Underpinning some concerns about new gun control legislation, a new poll found nearly a third of registered voters in the U.S. think an armed revolution might be necessary in the next few years in order to protect personal liberties.
The poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind showed that 29 percent of voters think an armed revolution might be necessary, while another five percent are unsure.
Among those that think an armed revolution might be necessary, only 38 percent support additional gun control legislation, compared with 62 percent of those who don’t think an armed revolt will be needed.
Dan Cassino, a professor of political science at Fairleigh Dickinson, said, “The differences in views of gun legislation are really a function of differences in what people believe guns are for.”
“If you truly believe an armed revolution is possible in the near future, you need weapons and you’re going to be wary about government efforts to take them away,” he added.
The poll found that just 18 percent of Democrats think an armed revolution may be necessary, compared to 44 percent of Republicans and 27 percent of independents.
Overall, fifty percent of registered voters, including 73 percent of Democrats, support new gun control laws, while 39 percent, including 65 percent of Republicans, are opposed to new laws.
The survey was conducted after the Senate failed to pass new gun control legislation, including a measure that would have extended the existing background check system to gun shows and online sales.
The Senate voted 54 to 46 in favor of the compromise background check bill introduced by Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., and Pat Toomey, R-Penn., falling short of the 60 votes needed for approval. The vote largely came down along party lines, with most Republican Senators voting against the bill.
Gun control jumped to the top of President Obama’s domestic agenda after a mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, last December killed 26 people, including 20 children.
“If there was a bipartisan moment after Sandy Hook to pass gun control legislation, it’s past,” Cassino said. “Partisan views have strongly re-asserted themselves, and there’s no sign that they’ll get any weaker.”
The poll found that 25 percent of voters think facts about the Sandy Hook shootings are being hidden for political purposes and an additional eleven percent are unsure. Republicans are more likely to think that the truth about Sandy Hook is being suppressed.
The Fairleigh Dickinson University survey of 863 registered voters was conducted April 22nd through April 28th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.
by RTT Staff Writer
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