A new study has found that Americans, including traditionally pro-gun groups, are averse to living near AR-15 owners and neighbors who store guns insecurely. This consensus highlights potential local-level agreement on gun safety practices.

A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that across all political and social groups in the United States, there is a strong preference against living near AR-15 rifle owners and neighbors who store guns outside of locked safes. This surprising consensus suggests that when it comes to immediate living environments, Americans’ views on gun control may be less divided than the polarized national debate suggests.

The research was conducted against a backdrop of increasing gun violence and polarization on gun policy in the United States. The United States has over 350 million civilian firearms and gun-related incidents, including accidents and mass shootings, have become a leading cause of death in the country. Despite political divides, the new study aimed to explore whether there’s common ground among Americans in their immediate living environments, focusing on neighborhood preferences related to gun ownership and storage.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
    1·
    7 months ago

    Assuming?

    Let’s start with the Republican-sponsored act to make the AR-15 the national gun of the U.S. - https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1095/cosponsors

    Then there are the AR-15 pins Republican politicians wear- https://time.com/6253690/ar-15-pins-congress/

    And the AR-15 giveaway fundraisers Republicans hold- https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/10/19/virginia-write-in-race-gun-giveawway/

    Here are a whole bunch of Republicans begging the army to keep selling AR-15 ammo on the market- https://thereload.com/republicans-urge-army-to-continue-sale-of-surplus-ar-15-ammo/

    Here’s Lindsay Graham saying he has an AR-15 to defend himself from gangs- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lindsey-graham-ar-15-protect-home-gangs/

    And we can finish with this article about how the AR-15 has become the symbol of the right- https://www.newsweek.com/how-ar-15-became-symbol-us-right-1792587

    So no, I don’t think I’m assuming anything.

    • Frog-Brawler@kbin.social
      1·
      7 months ago

      Yes, what you are doing is making an assumption. Again, you do not speak on behalf of “the general public.” You speak on behalf of a portion of the general public and your entire premise is based on a no true Scotsman fallacy.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        1·
        7 months ago

        I gave you a huge mountain of evidence. Claims made with evidence are not assumptions. Why are you being so dishonest? All I can think is you didn’t even bother to view those links. The right has undeniably made the AR-15 their symbol. I have shown that very clearly. Because they have made it their symbol, the general public associates them with it. That’s not an assumption, that’s how it works when someone makes something their symbol.

        Am I making an assumption when I think the general public associates red baseball caps with MAGA Trumpers? No, because that’s one of their symbols.

        Again, I understand that you do not like it that a gun you own is viewed as a right-wing thing by people, but blame the right.

        • Frog-Brawler@kbin.social
          1·
          7 months ago

          You provided several links (many of which were not relevant) that support the idea that a portion of the population (not the whole of a population) believes something. I am having a hard time figuring out why you are unable to differentiate a % of something from the whole of something.

          Am I making an assumption when I think the general public associates red baseball caps with MAGA Trumpers? No, because that’s one of their symbols.

          Again, you are doing the same thing, so I guess you’re consistent. I associate “MAGA” hats with Trumpers, sure… but my initial inclination when I see a red hat from afar is that it’s a baseball cap (maybe Angles, Cards, Reds…). Once again, I am a portion of the “general public” that you’re completely ignoring; and in doing such, you make a logical fallacy.

          • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
            1·
            7 months ago

            I see, you think “general population” means “everyone in the entire country.” It does not. You also seem to think that symbols have no meaning, which is weird.

            I am a portion of the “general public” that you’re completely ignoring

            You clearly aren’t.

            • Frog-Brawler@kbin.social
              1·
              7 months ago

              “General population” is typically in reference to prison populations; but the term can be used when referencing a full sample size, E.G. 70% of the general population associates red caps with MAGA.