Experts not surprised
A new poll about gun ownership has been released, and those in the know say what the poll says doesn’t surprise them in the least.
The Pew Research Center reveals that 48 percent of you say protection is the main reason you have a gun. That's up from 26% in 1999 from a poll done by ABC News and The Washington Post. Mike Clark of Collectors Firearms in Houston isn't surprised.
“Unfortunately our society has changed to the point where instead of being mildly antisocial or violent it’s become even more so,” Clark told KTRH.
But Gun Talk Radio host Tom Gresham says the numbers might actually be on the low side of things.
“It’s got to be far more than 50%. The reason has always been self defense, especially in the last half-decade,” Gresham said.
Clark says the numbers are only going to rise based on what he has seen over the 38 years he's been in business in Houston.
“This is an ongoing trend that doesn’t seem to be backing off,” Clark explained. “I think people feel the need to have some kind of protection and this is what they are doing.”
Gresham says he talks to a lot of first time gun owners and hears the same thing the study showed.
“They say they feel better off having a gun. And they also say that the more they hear about the government taking guns away from them, the more they want to go out and buy one,” Gresham explained.
Another number from the Pew poll; 54% said stricter laws would cut the number of deaths caused by mass shootings; 43% said tougher laws wouldn't make a difference.
