Only on AOL
Will Americans Listen To Their Mothers? http://government.aol.com/mygov/
Analysis by Andrew Kohut for AOL News
At this Sunday's Million Mom March, the mothers mobilizing in favor of gun control will, on one level, be preaching to the choir. Americans, by a fairly substantial margin, already favor gun control and there is even wider support for some of the marchers' specific proposals, such as their call to license handguns.
Yet behind the favorable poll numbers are troubling trends for the mothers and their allies in the gun control movement. Over the past few months there has been a modest increase in the number of people who say it is more important to protect the rights of gun owners than to control gun ownership. Moreover, the National Rifle Association's main argument against tighter gun laws — that existing statutes should be more strictly enforced — has found a receptive audience among the American people.
In this month's poll by the Pew Research Center, 57% place weapons restrictions over the rights of gun owners, against 38% who disagree. That is a solid majority in favor of gun control, but not as solid as just two months ago when 66% said it was more important to control gun ownership than protect owners' rights. The current poll suggests that, in some cases, the mothers' toughest task might come in lobbying their husbands — 49% of men support owners' rights, up from 36% in March. (See Chart)
The NRA, the moms' primary nemesis, remains widely unpopular. Four-in-ten Americans claim it has too much influence, about the same as in the early 1990s. But the NRA's pro- enforcement message has touched a nerve. In a March poll by the Pew center, 59% said it was more important to enforce current laws than enacting new statutes, while just 37% disagreed.
What the polls seem to be suggesting is that, while Americans are generally sympathetic to the moms' overall goals, many are not yet convinced that new laws are the only answer, or perhaps even the best answer, to the problem of violence. A Washington Post/ABC News poll in April found deep divisions on this point: 51% said stricter gun laws would cut down on the amount of violent crime, while 48% disagreed.
Much of the impetus for the mothers' march has come from the recent outbreak of school shootings, especially last year's massacre at Columbine High School. But when Americans are asked about ways to prevent Columbine-style incidents from recurring, gun control barely appears on their radar. In an April poll by the Pew Center, 60% said that giving closer scrutiny to children who exhibit anti-social behavior would be the most effective means to prevent school shootings — just 6% mentioned tougher anti-gun laws.
Still, polls have repeatedly showed there is broad support for many of the proposals being advanced by the marching mothers. Mandatory trigger locks and tighter restrictions on gun shows typically win overwhelming backing. A CNN/Time poll, conducted in March, showed that 72% of the public favors the government requiring people to obtain a license to own a handgun. An outright ban on handgun sales is more problematic, with Americans divided over that idea.
For years, gun control advocates have long found it difficult to translate these impressive poll numbers into legislative accomplishments. Traditionally, the logjam in Congress, where the NRA is still a powerful force, has been their biggest problem. But as the mothers march, they face new and vexing challenges: To keep public support for gun control from slipping and to convince Americans that gun laws will be more effective than any alternative in stemming the tide of violence.
Andrew Kohut is an independent pollster. For more of his polling and analysis visit the Pew Reseach Center for the People & the Press which he directs.
Will Americans Listen To Their Mothers? http://government.aol.com/mygov/
Analysis by Andrew Kohut for AOL News
At this Sunday's Million Mom March, the mothers mobilizing in favor of gun control will, on one level, be preaching to the choir. Americans, by a fairly substantial margin, already favor gun control and there is even wider support for some of the marchers' specific proposals, such as their call to license handguns.
Yet behind the favorable poll numbers are troubling trends for the mothers and their allies in the gun control movement. Over the past few months there has been a modest increase in the number of people who say it is more important to protect the rights of gun owners than to control gun ownership. Moreover, the National Rifle Association's main argument against tighter gun laws — that existing statutes should be more strictly enforced — has found a receptive audience among the American people.
In this month's poll by the Pew Research Center, 57% place weapons restrictions over the rights of gun owners, against 38% who disagree. That is a solid majority in favor of gun control, but not as solid as just two months ago when 66% said it was more important to control gun ownership than protect owners' rights. The current poll suggests that, in some cases, the mothers' toughest task might come in lobbying their husbands — 49% of men support owners' rights, up from 36% in March. (See Chart)
The NRA, the moms' primary nemesis, remains widely unpopular. Four-in-ten Americans claim it has too much influence, about the same as in the early 1990s. But the NRA's pro- enforcement message has touched a nerve. In a March poll by the Pew center, 59% said it was more important to enforce current laws than enacting new statutes, while just 37% disagreed.
What the polls seem to be suggesting is that, while Americans are generally sympathetic to the moms' overall goals, many are not yet convinced that new laws are the only answer, or perhaps even the best answer, to the problem of violence. A Washington Post/ABC News poll in April found deep divisions on this point: 51% said stricter gun laws would cut down on the amount of violent crime, while 48% disagreed.
Much of the impetus for the mothers' march has come from the recent outbreak of school shootings, especially last year's massacre at Columbine High School. But when Americans are asked about ways to prevent Columbine-style incidents from recurring, gun control barely appears on their radar. In an April poll by the Pew Center, 60% said that giving closer scrutiny to children who exhibit anti-social behavior would be the most effective means to prevent school shootings — just 6% mentioned tougher anti-gun laws.
Still, polls have repeatedly showed there is broad support for many of the proposals being advanced by the marching mothers. Mandatory trigger locks and tighter restrictions on gun shows typically win overwhelming backing. A CNN/Time poll, conducted in March, showed that 72% of the public favors the government requiring people to obtain a license to own a handgun. An outright ban on handgun sales is more problematic, with Americans divided over that idea.
For years, gun control advocates have long found it difficult to translate these impressive poll numbers into legislative accomplishments. Traditionally, the logjam in Congress, where the NRA is still a powerful force, has been their biggest problem. But as the mothers march, they face new and vexing challenges: To keep public support for gun control from slipping and to convince Americans that gun laws will be more effective than any alternative in stemming the tide of violence.
Andrew Kohut is an independent pollster. For more of his polling and analysis visit the Pew Reseach Center for the People & the Press which he directs.
