John Lott: Even Liberal Academics Are Turning Pro-Gun Ownership

posted on February 13, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Counter to the claims of media pundits and gun-control advocates, more and more liberal academics believe in the benefits of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. 

That is the finding of a survey this week by economist and author John Lott and Canadian professor Gary Mauser. In a Feb. 12 article on Investors.com, Lott reports that he and Mauser surveyed 74 researchers who had published gun-related, peer-reviewed empirical research in criminology and economics journals over the last 15 years. Among economists, Democrats outnumbered Republicans 3 to 1; among the criminologists (a subfield of sociology), Dem faculty members dominated by a ratio of 37 to 1. 

Surprisingly, by large margins the majority of researchers agreed that “gun-free zones attract criminals, that guns in the home do not increase the risk of suicide, that concealed handgun permit holders are much more law-abiding than the typical American and that concealed carry leads to lower murder rates.” 

Read the full article here.

Latest

Start Hearing, SoundGear graphic
Start Hearing, SoundGear graphic

New NRA Partners For Hearing Health

Start Hearing and SoundGear, divisions of Starkey, have partnered with the NRA to promote hearing health among members.

Important Notice To Members: Exercise Your Rights, Assist In The Nomination Of Directors

The NRA Bylaws provide for the election of one-third of the members of the Board of Directors each year. This means that the terms of office of 25 Board members will expire at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Members next year.

NRA Media’s New Executive Director

NRA Media is proud to introduce Mike Sanford as executive director of NRA Media.

The Armed Citizen® July 11, 2025

True stories of the right to keep and bear arms

5 Reasons the Second Amendment Should Not Be Political

The right to keep and bear arms is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. It is not a tool of one political party but rather is a right for all Americans, regardless of their background, income or voting history.



Get the best of America's 1st Freedom delivered to your inbox.