Huffington Post
With a flurry of national incidents calling attention to legislation
surrounding the right to bear arms, gun ownership and gun rights
advocacy has been at the center of debate. Between the staggering reports of gun violence in cities like Chicago, and the number of mass shootings throughout the year, gun control has become a major issue nationwide.
But Americans are still facing off on either side of the gun debate, and a new study suggests that gun owners and supporters of legislation in favor of carrying concealed weapons are more likely to be racist.
The
report is extremely relevant, based on recent findings that
African-Americans are disproportionately affected by gun violence. According to a 2012 study by the Children's Defense Fund,
gun violence is the leading cause of death for black males ages 15-19.
In 2008 and 2009, black children and teenagers were 15 percent of the
nation's population, however, they accounted for 45 percent of young
people killed by guns.
But researcher Kerry O'Brien said, despite the disparity, white Americans are seriously affected by guns as well.
“White
Americans oppose gun control to a far greater extent than do black
Americans, but whites are actually more likely to kill themselves with
their guns than be killed by someone else. So why would you keep them?”
O'Brien said in a press release. “We decided to examine what social and psychological factors predict gun ownership and opposition to gun control.”
Debate Magazine
