McPherson: Americans Like Their Guns

A recent poll by Rasmussen has revealed that a large majority of Americans – 68 percent (!) – desire to live where their right to keep and bear arms is respected. Only a tiny minority – just 22 percent – wish to live “in a neighborhood where nobody [is] allowed to own a gun.”

Rasmussen did not report on how many of that 22 percent post a “Gun Free Zone” sign in their front yard.

These numbers are quite revealing because they come six months after a Pew Research poll found that for the first time in over two decades a majority of Americans – 52 percent – support the right to keep and bear arms over the passing of more gun control laws.

In the last two and a half years the gun-ban crowd has been pouring millions into anti-gun causes and campaigns (“get money out of politics” applies to the other side, you see) – only to see their efforts thwarted time and again.

Nor does the “angry right wing white male” stereotype of gun-owners (opposition to racial, ethnic, and gender-based stereotyping being another position of convenience) hold up under scrutiny here: Support for the right to keep and bear arms is growing among blacks and women as well. It’s very likely we’re seeing a significant cultural shift away from the gun-haters and in favor of those who respect individual freedom.

In other words, Americans like their guns – and they’ve had it with restrictions. Look for Democratic candidates to either shy away from the issue in the coming months, or to pretend they’re pro-gun when it’s time to make some campaign literature.

Throughout our nation’s history people have used guns to protect themselves, and continue to do so. These poll results indicate that the pro-gun case is being heard – and enthusiastically embraced.