Pew Study Reveals Why Gun Control Is So Difficult To Sell

Why Gun Rights Advocates Start With An Advantage

Check Out Our

Web Page - Facebook - YouTube

In spite of decades a propaganda from the mainstream media, Hollywood, the support of one of two major political parties, and ten, if not hundreds of millions of dollars of support from billionaires, gun control groups have not succeeded in imposing UK like gun control.  Any other "movement" with this level of support would have succeeded long ago.  So why has the gun control push fallen short?

Don't get me wrong: Gun control is a very real threat to gun rights.  We must work hard to keep our rights.  However, I think it's important to understand the advantages we have.

Two Out Of Three Americans Either Own A Gun
Or Think They May Own One In The Future

In reality, this figure is likely higher - because gun ownership is almost certainly underreported in polls.  The combined total of gun owners and potential gun owners could easily be 75%.

Few other issues affect 66-75% of Americans.  The only issue that affects more people is Social Security - and it has rightly been called the third rail of American politics.  Guns are not far behind.  This means that when new gun laws are proposed, a huge majority of Americans believe that the new law will directly impact them personally.

That means that they are likely to listen carefully to what we have to say - and they are very like to oppose any measure to restrict their rights.  That means we start with a huge advantage.

But there is more............

60% of Americans Have A Positive View Of Gun Owners

It makes it very hard to demonize gun owners when so many people own guns or know gun owners well.

One Out Of Six Gun Owners Have

Used A Firearm In Self Defense

This means that a huge number of people have used a firearm in self defense.  The US population is 326.77 million.  According to this survey, 30% or 98 million own firearms.  Of these 17% or 16.7 million have used a firearm in self defense.

Every one of these people have friends and families who may know what happened.  Conservatively, each one of these people knows at least 7 people.  That means that  over 116 million people know someone who has used a gun to defend themselves.  That makes gun bans hard to sell.

In Spite Of Massive Efforts To Demonize The NRA
It Is Still Greatly Respected By A Majority of Americans

55% of Americans think the NRA has either the right amount of influence or should have more influence.  Few, if any, political groups are this respected.

It is often said that 40% of Americans are liberal, 40% are conservative and 20% are moderates.  If this is true, then the NRA has 100% of the conservatives and 3/4 of the moderates. 

The significant number here is that 19% of gun owners self identify as NRA members.  Let's apply a little math.  US population is 326.77 million - of which, according to Pew, 30% are gun owners.  That gives us 98 million gun owners - of which 19% self identify as NRA members.  This gives us a figure of 18.6 million people who self identify as NRA members.

Of course, the reality is that NRA membership is a bit less than 1/3 of that figure,  Some people likely were members - but let their membership lapse.  Some are likely the spouses of members and believe that they are thus members.  Others simply identify with the NRA.

We should also recognize that this group is a huge pool of people who easily could be persuaded to become members when the threat of gun control increases.  Remember, NRA membership in the fall of 2012 was 3 million.  It is now slightly less than 6 million.  The fact that over 18 million people self identify as members means that the NRA has strong growth potential.

Gun Control Advocate's Focus On

Gun Owners As Hunters Inflames Opposition

Anti-gun rights advocates continue to speak in terms of what is "needed" for hunting, as if only guns used for hunting are protected.  This is a huge mistake - because the natural reaction from 2/3 of gun owners who do not hunt is, "So I guess he thinks it's OK to take MY guns!".  Most of those who do hunt likely react in the same way - since they likely own guns for other purposes.

Additionally, many people who do not own guns recognize that hunting is only one reason that law abiding people own guns and see through the argument.

The High Number Of Americans Who Have

Some Exposure To Guns Causes Much

Gun Control Propaganda To Fall Flat

Nearly three out of four Americans have fired a gun.  They may not own a gun, but maybe they have been to a range with someone who does.  Maybe they have served in the military, or learned to shoot in the Scouts or 4H. 

Many of non-gun owners in this group have fired the very guns the anti-gun rights advocates and politicians lie about.  They know that what they are saying simply is not true.  They know that an AR15 does not spray bullets as long as you hold down the trigger.  They know that they cannot fire 30 rounds in less than a second.  They may also recognize how ignorant these same people are about firearms - even when they are trying to tell the truth.

The Actual Behavior Of Gun Owners

Refutes The Lie That They Are Careless

With Their Guns

In the real world, they vast majority of gun owners store their firearms safely.  Many people who don't own guns themselves know how their gun owning friends store their firearms - they see the gun safe and they don't see loaded guns all over the place.  When the gun control crowd talks about the need for safe storage laws, the argument falls flat.

So, does this mean that gun owners have nothing to worry about?  Absolutely not!

We still have to be concerned about well financed efforts to pass draconian gun control laws designed to sound reasonable.  We have to be concerned about temporary swings in public opinion after mass shootings.  We also need to be concerned that one of our two major political parties has made vastly increased restrictions on gun rights a virtual requirement for all candidates.  We must fight all of these battles - and we must show up to vote and vote the 2nd Amendment.

However, as we do all of the above and more, we should not ever think that the fight is not winnable - because we have a lot of advantages.