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.

  • @Allero
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    12 months ago

    I’m from, well, Russia :D With half the population over almost double the area, and quite some threats, too.

    And yeah, we have guns banned here.

    Not that we don’t have issue with police/other emergency services arriving to remote areas in time, nor are we a thriving peaceful nice democracy, but I certainly don’t expect less gun control to improve the situation here - and I don’t think it’s optimal for the US, either.

    Individually, you may benefit from holding a gun. But collectively, there will be plenty of people putting those guns to a bad use, or just overreact in self-defense.

    • @HelixDab2@lemm.ee
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      12 months ago

      Collectively, if all of you had guns, you could have October Revolution Pt. II, and maybe get your other rights back.

      • @Allero
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        12 months ago

        I wish it were true, but Russian opposition is very scattered and in a full disarray, people are individualistic and opportunistic, and if you add guns to that mix, you’d just get massacres and marauders.

        Besides, most people opposing the current regime seem to think that Putin is the sole problem, and that without him everything will magically get great.

        Not a revolutionary mindset, if you ask me.