According to a new ABC/Washington Post national poll, there is a growing sense that armed citizens could help thwart a “lone wolf” terrorist as confidence in law enforcement’s ability to do so deteriorates. “Fifty-three percent oppose such a ban, the most on record”, ABC News said, commenting on ABC News/Washtington Post poll.
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According to ABC News, in addition to showing increased opposition to an “assault weapons” ban, the poll shows that support for such a ban has fallen by nearly 50 percent since 1994. Opposition, on the other hand, takes in 52 percent of moderates, 55 percent of independents, 69 percent of conservatives and 70 percent of Republicans. It explained that 42-47 percent of Americans thought that the permission to carry guns legally was a better response to terrorism than gun controls laws. Many groups have moved from majority support for an assault weapons ban two years ago to majority opposition now: whites, 30- to 64-year-olds, suburbanites, political independents, moderates, residents of the West and Midwest, anyone without a post-graduate degree and those in $100,000-plus households.
Ouch. That was in fact the opposite argument made by Barack Obama in the wake of the San Bernardino terrorist attack that left 14 dead and two dozen wounded.
Forty-five percent indicated they would support such a ban, a drop of 11 points in the same time period. But views on the government’s limitations, and on arming citizens, relate strongly to attitudes on banning assault weapons.
Meanwhile, those polled by ABC and the Washington Post are not confident in the ability of the government to stop a terrorist attack. As Joe Perticone of IJReview pointed out, it seems that as confidence in the government’s ability to stop terrorism wanes, more people are clutching their last line of defense, which is the Second Amendment right to own firearms, including assault rifles. Seventy-seven percent express a “fair amount” or no confidence that government can stop such individuals, including one-third who lack any confidence at all. When asked about larger-scale attacks, most Democrats say they are confident in federal prevention measures, while most Republicans are doubtful.
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Moreover, the poll shows that Americans are looking to guns for security.
