1/17/2011

Poll: political rhetoric and lack of gun control not to blame for Tucson shooting

A Quinnipiac University Polling Institute poll finds this.

A minority of Americans believe the Arizona shooting last Saturday was because of heated political rhetoric, according to a poll released Friday.

The poll, conducted by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, found 15 percent of Americans believe the shooting was because of unusually angry and aggressive political rhetoric. Forty percent of the Americans poll believe the shooting was unavoidable and another 23 percent think it was due to an inadequate mental health system. The poll found a slim 9 percent think the shooting was because of lenient gun control laws. . . .


A CNN/Opinion Research Poll also has some questions.

Sixty-nine percent of those polled said the shooting that left six dead and injured 13, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), has not changed their opinion on gun control. Twenty-eight percent said the shooting has made them “more likely” to support stricter controls on the sale of firearms, while 3 percent were “less likely.” . . .

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2 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Professor Lott, I live in Arizona which allow almost anybody to carry guns, concealed or otherwise. Why wasn't this tragedy stopped by a gun carrying citizen (there was at least one at the shopping mall)?

3/16/2011 8:22 PM  
Blogger John Lott said...

Just because someone can have a gun there doesn't necessarily mean that they will. If you read either More Guns, Less Crime (the third edition has the most up to date discussion) or the Bias Against Guns, the probability of these attacks is reduced, but not reduced to zero. There are lots of these attacks that have been stopped at malls, schools, at least one church, on the street, and other places. Again, my books will give you a detailed list.

3/17/2011 1:09 PM  

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