Poll shows increasing support for stricter gun laws
One shooting rampage after another— it seems to be the way to describe this past month given the number of attacks. As these events continue to happen, a new poll by The Associated Press and market research company GfK found more people are calling for stricter gun laws.
The poll found 64 percent of respondents favored stricter gun laws, compared with 55 percent in 2013. The poll also found 55 percent believe tighter gun laws wouldn’t limit the second amendment, 73 percent would like to see a federal background check standard for all gun sales and 73 percent would like to see no one on the terrorism watch list able to buy guns.
There was also a majority of respondents wanting national laws put into place rather than state and local ones. Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen is in favor of making sure guns are not in the wrong hands, but he believes each area is too different to lay down a blanket law.
“Most of the people have grown up with guns around (east Idaho),” he said. “It’s not something that’s not familiar here.”
Another growing trend is the worry of being involved in a shooting. Nielsen said paranoia doesn’t do anyone any good.
“Do you need to live in fear? Absolutely not. Is it happening in the world? All over,” he said. “That’s the kind of world we live in so I would prepare for that but I wouldn’t over panic.”
Nielsen also said it’s important to know how to use the weapon you have, otherwise you shouldn’t be carrying.
Click here to see the AP/GfK poll.
