A spokesman for the Second Amendment Foundation discusses the findings of the popular polling service, and why it’s getting gun ownership wrong.
Gallup’s poll service is trying to make people believe that gun ownership hasn’t changed much. But that isn’t the case.
The site recently reported that gun ownership data has been the same over the last 60 years, with about 44 percent of Americans saying they have a gun in their home, but only 30 percent admitting that the gun is theirs.
But there’s a problem – the data isn’t just inaccurate, it’s old.
Lee Williams of the Second Amendment Foundation discussed these findings in a recent study, noting, “Almost all of Gallup’s anti-gun stories use this data to support their points, while some use the faulty data to support a long list of ever-changing claims.”
He noted how several Gallup stories actually have hundreds of confirmations of the 44 and 30 percent numbers. Two recent examples are below:
“U.S. Opinion and the Election: Guns, Immigration, Climate,” which was published Oct. 21, 2022, states: “It is notable that Gallup data show 44% of Americans say either that they own a gun personally or that there is a gun in their household, making this a large constituency with a direct interest in legislation that would affect their gun ownership.”
“Gun Owners Increasingly Cite Crime as Reason for Ownership,” which was published Nov. 17, 2021, states, “It is notable that Gallup data show 44% of Americans say either that they own a gun personally or that there is a gun in their household, making this a large constituency with a direct interest in legislation that would affect their gun ownership.
To say this is a problem is an understatement, especially as millions rely on Gallup’s information for reports and other purposes.
Williams, along with other members of the Second Amendment Foundation, are available for interview on this subject.
Q&A:
- Why would Gallup be using old data when it comes to discussing gun ownership?
- Are they concerned about gathering new polls, or just find that it simply isn’t worth the effort these days?
- How could this misleading information be a problem when it comes to reports and statistics?
- The report notes, “American gun owners do not trust the government or private firms like Gallup or Pew Research with their gun data.” Would this be President Joe Biden’s doing? Or is there another factor involved here?
- Where can we learn more about the Second Amendment Foundation?
a. You can visit our official website at http://www.saf.org.
Second Amendment Foundation spokespersons available to be your guest:
ABOUT CHRIS CHENG (In Pacific Time)
Chris Cheng serves on the advisory council to the Second Amendment Foundation’s Board of Trustees. He is the History Channel’s Top Shot Season 4 Champion and author of the book “Shoot to Win.” Cheng is an Asian D&I advocate in the gun community; a former Google employee who went from self-taught amateur to pro shooter.
ABOUT CAM EDWARDS (In Eastern Time)
Cam Edwards is the editor at Bearing Arms-dot-com and hosts the popular podcast Cam & Company that focuses on Second Amendment news and information. Cam is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and has worked in radio, television, and online media for over two decades. He currently lives on a small farm with his family near Farmville, Virginia, and is a member of the board of Citizens Committee to Keep and Bear Arms.
ABOUT MARK WALTERS (in Eastern Time):
Mark Walters is a member of the board of directors for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. As a nationally syndicated host of two talk radio programs, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense, Mark is heard on hundreds of stations weekly across the country. Mark is the co-founder of Armed American News and the recipient of the 2015 “Gun Rights Defender of the Year award.” In addition, Mark Walters is co-author of three books, including Lessons from Armed America, Lessons from Unarmed America, and Grilling While Armed.
ABOUT LEE WILLIAMS (In Eastern Time)
Lee Williams is also known as The Gun Writer and has been writing about the Second Amendment, firearms, the firearms industry, and the gun culture for more than ten years. He is the Chief Editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Reporting Project and is a frequent contributor to Ammoland News and Armed American Radio. In addition, Lee serves as a board member of Florida Carry, Inc. He was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming a newspaper editor, Lee was an investigative reporter in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. Lee has earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter and three medals of valor as a police officer.
ABOUT DAVE WORKMAN (In Pacific Time):
Dave Workman is an award-winning career journalist and senior editor of TheGunMag.com. He writes for Liberty Park Press, Conservative Firing Line, and is communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. He has authored Op-Ed pieces in several major newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, and Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and co-authored seven books with Second Amendment Foundation Alan Gottlieb. Workman’s beat is firearms, from politics to the outdoors. He is widely considered an authority on firearms, concealed carry, and gun politics.
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing, and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 700,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
CONTACT: Todd Baumann at 512-966-0983 or by email Jerry McGlothlin at bookings@specialguests.com.
