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| Jovan Belcher case stokes gun-control debate but polls say America is split | Jovan Belcher case stokes gun-control debate but polls say America is split |
| (4 months later) | |
| The shooting of Kasandra Perkins and subsequent suicide of the man who shot her, the Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher, has prompted a national debate about gun control thanks in part to comments by the NBC presenter Bob Costas. Costas' anti-gun remarks, made at halftime in Sunday's Cowboys v Eagles game, have spurred both praise and backlash. But just where do Americans stand on guns? | The shooting of Kasandra Perkins and subsequent suicide of the man who shot her, the Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher, has prompted a national debate about gun control thanks in part to comments by the NBC presenter Bob Costas. Costas' anti-gun remarks, made at halftime in Sunday's Cowboys v Eagles game, have spurred both praise and backlash. But just where do Americans stand on guns? |
| An examination of the data shows a population divided. | An examination of the data shows a population divided. |
| 1. Most Americans are in favor of the right to own a gun | 1. Most Americans are in favor of the right to own a gun |
| How one phrases the question can produce different results, but all ways lend credence to the argument that Americans are in favor of the right to bear arms. After the Aurora shootings earlier this year, 89% of Americans in a CNN/ORC poll were opposed to a "preventing all Americans from owning guns". In October 2008, Gallup asked whether the second amendment applied only to militias such as the national guard or to all Americans: 73% believed it guaranteed the right of gun ownership to all Americans. | How one phrases the question can produce different results, but all ways lend credence to the argument that Americans are in favor of the right to bear arms. After the Aurora shootings earlier this year, 89% of Americans in a CNN/ORC poll were opposed to a "preventing all Americans from owning guns". In October 2008, Gallup asked whether the second amendment applied only to militias such as the national guard or to all Americans: 73% believed it guaranteed the right of gun ownership to all Americans. |
| 2. Support for stricter gun laws is falling | 2. Support for stricter gun laws is falling |
| Over the last year Gallup, Pew and YouGov found that Americans did not want stricter gun-control measures. Only an ABC/Washington Post survey indicated that slightly more than a majority – 51% – were in favor of stricter anti-gun laws. These numbers, however, don't fully explain how gun-rights advocates seem to be winning the longer-term discussion over gun laws. | Over the last year Gallup, Pew and YouGov found that Americans did not want stricter gun-control measures. Only an ABC/Washington Post survey indicated that slightly more than a majority – 51% – were in favor of stricter anti-gun laws. These numbers, however, don't fully explain how gun-rights advocates seem to be winning the longer-term discussion over gun laws. |
| This chart, by HuffPollster's Mark Blumenthal, demonstrates how after the Columbine school shootings in 1999 support for stricter gun-control measures spiked into the mid-60s. Since then, American approval for tighter measures has dropped steadily, by about a point or two per year. | This chart, by HuffPollster's Mark Blumenthal, demonstrates how after the Columbine school shootings in 1999 support for stricter gun-control measures spiked into the mid-60s. Since then, American approval for tighter measures has dropped steadily, by about a point or two per year. |
| 3. Americans want restrictions on guns, though to different degrees | 3. Americans want restrictions on guns, though to different degrees |
| Just because Americans don't want stricter gun laws, it doesn't means they don't want those rules that are currently on the books to be enforced. Consider these two answers from the same CNN/ORC survey mentioned earlier. A full 86% of Americans either want some gun restrictions or want guns to be illegal. The country becomes more split on whether those restrictions should be major – 48% – or minor to non-existent, 50%. A 2011 Gallup survey found that 55% wanted either current laws to be enforced or made stricter than they are now, against the 43% who wanted lighter gun laws. | Just because Americans don't want stricter gun laws, it doesn't means they don't want those rules that are currently on the books to be enforced. Consider these two answers from the same CNN/ORC survey mentioned earlier. A full 86% of Americans either want some gun restrictions or want guns to be illegal. The country becomes more split on whether those restrictions should be major – 48% – or minor to non-existent, 50%. A 2011 Gallup survey found that 55% wanted either current laws to be enforced or made stricter than they are now, against the 43% who wanted lighter gun laws. |
| 4. Many specific gun-control proposals poll very highly | 4. Many specific gun-control proposals poll very highly |
| Ninety-six per cent of Americans in the CNN/ORC poll wanted a background check to "determine whether the prospective buyer had been convicted of a felony"; 91% were against convicted felons or people with mental health issues owning a gun. Gun checks are required by law, though there are loopholes. Convicted felons and mentally ill Americans are mostly prohibited from being sold or owning guns. | Ninety-six per cent of Americans in the CNN/ORC poll wanted a background check to "determine whether the prospective buyer had been convicted of a felony"; 91% were against convicted felons or people with mental health issues owning a gun. Gun checks are required by law, though there are loopholes. Convicted felons and mentally ill Americans are mostly prohibited from being sold or owning guns. |
| In the CNN/ORC poll, 76% favored "requiring gun owners to register their guns with the local government". Laws differ from state to state, but many states don't require guns to be registered. | In the CNN/ORC poll, 76% favored "requiring gun owners to register their guns with the local government". Laws differ from state to state, but many states don't require guns to be registered. |
| Sixty per cent were against "high-capacity or extended ammunition clips". Democratic Senators introduced legislation to do this last July, though I'm guessing it'll be a long time before it passes. | Sixty per cent were against "high-capacity or extended ammunition clips". Democratic Senators introduced legislation to do this last July, though I'm guessing it'll be a long time before it passes. |
| 5. Gun control is a very partisan issue | 5. Gun control is a very partisan issue |
If there's one reason I don't expect gun issues to go away any time soon, it's because gun control mostly falls along partisan lines. Check out this chart from Pew Research, asking Americans whether they thought that it was more important to protect the right to own guns or to control gun ownership. | If there's one reason I don't expect gun issues to go away any time soon, it's because gun control mostly falls along partisan lines. Check out this chart from Pew Research, asking Americans whether they thought that it was more important to protect the right to own guns or to control gun ownership. |
Note the large gender, party identification, race and regional gap. It looks a lot like the breakdown that you might see in a presidential election with women, Democrats, non-whites and people from northeast most in favor of gun control and men, Republicans, whites and southerners mostly in favor of protecting gun rights. | Note the large gender, party identification, race and regional gap. It looks a lot like the breakdown that you might see in a presidential election with women, Democrats, non-whites and people from northeast most in favor of gun control and men, Republicans, whites and southerners mostly in favor of protecting gun rights. |
| The similarities between gun rights and presidential vote is not too surprising, as Matt Dawidowicz points out. One of the best predictors of presidential vote behavior is whether or not a person owns a gun. | The similarities between gun rights and presidential vote is not too surprising, as Matt Dawidowicz points out. One of the best predictors of presidential vote behavior is whether or not a person owns a gun. |
| Overall, gun control remains a divisive issue in the US. Most people believe in the right to bear arms, yet they also believe that in some ways this right can be regulated by the government. | Overall, gun control remains a divisive issue in the US. Most people believe in the right to bear arms, yet they also believe that in some ways this right can be regulated by the government. |
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