A new poll reveals that nearly nine of 10 Democrats responding, 88%, say that gun rights, established in the Constitution’s Second Amendment, must be a lower priority than the anti-violence agenda.
And the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms warns that’s alarming.
Th NPR-PBS poll was conducted May 15-18 and said that huge percentage of Democrats responding “think reining in gun violence is more important than protecting gun rights.”
Sixty-seven percent of Republicans voted the opposite direction.
“This is a stunning revelation,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “While we have always advocated for safer communities and have supported citizen initiatives aimed at locking up criminals, it is appalling that such an overwhelming percentage of Democrats are so willing to throw the Second Amendment under a bus to achieve some false sense of security.”
Gottlieb, years ago, championed both “Three Strikes” and “Hard Time for Armed Crime” initiatives, which received massive public support in Washington state and then became popular nationwide.
“The idea of putting violent, repeat offenders in prison has always made more sense than penalizing law-abiding citizens who only want to exercise their constitutional rights,” he explained. “The notion that you are somehow going to discourage criminals by disarming their intended victims isn’t just foolish, it’s downright crazy.”
He pointed out that constitutional rights are not “something you vote on.”
“Nor,” he said, “do you casually give them up in hopes of creating some Utopian fantasy. If criminals know people do not have the means to fight back, they will exploit the situation. That’s why we fight so hard, day after day, to protect the right that makes it possible for us to protect our families, homes and communities.”
“The right to keep and bear arms is enshrined in our Bill of Rights and most state constitutions for a reason,” he said. “If we don’t protect all of our rights vigorously, pretty soon we will end up with none of them.”
The poll pointed out there is little consensus to address criminals who use guns in their violence.
But it said 57% of Americans think their local schools are safe from gun violence, down from 65% a few months ago.
“Republicans (69%) and independents (58%) are more likely than Democrats to say their community schools are safe. Democrats divide (49% safe to 48% not safe),” the report said.
“Sixty percent of Americans, including four in 10 who own guns, think it is more important to control gun violence than to protect gun rights (38%). Democrats (88%) overwhelmingly agree. 55% of independents say the same. While 67% of Republicans think it is more important to protect gun rights, 32% of the GOP say controlling gun violence should be the priority.”
Various ideas considered include banning the sale of some weapons, putting gun buyers through mental health screenings, background checks and red flag laws.
It said, “A growing proportion of Americans also say their first reaction to a mass shooting is more people need to carry guns. 35% have this view compared with 25% in 2019. Four percent, down from 16%, are unsure.”
And a large majority approve of the “Stand Your Ground laws,” which let people in a public place use deadly force in self-defense.
This article was originally published by the WND News Center.
This post originally appeared on WND News Center.