A Washington Post survey of 1,005 D.C. residents revealed that those typically at least risk of becoming crime victims are most in favor of banning guns.
Sixty-one percent of those earning over $100,000/year favored banning guns; that number dropped to 40 percent among those making under $50,000. Race mattered, too: Sixty-two percent of whites support bans (among college-educated whites, 67 percent). Black respondents, especially those in high-crime areas, were least likely to favor gun prohibition. Overall, 51 percent of respondents favored a gun ban, while 47 percent opposed it.
Given what we’ve seen from anti-gun politicians, it’s unsurprising that those who can afford to live in safer areas didn’t value armed self-defense as much as those who actually encounter crime regularly. However, even though a majority favors gun bans, nearly 60 percent feel they wouldn’t make D.C. any safer—implying that some people just want to “do something,” even if they know it won’t work.
