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http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/051200march-gun-polls.html
May 12, 2000
Support Down in Poll on Gun Restrictions
By ROBIN TONER
WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Against the political backdrop of Sunday's
Million Mom March for gun
control, a new poll shows that overall
support for restrictions on guns has
declined in the last two months, mostly
because men have grown increasingly sympathetic toward the rights
of gun owners.
The survey, conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and
the Press, found that the gender gap on the gun issue is growing.
When asked what was more important, gun-owners' rights or gun
control, 49 percent of the men polled said rights were, while 46
percent said control was. In contrast, 28 percent of the women polled
called rights more important, while 67 percent said control was.
Over all, 57 percent of the public put the priority on gun restrictions
in the new poll, 38 percent on the rights of gun owners.
A Pew survey in March found that 66 percent supported gun
restrictions and 29 percent gun owners' rights.
After the shootings last year at Columbine High School, which left 15
dead, many pollsters found that support for gun control soared. But
Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Poll, said the latest survey hints
at a pro-gun backlash among men, and suggests the effectiveness of
groups like the National Rifle Association.
The survey was conducted May 2 to May 6 and was based on a sample
of 1,303 adults, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus
three percentage points.
May 12, 2000
Support Down in Poll on Gun Restrictions
By ROBIN TONER
WASHINGTON, May 11 -- Against the political backdrop of Sunday's
Million Mom March for gun
control, a new poll shows that overall
support for restrictions on guns has
declined in the last two months, mostly
because men have grown increasingly sympathetic toward the rights
of gun owners.
The survey, conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and
the Press, found that the gender gap on the gun issue is growing.
When asked what was more important, gun-owners' rights or gun
control, 49 percent of the men polled said rights were, while 46
percent said control was. In contrast, 28 percent of the women polled
called rights more important, while 67 percent said control was.
Over all, 57 percent of the public put the priority on gun restrictions
in the new poll, 38 percent on the rights of gun owners.
A Pew survey in March found that 66 percent supported gun
restrictions and 29 percent gun owners' rights.
After the shootings last year at Columbine High School, which left 15
dead, many pollsters found that support for gun control soared. But
Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Poll, said the latest survey hints
at a pro-gun backlash among men, and suggests the effectiveness of
groups like the National Rifle Association.
The survey was conducted May 2 to May 6 and was based on a sample
of 1,303 adults, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus
three percentage points.