Gun rights are still polling very well. A full sixty nine percent of Americans don’t believe that cities should have the power to ban handguns. Seventy percent believe the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to own a gun. Only 14% say it’s not. A plurality of Americans don’t believe we need stronger gun laws, at 49% saying we don’t, against 42% saying we do.
There is one thing we do have to worry about:
Support for more gun control is considerably higher among those 18 to 29 than among those in any other age group.
That is very worrisome, and an indication to me, we might need to think, strategically, about how to deal with this as a movement. If we don’t do that, we’re in trouble over the long haul.
Well, duh, what are you two waiting for, start breeding!
“Support for more gun control is considerably higher among those 18 to 29 than among those in any other age group.”
I think this is because many people in that age group tend to have liberal leanings and are un-educated about the failures gun control.
I take every opportunity I get to educate the younger generation about firearms and get them to the range for some trigger time. They usually turn into gun lovers after a few rounds down range with one of my AR’s. I’ve found that all of new shooters I take to the range enjoy ANY semi-auto platform over bolts,levers or pumps, I tend to agree.
I think the strategic thought would be to decouple guns from
social conservatism as much as can be, while playing up the individual rights aspect.
As one of the people in the 18-29 age group, I can attest to the fact that the vast majority of my ‘peers’ believe that banning all guns would be a *good thing.*
The most young people live in very urban areas with very leftist school boards that hire very liberal teachers that teach the kind of claptrap that only the police and military are trusted to keep arms (never mind that leftists are anti-police and anti-military, but that kind of cognitive dissonance doesn’t seem to bother them).
The other reason that gun rights are an anathema to young people is that they detest anything that smacks of responsibility. They’ve been handed everything from either their parents or the state, so they have no incentive to take any responsibility for themselves, including self-defense.
I’m doing what I can to try and get people interested. I’m taking a friend to the range next week (of course, he’s a refugee from Afghanistan and understands what happens to people who don’t have the means to fight back.)
Also, calling them leftists, saying they were mollycoddled by their parents, and saying that they deplore personal reaponsibility is probably not productive.
And the generation behind the 18 to 29 group will be even worse.
I don’t know think that I was ever a clear supporter of gun control, but in my youth I certainly bought a lot of the arguments for it. I had, of course, only fired/handled guns on ONE occasion, my parents didn’t have one in the house, and I grew up in a liberal, urban environment.
The birth of my children and moving to a more conservative area started an incremental movement towards the right for me. I give credit to several bulletin boards for presenting me with irrefutable logic on the efficacy of firearms for personal protection. Things picked up from there.
I’d say that we do need to concentrate on the youth (pre-18) to encourage their outlook on firearms. I also think that aging, having kids, and realizing the sneaker defense doesn’t work so well with three kids, a stroller, diaper bag, and two dead-tired parents. So don’t despair too much.
N Said,
March 7th, 2010 at 8:10 pm
“Also, calling them leftists, saying they were mollycoddled by their parents, and saying that they deplore personal reaponsibility is probably not productive.”
Perhaps, but it’s the truth and I’m a big fan of that.
Because of my job, I have daily contact with hundreds of people in the 18-29 demographic.
Look around on the web for all kinds of stories about the “millenials” as the generation is called.
They are some of the most spoiled folks to come along in a long, long time.
They have been damaged by the whole bankrupt “self-esteem” ideas from the last couple of decades of raising kids and teaching them.
No other generation has such a disconnect between effort and work and results.
They’ve been told how special and wonderful they are (self-esteem, remember?) so much that they expect to be treated and stroked like they are special, no matter how little they work.
Not only do they have totally unrealistic expectations, especially for the effort they are willing to put forth, they are totally, utterly convinced that they are right, and that older people are like, you know, stupid and stuff.
See Meghan McCain’s self-absorbed comments from a few weeks ago for exhibit A.
Of course, like all generations before them, nothing helps knock the crap out of unrealistic expectations like mean old Mr. Reality.
Give them time. The saveable ones will come around. The rest will still be living in mommy’s basement when they’re 30.
Of course, adult children living at home with mommy and daddy is also at an all-time hight now, too.
We have to get those under 30’s to the range every chance we get.
You can argue and talk with them all day long but how many convert once their irrational fear is removed with a trip to the range? Probably 90% at least.
No biggie. It’s a phase that young ‘uns go through. When they start to have something worth protecting (i.e. a family), they become politically conservative and buy a shotgun. You know; the ones who do.
before we start to worry, we have to figure out what the meaning of “considerably” is. For all we know considerably could be 5 points in which this wouldnt seem much of an issue
In 1994 with the R’s heading congress, and the 2000 election of Bush, the schools/colleges stepped up the leftism. Not only did the leftists need to churn out more D’s BUT the awb was in force and anti-gun teachers were driving the point home to make it stick. Furthermore, people in the 13-18 age group tend to see the world as it it “is” as it way it “should” be. It is normal to them.
How many people who grew up in the 50’s talk about “the good ol’ times.”
“…gun rights are an anathema to young people is that they detest anything that smacks of responsibility. They’ve been handed everything from either their parents or the state…”
Sounds like a problem with the parents or the state… Or is that shirking responsibility? :)
They have taken over the public schools, private schools and colleges. The only thing that will change the indoctrination is real life experience. That’s how I got over it.
two points
First, I didn’t see it reported in the poll, but I bet that 14% of adults who don’t believe there is RKBA in the Constitution are almost all Democrats. Which would make the percentage of Democrats who believe such a thing pushing towards 40%.
Second, regarding the youth opinion…
“No biggie. It’s a phase that young ‘uns go through. When they start to have something worth protecting (i.e. a family), they become politically conservative and buy a shotgun. You know; the ones who do.”
Exactly right.
I don’t believe young people necessarily are fixed in their opinions as they age. I don’t think we need to fear this population segment as they begin to supplant to older generation. Haven’t the young always polled more liberal than their elders?
What’s most important is what proportion of the voting population is young? Since American society has been aging, it’s average age increasing, the voting power of anti-gun opinion should decline instead of increase!
mac said “I’d say that we do need to concentrate on the youth (pre-18) to encourage their outlook on firearms.”
A lot of urban kids, pre-18, associate guns with gangs.
I don’t believe there is a problem with urban pre-18 youths not liking guns but I don’t imagine a lot of gang members were included in this poll.
Don’t fret guys….take a look at this poll from gallup about 6 months ago http://www.gallup.com/poll/123596/In-U.S.-Record-Low-Support-Stricter-Gun-Laws.aspx
it shows that under 50% of 18-29 year olds support gun control. My guess i the “considerable” difference is probably no more than a few points just tipping the balance above significant statistical difference. My guess is the other groups were polled at about 38-40% and 18-29 year olds were polled at 45-48%. This would be normal since most younger generations have always started out being more liberal then their elders, but generally go more to the middle as they get older. Ideology gives way to real life; nothing puts the world into perspective like having to support yourself and a family.
Well, define “stronger gun control.” That phrase means different things to different people. I wouldn’t necessarily equate it with “prohibition.” Take Glenn Meyer’s (TheFiringLine staff, psychology professor’s) personal research with students and university peers (available on his website). While most of the people he polled favored “gun control”, it was more along the lines of “licensing” rather than prohibiting. In fact, a majority in groups he surveyed supported individual gun rights, but wanted some regulation. I consider that quite preferable to wanting a total ban!