Listen to this article

A recent poll has indicated that at least 50% of Americans said they view the enacting of new anti-gun violence laws and firearm restrictions as a top legislative priority. But, there was a 20% decrease in support among young Americans under 30, since 2018. A new poll conducted among more than 1,000 US adults and found that Americans overall are less supportive of new gun control legislation than they were just 3-years ago. The poll saw the sharpest decrease between the ages of 18-29 in backing for new weapons laws. However, less than 40% said that new legislation is needed to reduce the risk of future mass shootings or to block Red Flag buyers. A similar survey was conducted in April 2018, in which 65% of these young Americans confirmed their support for gun control laws.

But, the recent poll shows that the percentage has now dropped from 65% to 45%. Huge ideological divides have remained between Democrats and Republicans, with 3-quarters of Republicans saying they prioritize the protection for their right to own firearms. At least 83% of Democrats and self-identified liberals said they need President Joe Biden to prioritize more gun control laws. The preference for enacting new gun laws designed at decreasing firearm violence has dropped by 7% overall since the last corresponding survey was conducted in April 2018. More than 20% of Hispanics pulled back from supporting new gun laws in that time period. 17% of rural Americans now said they don’t need new gun restrictions, down 17 points to 30%. The strong conservatives said they would get behind new gun laws and it fell to nearly single digits.

At least 47% of Democrats and 52% of liberals in the poll said Biden is not doing enough to promote new firearm legislation. Rural adults across the country are twice as likely as urban or suburban Americans to favor the protection of their right to bear arms. It is important that Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said he’ll sign a bill that would bar state and local law officers from helping enforce new and future federal gun restrictions. The Republican-led Legislature approved the bill on early Wednesday. It declares invalid in the state any federal gun restrictions enacted on or after 1^st January 2021, that violate the constitutional right to bear arms. Critics said it would be unconstitutional and create confusion about which gun limits the state does recognize.