A wide majority of likely American voters (75%) agree that the Second Amendment guarantees the right of individuals to keep and bear arms. (1,015 likely voters chosen at random nationwide between May 28 and May 30, 2002.)
-------------
Sixty-six percent of Americans agreed with the right to carry a firearm on their person or in their car for protection provided they passed a background check and had a safety course.
Q. Please tell me if the National Rifle Association speaks for you all of the time, most of the time, some of the time, or never?
All of the time: 12%
Most of the time: 14%
Some of the time: 30%
[at least some of the time or higher = 56%)
Never: 44%
Q. Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree that a man or woman who has had a background check by a law enforcement agency or had a safety course, has the right to carry a firearm on their person or in their car for protection?
Strongly Agree: 46%
Somewhat Agree: 20%
[somewhat or strongly agree = 66%]
Somewhat Disagree: 11%
Strongly Disagree: 20%
(1,011 registered voters chosen at random nationwide between October 8 and October 10, 2001)
----------------
2004 Zogby Values Poll, surveying 1,200 voters nationwide on issues that included firearms and hunting issues. Zogby questions interestingly examine differences in thinking between people living in the states that voted for George Bush in 2000 (Red states) and Al Gore (Blue states).
Q: Do you agree or disagree that American firearm manufacturers who sell a legal product that is not defective should be allowed to be sued if a criminal uses their products in a crime?
Voters in both Red and Blue states strongly oppose such lawsuits?74% of the former and 72% of the latter. In fact, a majority in every demographic group opposed the lawsuits; the most strongly opposed, at 83%, were current members of the military and their families.
Q: Currently 36 states have laws that allow residents to qualify for a permit to carry a firearm to protect themselves if they pass a background check, if they participate in firearms training and pay a fee to cover administrative costs. Do you feel this is a good law or a bad law?
Voters overwhelming favor these self-protection laws by a margin of 79% to 18%. Right-to-Carry drew better than 70% support in every demographic group, with even non-gun owners indicating their backing by 73% to 23%.
Q: Which of the following two statements regarding gun control comes closer to your own opinion? Statement A: There needs to be new and tougher gun control legislation to help in the fight against gun crime; Statement B: There are enough laws on the books. What is needed is better enforcement of current laws regarding gun control.
By a better than two-to-one margin?66% to 31%?voters nationwide agreed with Statement B. Only self-identified liberals called for more laws, by a 53% to 44% margin. Moderates solidly favored better enforcement, 62% to 34%.
Q: Do you agree the NRA is right to fight gun control on both the federal and state levels?
NRA's support stood at 64%, with a party affiliation breakdown showed Democrats siding with NRA 54% to 42% and Republicans 73% to 22%.
Q: Which of the follow statements comes closer to your opinion? Statement A: Killing wild animals for food or sport is an American tradition and an essential part of wildlife management. Statement B: Hunting is a cruel sport and should be outlawed.
Statement A was chosen by of 92% of gun owners and 73% of non-gun owners.
-----------------
National Rifle Association's Influence Understated
In a poll of 1002 registered voters, Zogby International, a non-partisan polling firm, asked respondents if they or anyone in their household were members of the National Rifle Association (NRA). 10% of all respondents indicated that someone in their household was a NRA member.
"While NRA's actual membership is between 3.5 and four million, more than 10 million Americans consider themselves or one of their family members to be NRA members."
Facebook
Twitter