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Scott Rasmussen's Number of the Day for October 11, 2017
The Number of the Day columns published on Ballotpedia reflect the views of the author.
October 11, 2017: Forty-eight percent (48%) of Americans believe that the right to own guns is essential to their own sense of freedom. At the other end of the spectrum, the Pew Research Center found 19% who believe such a right is not important. In between are 33% who view the right to gun ownership as important but not essential.[1]
The right to carry a gun was codified in the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, like the other items in the Bill of Rights, it was not created by the Second Amendment but predated the Constitution itself.[2] In addition to hunting, gun ownership was seen as a means self-defense, including defense against an unjust government.
The 19% who consider the right to gun ownership to be unimportant represent a much higher level of resistance than can be found for other foundational rights.
Only 1% consider freedom of speech unimportant. Ninety-two percent (92%) of Americans view it as essential to their own sense of freedom. Despite this overall support, 33% of colleges “maintain severely restrictive, ‘red light’ speech codes that clearly and substantially prohibit constitutionally protected speech.” Additionally, protests have caused 37 speakers to be disinvited from campuses over the past three years.
There is nearly as much support (91%) for the notion that voting is essential to freedom. However, once again, the theoretical support may be higher than the practical support. An earlier Number of the Day found that half of all millennials would give up their right to vote in exchange for getting student loans repaid.
Eighty-seven percent (87%) view the right to privacy as essential to freedom. Eight-five percent (85%) say the same about freedom of religion.
Each weekday, Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day explores interesting and newsworthy topics at the intersection of culture, politics, and technology.
- October 10, 2017 – 1.5 million workers temporarily displaced from jobs by hurricanes
- October 9, 2017 – 46 percent of workers know someone who lied on a resume
- October 6, 2017 – 63% of U.S. gun deaths are suicides
- October 5, 2017 – 28% of women earn more than their husband/partner
- October 4, 2017 – 78 percent of companies on U.S. stock market since 1950 have disappeared
- 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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