Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for March 1, 2018
The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
March 1, 2018: Sixty-seven percent (67%) of gun owners cite protection as a major reason for owning a gun. Among all those who have ever owned a gun, 15% say “they have fired or threatened to fire a gun to defend themselves, their family or their possessions.”
Pew Research data shows that nearly half of all gun owners mention at least two major reasons for having a gun. While nothing comes close to the desire for personal protection, 38% cite hunting as a major reason and 30% mention sport shooting.[1]
The cultural gap between gun owners and non-owners is vast. Nearly half (49%) of gun owners live in a culture where most or all of their friends also own guns. Among those who don’t own guns, only one in 10 say the same. Yesterday’s Number of the Day noted that there are vast geographic differences in gun ownership. Residents in the Northeast and people who live in urban settings are far less likely to own guns.
Seventy-four percent (74%) of gun owners say that the right to own a gun is essential to their personal freedom. Only 35% of non-gun owners agree.
Pew also notes that “half of all gun owners say owning a gun is important to their overall identity – with 25% saying this is very important and another 25% calling it somewhat important.”
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
- February 28, 2018 – 42 percent of Americans live in gun-owning household
- February 27, 2018 – 47 percent of parents worried their children are addicted to mobile device
- February 26, 2018 – 1.18 trillion dollar increase in federal spending under Trump budget
- February 23, 2018 – 27.4 billion dollars invested in fintech startups during 2017
- February 22, 2018 – 24 issues that Amazon lobbied on in 2017
- To see other recent numbers, check out the archive.
Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day is published by Ballotpedia weekdays at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Click here to check out the latest update.
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Columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
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