Posted on 03/09/2009 3:08:11 PM PDT by neverdem
Seventy-five percent (75%) of Americans believe the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of an average citizen to own a gun, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
Just 14% say gun ownership is not a constitutional right. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.
Of those with a gun-owner in the household, 89% say the Constitution guarantees a citizen's right to own a gun. Sixty-four percent (64%) of those without a gun owner in the home agree.
A whopping 92% of Republicans say the Constitution guarantees their right to own a gun, compared to 64% of Democrats and 71% of adults not affiliated with either of the major political parties.
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The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states, "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." The amendment is part of the Bill of Rights.
Gun control advocates have argued that the Second Amendment refers to the arming of a militia for the common defense and is not a guarantee of an individual's right to own a gun. The National Rifle Association and numerous political leaders, both Democrat and Republican, among others, disagree.
Although the plurality of Americans (47%) do not see a need for stricter gun control laws in this country, 43% believe the Obama Administration will try to implement such laws.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of married American support the right to gun ownership, as do 68% of non-marrieds. Despite the oft-cited concern about the danger of loaded weapons to children in the home, those with children in the house are a bit more likely to acknowledge gun ownership rights than those without children living with them.
The U.S. Supreme Court in June of last year upheld individual gun ownership when it declared Washington, D.C.'s law banning handguns within city limits as unconstitutional. Sixty-three percent of voters agreed with that decision. The ruling also prompted an upturn in the high court's favorability ratings.
Gun sales have reportedly risen in recent months because of concerns about the worsening economy and fears that President Obama will push for limits on gun ownership. Attorney General Eric Holder already has said the administration wants to restore the ban on so-called assault weapons that lapsed in 2004. Half the nation's gun-owners think that the Obama Administration is Very Likely to impose stricter gun control laws.
Many Americans say crime has gone up in their communities over the past year. A sizable majority of those adults believe it's Very Likely that increase is related to the bad economy.
I inspected two links' URLs. They were not pdf links.
Just 75%? Should be more like 99% if the country was headed in the right direction.
The other 25% never read the constitution.
That means that 25% are complete morons.
Considering what I have read while slumming at the DUmp I can believe that percentage.
Or just don’t care what it says.
Fixed it for you.
Those acquaintances constitite less than 1% of gun owners in America, and they DRIVE the gun banners agenda.
I wonder what percent think it guarantees the right to have an abortion.
Locked and loaded for the 25% that want to take my guns away.
God and rationality give the right to self defense (and thus arms) to free men. The Constitution merely says these pre-existing rights shall not be infringed.
Unfortunately, Congress, the Supreme Court and lots of lawyers have problems understanding “...shall not be fringed.”
I wish that instead of Martin Luther King Day, we could have a Civil Rights day. I would be happy to have MLK honored along with other civil rights pioneers.
The whole Bill of Rights could be taught and celebrated. NRA could have barbecues or shoots, churches could have outdoor worship services, we could have voter drives, speech contests, freedom train rides, whatever. It would be educational, fun, and a far more beneficial holiday.
...and the only thing the other 25% KNOW about the Constitution is that it’s fun to call things you disagree with “UNCONSTITUTIONAL”!!!
You can’t lay me off, that’s unconstitutional! You can’t tell me not to threaten to kill the president, that’s unconstitutional! Ann Coulter is unconstitutional!
Nice idea...but wouldn’t July 4th do as a date to celebrate with all the same activities?
Funny.........sad, but funny.
You said — “Just 75%? Should be more like 99% if the country was headed in the right direction.”
It is said that if you can get 66% of any group to agree to something, you’ve got about as much as is practical, without the “law of diminishing returns” kicking in. After that 66%, any further increase costs *dramatically increasing* amounts of energy or money or time, to get the numbers “up there”. And if you hope to get 99% — then you’re talking about an effort that would take more than our entire national budget to achieve...
“The other 25% never read the constitution.” ..........
I suspect that far more than 25% have never read the U.S. Constitution. That would be too much work! A very small booklet containing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution with the Bill of Rights can be purchased at www.patriotshop.us for $1.00 each last time I looked. It measures 3 /12 by 6 1/4 inches and is 42 pages long. Fits in your back pocket, unlike the tax code which might fit inside a football stadium.
Also see patriotpost.us/subscribe
Maybe the word “right” in the right to keep and bear arms confused them.
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