A Seismic Change In African-American Attitude Toward Guns

posted on April 3, 2015
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For the first time in more than two decades, a majority of Americans say it is more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns than to control gun ownership, by a margin of 52 percent to 46 percent.

Also included in a new Pew Research poll report is a jaw-dropping statistic: 54 percent of African-Americans now say gun ownership does more to protect people than endanger personal safety. That is up drastically from 29 percent in December 2012—a 186-percent increase in only two years.

A majority of African-Americans now support gun rights. Detroit Police Chief James Craig spoke for the growing number of his legally armed constituents in a May 2014 1st Freedom interview: “We’re not advocating violence. We’re advocates of not being victims. We’re advocates of self-protection. We want people to be safe.” Read Chief Craig’s A1F feature here.

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William A. Bachenberg
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