US support for gun control rises

In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, some criminologists had speculated that fear created by the amorphous nature of the terrorist threat would cause support for gun control to drop, as more people felt the need to arm themselves against potential attackers. But the NORC study found that the opposite was true for more than 75 percent of those polled.

"The vast majority of Americans supported the idea that 9/11 increased the need for regulation of firearms," says Tom Smith, director of the NORC in a taped interview released with the study. "Support for regulation of firearms – for example, requiring a police permit before the purchase of a firearm – is very high [at 79 percent and] did not decline at all because of 9/11."

Gun advocates question those results, noting that the way polls are worded can affect the outcome. Erich Pratt of Gun Owners of America notes that a 2002 ABC News poll found that "almost three-fourths of the American public believe that the Second Amendment of the US Constitution protects the rights of individuals to own guns."

That finding is not inconsistent with either the NORC or the Hamilton College studies. For instance, the Hamilton study found that 81 percent of high school students believe the Second Amendment creates a constitutional right to own guns. But two-thirds of them also believe that that right should be regulated.

Mr. Pratt counters that the only poll that really counts are elections. "The ultimate survey comes every two years, and gun control doesn't do well at the polls and the Democrats have finally figured that out," he says.

Indeed, a number of the Democrats just elected to Congress ran on pro-gun platforms. And when Americans are asked directly whether they approve the use of guns to save lives, they agree, Pratt adds. He points to a Research 2000 poll in 2002 that found that 85 percent of Americans would find it appropriate for a principal or teacher to use "a gun at school to defend the lives of students" to stop a school massacre.

Gun-control advocates argue that supporting a person using a gun to stop a massacre does not translate into 85 percent of Americans believing that teachers in the classroom should be armed.

The reason overwhelming support for gun control found in opinion polls has not translated into support for gun-control advocates during elections is that gun owners are more passionate about the issue than the general public, says Josh Sugarmann, executive director of the Violence Policy Center in Washington. "While there is public support on our side, the National Rifle Associations' hard-core supporters have the boots on the ground – which means they are the vocal minority that makes sure their voice is heard when their member in Congress comes home to their district."

He says the Virginia Tech shootings may cause gun-control supporters to become more engaged.

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