A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that across all political and social groups in the United States, there is a strong preference against living near AR-15 rifle owners and neighbors who store guns outside of locked safes. This surprising consensus suggests that when it comes to immediate living environments, Americans’ views on gun control may be less divided than the polarized national debate suggests.

The research was conducted against a backdrop of increasing gun violence and polarization on gun policy in the United States. The United States has over 350 million civilian firearms and gun-related incidents, including accidents and mass shootings, have become a leading cause of death in the country. Despite political divides, the new study aimed to explore whether there’s common ground among Americans in their immediate living environments, focusing on neighborhood preferences related to gun ownership and storage.

  • mctoasterson@reddthat.com
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    6 months ago

    The hilarious part of this is that statistically, many Americans have AR-15s and other rifles sitting somewhere within a few hundred yards of them. There are countless millions of them.

    This would be like polling people about their fears surrounding theoretical concealed weapons when, statistically, they just got home from the grocery store or gas station and there were probably 10 people there carrying guns without incident, and they just didn’t know about it.

    • Katana314@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      I may be unaware of the rats living in a small nest inside of a drainspout near me, but that still doesn’t mean rats are “okay” or “harmless”. So this isn’t quite a gotcha about their normality.

      • justabigemptyhole@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        I have a problem with being compared to vermin for the rifle that sits unloaded in a safe until I take it to the range

        • Katana314@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          I have a problem with living near a AR-15 owner and rolling the dice about how honestly responsible every member of their household is, but it seems like neither of us is getting a simple solution.

          Every parent of every school shooter would also claim to be a responsible gun owner. Who wouldn’t?

          • justabigemptyhole@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            Yea I really don’t care if you’re “rolling the dice.” Laughable hyperbole. Most people are demonstrably unsafe drivers, but I don’t revel in imaginary victimhood and try to take people’s cars away. As a great man once said, “Life sucks, get a fucking helmet.” Or in your case, a plate carrier. I’m going to keep stacking ammo and guns and not shoot anyone, not because murder is wrong, but out of spite for anti-gunners. Anyway Trump sucks. Hail Satan.

            • Katana314@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              “Not caring” about other people’s safety is definitely characteristic of gun owners, so full consistency there.

              • yuri@pawb.social
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                6 months ago

                Same with the fucken “Most people are demonstrably unsafe drivers”. Shit REEKS of self aggrandizement, but then again most conservatives seem to anymore.

              • justabigemptyhole@lemmy.world
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                6 months ago

                You should get out and meet people and see the full spectrum there is, instead of wasting your razor sharp wits on the internet. I think you’d be surprised to find the cartoonish spectres you conjure to rail against are hard to find.

        • tacosplease@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          In the comparison above, the rifles would be the rats… not you.

          I haven’t seen a single rifle say it was offended by that statement.

        • Ballistic_86@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          While it sounds like you safely own a firearm, letting you do that means we let mentally ill people, irresponsible parents, and whoever feels like also have access.

          Sorry to say, but I would take your guns away from you 1000x if it meant taking them away from people who cannot own them safely.