm legislation and those who believe this is unnecessary, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 42 per cent of respondents believe their country needs stricter gun control laws, while 44 per cent disagree.

No if it were 42 against tighter controls and 44 in favor, the headline would have been "Most people want stronger gun control". The spin is always there.

59 posted on 12/26/2007 3:04:47 PM PST by pjd
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To: pabianice
Careful there Pabianice, we’re talking about liberalths, to them your statement might been seen as an invitation...
60 posted on 12/26/2007 3:11:23 PM PST by Dr.Zoidberg (Mohammedanism - Bringing you only the best of the 6th century for fourteen hundred years.)
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