Majority of Young People Considering Gun Ownership

[lostinblue 1,989]

Poll: Majority of Young People Considering Gun Ownership

• January 14, 2013

Despite experiencing a post-Columbine world, 60 percent of high school and college students are considering owning a gun in the future, according to a national poll.

One-third of young people reported growing up with a gun in the household and 36 percent reported being “very worried” about gun violence. However, nearly 40 percent of participants planned to own a gun when they have their own household, and an additional 20 percent were contemplating it.

"I think the major contribution of the poll results is to demonstrate that now is certainly the time to have a serious conversation about gun control since the next generation is no less likely to plan to own guns," said AU professor Jennifer L. Lawless.

Lawless, director of AU's Women and Politics Institute, and Loyola Marymount University professor Richard L. Fox conducted the poll of 4,000 high school and college students.

The findings come at a time of high-level discussions surrounding new gun legislation by a House Democratic task force led by Vice President Joe Biden.

In the wake of the Dec. 14 elementary school shooting massacre in Newtown, Conn., President Barack Obama pledged to push Congress on legislation to prevent more mass shootings.

Key Findings from the Poll of High School and College Students:

• About 50 percent of young people who self-identify as “depressed,” “stressed out,” and/or have “difficulty making friends” plan to have a gun in their household.

• High school students who regularly play video games for more than 4 hours per day are 50 percent more likely than those who do not typically play video games to report plans to own a gun. The results are similar among college students.

• Girls and young women (40 percent) are more likely than their male counterparts (32 percent) to fear gun violence and less likely to report planning to own a gun in the future.

• Democrats are nearly twice as likely as Republicans to fear gun violence (45 percent compared to 25 percent) and less likely to report planning on owning a gun in the future.

• Half of black respondents fear gun violence, compared to only 31 percent of white respondents. Blacks are less likely than whites to report planning on owning a gun in the future.

The results are based on a national sample of 2,100 college students (ages 18 through 25) and 2,166 high school students (ages 13 through 17). The poll, conducted by American University / Gfk Custom Research LLC, was in the field from September 27—October 16, 2012, and has a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points.

http://www.american.edu/media/news/20120114_Gun_Poll_High_School_College_Students.cfm

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Better yet, help them along. For each of my sons I gave them a 20 ga. slide action shotgun, a centerfire rifle capable of being used for deer hunting, a .22 rifle and a .22 revolver. They will also inherit the guns I inherited. The rest they can buy themselves.

A little push in the right direction is best

Poll: Majority of Young People Considering Gun Ownership

• January 14, 2013

Despite experiencing a post-Columbine world, 60 percent of high school and college students are considering owning a gun in the future, according to a national poll.

One-third of young people reported growing up with a gun in the household and 36 percent reported being “very worried” about gun violence. However, nearly 40 percent of participants planned to own a gun when they have their own household, and an additional 20 percent were contemplating it.

"I think the major contribution of the poll results is to demonstrate that now is certainly the time to have a serious conversation about gun control since the next generation is no less likely to plan to own guns," said AU professor Jennifer L. Lawless.

Lawless, director of AU's Women and Politics Institute, and Loyola Marymount University professor Richard L. Fox conducted the poll of 4,000 high school and college students.

The findings come at a time of high-level discussions surrounding new gun legislation by a House Democratic task force led by Vice President Joe Biden.

In the wake of the Dec. 14 elementary school shooting massacre in Newtown, Conn., President Barack Obama pledged to push Congress on legislation to prevent more mass shootings.

Key Findings from the Poll of High School and College Students:

• About 50 percent of young people who self-identify as “depressed,” “stressed out,” and/or have “difficulty making friends” plan to have a gun in their household.

• High school students who regularly play video games for more than 4 hours per day are 50 percent more likely than those who do not typically play video games to report plans to own a gun. The results are similar among college students.

• Girls and young women (40 percent) are more likely than their male counterparts (32 percent) to fear gun violence and less likely to report planning to own a gun in the future.

• Democrats are nearly twice as likely as Republicans to fear gun violence (45 percent compared to 25 percent) and less likely to report planning on owning a gun in the future.

• Half of black respondents fear gun violence, compared to only 31 percent of white respondents. Blacks are less likely than whites to report planning on owning a gun in the future.

The results are based on a national sample of 2,100 college students (ages 18 through 25) and 2,166 high school students (ages 13 through 17). The poll, conducted by American University / Gfk Custom Research LLC, was in the field from September 27—October 16, 2012, and has a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points.

http://www.american.edu/media/news/20120114_Gun_Poll_High_School_College_Students.cfm

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Key Findings from the Poll of High School and College Students:

• About 50 percent of young people who self-identify as “depressed,” “stressed out,” and/or have “difficulty making friends” plan to have a gun in their household.

Half of depressed and asocial young people have plans on getting themselves a firearm. What could possibly go wrong?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

All kids should be armed.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

All kids should be armed.

Yes, at age 5 so they can snuff their 2 year old siblings out.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Yes, at age 5 so they can snuff their 2 year old siblings out.

Exactly!

Why wait until they're depressed, anti social teenagers? Start killing people to take out your frustrations as soon as possible.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Exactly!

Why wait until they're depressed, anti social teenagers? Start killing people to take out your frustrations as soon as possible.

For those you get them the gun out so they can snuff themselves out at age 4. Why go through all the trouble?

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Now you're thinkin'.

The future of America is bright.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Now you're thinkin'.

The future of America is bright.

Indeed. For the supply of sane kids that is required to keep this country going, we have immigrants.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Teenagers can't wait to drink and buy cigarettes legally. So what? Most of the boys are looking toward getting laid for the first time and who knows what girls that age are looking for, they don't either.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Way more kids surveyed said they'd buy the iPhone 6.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Way more kids surveyed said they'd buy the iPhone 6.

iSheeple.

[Karee 4,190]

Way more kids surveyed said they'd buy the iPhone 6.

There's an iPhone 6 already? I need to keep up apparently.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

There's an iPhone 6 already? I need to keep up apparently.

No, not yet. The 5S is just around the corner and 8 out of 10 teens who were still under contract for another year said they'd wait for the iPhone 6.

Edited June 1, 2013 by spookyturtle

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Yes, at age 5 so they can snuff their 2 year old siblings out.

age 3

I actually began giving the children firearms lessons when they arrived home from the hospital. Rather than read fairy tales, I would bring in gun and demostrate the proper use and safe handling, how to disassemble it and put it back together. As they got older, I let them choose the gun they would learn about that night.

My kids first words were "slide stop" and "barrel bushing" No accidents in our household. The firearms I bought for them were placed in unlocked racks in their room before they could walk. They had as much interest in playing with them as they had in playing with the lamp or pictures on the wall. They knew they could see them any time they asked.

They were "gun-proof" and still are. So are their children

They knew the proper purpose of firearms before they could walk. By age three they should be shooting fairly well. If there is a horse around they should be able to ride it.

When Alla arrived, herself an avid shooter, gun owner and firearms rights supporter from a former communist dictatorship, (the two could be related) Sergey and Pasha also received gun lessons and guess what? THEY enjoy shooting also! (who'da thunk it?) And guess what? No accidents!

Amazing that the same people who believe sex education reduces "accidents" (I do, my children were educated about sex at home) somehow think gun education will not reduce accidents. The levels of stupidity this issue brings out in people is incredible.