65% See Gun Rights As Protection Against Tyranny. Rasmussen

[dubya]

Okay, how about scientific surveys instead of just online polls? Here is some of the discussion support some ask for:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... st_tyranny
Friday, January 18, 2013

Two-out-of-three Americans recognize that their constitutional right to own a gun was intended to ensure their freedom.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of American Adults think the purpose of the Second Amendment is to make sure that people are able to protect themselves from tyranny. Only 17% disagree, while another 18% are not sure.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on January 16-17, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

==
Another survey: 74% Think Americans Have Constitutional Right To Own A Gun
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... _own_a_gun

Edit: I corrected my terms. I somewhat used survey and poll backwards as most of what you see is simply online polling that is not-necessarily representative of the population. Rasmussen typically does scientifically designed surveying of a sample of the population of interest.

[mojo84]

This has much more credibility with me.

[G26ster]

Okay, how about scientific polls instead of just online surveys? Here is some of the discussion support some ask for:

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... st_tyranny
Friday, January 18, 2013

Two-out-of-three Americans recognize that their constitutional right to own a gun was intended to ensure their freedom.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of American Adults think the purpose of the Second Amendment is to make sure that people are able to protect themselves from tyranny. Only 17% disagree, while another 18% are not sure.

The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on January 16-17, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

==
Another poll: 74% Think Americans Have Constitutional Right To Own A Gun
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... _own_a_gun

Yes, but there's also this one ("The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 55% of American Adults think there should be a ban on the purchase of semi-automatic and assault-type weapons. Thirty-six percent (36%) disagree and oppose such a ban." )

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_ ... te_gun_ban" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[dubya]

Good point G26ster, but we have to go to the survey wording to see what it really means. And, in this case when the survey was done affected it as well.
When we go to the actual detail we see 55% Favor Assault Weapons Ban, But 62% Oppose Complete Gun Ban

Bit different. The devil is in the details. And even then, the question is prefaced by bringing up the Newtown shooting.
Not really random and a bit leading...
JW

55% Favor Assault Weapons Ban, But 62% Oppose Complete Gun Ban

National Survey of 1,000 Adults
Conducted December 19-20, 2012
By Rasmussen Reports
1* How closely have you followed news stories about the recent shooting at an elementary school in Connecticut?
2* Is there too much individual freedom in America?

3* Should there be a ban on the purchase of semi-automatic and assault type weapons?

4* Should people diagnosed with mental illness be placed under stricter control and observation?
5* Suppose that only government officials such as the police and military personnel were allowed to have guns. Would that be good for America or bad for America?
6* Suppose that government officials were allowed to ban movies and video games with excessive violence. Would that be good for America or bad for America?

7* Would you feel safer moving to a neighborhood where nobody was allowed to own a gun or a neighborhood where you could have a gun for your own protection?

NOTE: Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence

[anygunanywhere]

We all know you can fight tyranny with a Sears Roebuck 12 ga single shot shotgun.

Don't need no assault weapon with the shoulder thingy that goes up.

Anygunanywhere

[G26ster]

dubya: I get your point, but the question was pretty clear, and I was addressing that question specifically. It's great that a majority don't want a complete weapons ban, but it's rather discouraging that 55% not only want an assault weapons ban but also a ban on all semi-automatics.

55% said YES to "Should there be a ban on the purchase of semi-automatic and assault type weapons?" Hopefully as time has gone by that has changed some.

[dubya]

I am glad you saw the survey G26ster and added that info; I had not see it. It is, in fact, amazing, so many want a complete ban and could care less that it is in our Bill of Rights.
I am betting they figure they will take care of that also....

[K.Mooneyham]

I'm of a very mixed opinion about polls such as this. While I do feel that Gallup and Rasmussen are generally much better than some random poll on the internet, I still worry about the validity of asking a set of questions that seem to be leading like this. Also, where the calls were made to and at what time of day can influence the outcome. If you confine the bulk of your calls to areas in the Northeastern USA during the middle of the day, you are going to get a VERY different answer than calling truly randomly across the USA at multiple times of day, for instance.

[VMI77]

dubya: I get your point, but the question was pretty clear, and I was addressing that question specifically. It's great that a majority don't want a complete weapons ban, but it's rather discouraging that 55% not only want an assault weapons ban but also a ban on all semi-automatics.

55% said YES to "Should there be a ban on the purchase of semi-automatic and assault type weapons?" Hopefully as time has gone by that has changed some.

I highly doubt that most of the people saying YES know the difference between automatic and semi-automatic (or that there is one), or have any idea what particular types of guns would be affected by such a ban. And it's truly absurd when they want to ban weapons that are easier to shoot and require less practice and allow weapons that are harder to shoot and require more practice (revolvers). Neither my wife or my DIL can effectively shoot a revolver, but both with a little practice and direction, can do reasonably well with a semi-auto. And the same thing is true for shotguns. My wife is greatly bothered by the kick of a 12ga double-barrel and would require a lot of practice to reliably operate a pump shotgun that also has quite a kick. Short-stroke a pump loading the second round and you're in trouble. Again, the semi-auto is much easier for her to manage and shoot accurately.

I realize at least half the population is just plain stupid, but I also think that some of the leading proponents of banning semi-autos are actually gleefully anticipating the effects of making self-defense more difficult, especially for women, oldsters, and people with physical limitations. In every Western country with the ridiculous kinds of gun laws being proposed for us the rates of rape are much higher than they are here. The only conclusion that can be drawn from this, once the ignorant are eliminated from consideration, is that the gun banners want more women raped, as well as more home invasions, more beatings, more stabbings, more robberies, and more of every type of violent crime --including gun crime, since we know gun crime has actually increased since they banned guns in places like the UK.

[G26ster]

I highly doubt that most of the people saying YES know the difference between automatic and semi-automatic (or that there is one), or have any idea what particular types of guns would be affected by such a ban.

Few, if any, in the media, even the 2A friendly media, the 2A organizations, elected officials who support the 2A, and individual 2A supporters are doing very much to dispel the myths concerning what are being called "assault weapons" or the difference between actual military weapons (select fire) and those that "resemble" them (semi -auto). If we don't do our part, the media won't do it's part, and our representatives don't do their part, every single time the term "assault weapon" is used, why should we expect the general public to know the difference? Even though I own none of these so-called assault weapons, I am a pro 2A gun owner, CHL, and avid shooter/collector of other C&R type weapons, and it pains me to see a lack of knowledge or will on our side to publicly dispute the intentional or misinformed distortion of facts by those on the other side of the issue. MHO

[VMI77]

I highly doubt that most of the people saying YES know the difference between automatic and semi-automatic (or that there is one), or have any idea what particular types of guns would be affected by such a ban.

Few, if any, in the media, even the 2A friendly media, the 2A organizations, elected officials who support the 2A, and individual 2A supporters are doing very much to dispel the myths concerning what are being called "assault weapons" or the difference between actual military weapons (select fire) and those that "resemble" them (semi -auto). If we don't do our part, the media won't do it's part, and our representatives don't do their part, every single time the term "assault weapon" is used, why should we expect the general public to know the difference? Even though I own none of these so-called assault weapons, I am a pro 2A gun owner, CHL, and avid shooter/collector of other C&R type weapons, and it pains me to see a lack of knowledge or will on our side to publicly dispute the intentional or misinformed distortion of facts by those on the other side of the issue. MHO

I think the people representing gun owners are trying to get the message out. The problem is, the greatest enemies of liberty and the Constitution infest and control the media in this country, and they're not going to let any message get out that contradicts their narrative.

Also, if you own a pump or semi-auto shotgun, a semi-auto .22, a lever action rifle, or a semi-auto handgun, you do effectively own an "assault" weapon as far as the gun grabbers are concerned.

[Redneck_Buddha]

dubya: I get your point, but the question was pretty clear, and I was addressing that question specifically. It's great that a majority don't want a complete weapons ban, but it's rather discouraging that 55% not only want an assault weapons ban but also a ban on all semi-automatics.

55% said YES to "Should there be a ban on the purchase of semi-automatic and assault type weapons?" Hopefully as time has gone by that has changed some.

Hate to say it, but people are very poorly educated regarding firearms. Those answering in the affirmative would by and large have no clue that a magazine loaded pistol would be encompassed in this type of ban.

[Texasrpbrock]

dubya: I get your point, but the question was pretty clear, and I was addressing that question specifically. It's great that a majority don't want a complete weapons ban, but it's rather discouraging that 55% not only want an assault weapons ban but also a ban on all semi-automatics.

55% said YES to "Should there be a ban on the purchase of semi-automatic and assault type weapons?" Hopefully as time has gone by that has changed some.

Hate to say it, but people are very poorly educated regarding firearms. Those answering in the affirmative would by and large have no clue that a magazine loaded pistol would be encompassed in this type of ban.

Definitely agree!