What are your thoughts about this survey? "Americans Fear Guns Over Terrorism"

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:07:29 -0500

Security Magazine (11/11/15)

A new survey shows that Americans are more worried about being a victim of gun violence than of terrorism. In the McClatchy/Marist poll, 63 percent of the Americans surveyed said they were afraid that they or someone they knew would die from gun violence. In comparison, 29 percent said they were more afraid of terrorist attacks. Republicans and Democrats tended to be divided over what they considered the greater threat. Seventy-seven percent of Democrats thought that gun violence was a greater concern than terrorism, while Republicans believed that terrorism was a bigger threat by 55 percent to 45 percent.
What are you more concerned with? My personal thoughts are that I am concerned about both but I am more concerned about Terrorist because those bastards just don't give a shit about anyone but themselves and their ideological bullshit way of thinking.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Nov 12 at 2015 3:08 PM

SCPO David Lockwood — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:08:54 -0500

A bunch of BS!

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Nov 12 at 2015 3:29 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:29:21 -0500

I think it depends a lot on where you live. In the inner-city it would be rational to fear gun violence more, while in rural areas like where I live the threat of gun violence is quite remote.

In the big picture view, away from crime hot spots, terrorism is clearly the greater threat.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2015 3:32 PM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:32:21 -0500

Where did they do the survey, South Chicago?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2015 3:37 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:37:29 -0500

Sgt David G Duchesneau I recon this poll might be swayed by demographics, that is depending on who you ask will determine the answer you get.

Ask a group of people if they are concerned about getting bit by a rattlesnake... I'd venture to guess that this is not a concern for 90+% of NYC residents polled, but in rural Texas, Louisiana, Alabama... the answer might be a bit different.

Response by CAPT Tom Bersson made Nov 12 at 2015 3:41 PM

CAPT Tom Bersson — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:41:52 -0500

What's that saying about the wolf closest to the sled?

Response by MSgt Daniel Attilio made Nov 12 at 2015 3:48 PM

MSgt Daniel Attilio — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:48:07 -0500

I can see how these results arose. Most news about terrorists and terrorism is 1000s of miles away while gun violence is reported at universities, at shopping centers and nearby apartment complexes. Tulsa for example, has had 50+ homicides this year - pulling from memory at moment- and majority of those were thanks to firearms. The closest threats of terrorist violence occurring here...well I cannot think of a single time that has made the news.

Response by COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM made Nov 12 at 2015 3:49 PM

COL Jason Smallfield, PMP, CFM, CM — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 15:49:47 -0500

A few thoughts:
- The survey wrongly separates these two issues when there is an obvious overlap where a terrorist could use gun violence to achieve their ends.
- The survey addresses perceptions of people without providing actual data on gun violence and terrorist attacks. Goes to probability and severity which is part of any competent risk assessment and mitigation that Soldiers are familiar with. My point is that perception does not always match reality. Policy makers should make decisions about reality not perceptions.
- I would be interested in seeing the 5 W's on how and when the survey was conducted. It is amazing how anyone with a political agenda can distort a survey just by how the frame and ask the questions. There seem to be very few scientifically conducted surveys especially during election season.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Nov 12 at 2015 4:02 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:02:17 -0500

I don't fear guns at all. I fear terrorists only marginally inasmuch as none have been seen in these parts (thanks largely to Bush's "flypaper" strategy). I fear bloated government. But, most of all, I fear an American populace whose mind and political will have wandered and allowed my gun rights to be challenged, which will allow terrorists and tyrants to victimize me.

Response by MAJ Matthew Arnold made Nov 12 at 2015 4:05 PM

MAJ Matthew Arnold — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:05:44 -0500

Sheep, sheepdogs, and wolves.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Nov 12 at 2015 4:16 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:16:45 -0500

Sgt David G Duchesneau I doubt this article carries any validity. If the premise of the article were true why are so many Americans purchasing firearms?

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2015 4:33 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:33:46 -0500

I concur with those suggestion this "depends" on where you live. I live in a small , close knit rural town in the middle of nowhere...We don't worry about shooting each other...we worry about someone from somewhere else showing up to shoot us; though that would probably be a bad idea for them.

I have lived in large cities though, and know the idea of "self defense" was pretty ridiculous...If someone from the local Order of Mischief put me in that spot, and I managed to shoot first...then I'd have to watch my six forever; that is if the law didn't put me away first. Just always seemed wiser to keep away from places where I didn't belong.

More recently, I have come to regard metropolises like New York and Tampa (where I travel for work often) to be more akin to "foreign" soil. I take what precautions I can, same as if I was in Paris, London or Beirut for that matter.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2015 4:55 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 16:55:25 -0500

My problem in general with gun control is that I don't see it nearly as black and white as the party lines of either Democrat or Republicans. There are some things that need to be controlled, and others that don't. There are also some things that gun control will help prevent (toddlers shooting people) and things it won't (violent criminals who obtained their weapons illegally anyways).

Response by 1LT David Moeglein made Nov 12 at 2015 5:15 PM

1LT David Moeglein — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 17:15:22 -0500

I fear naive idiots with power more than I do terrorism or guns. I am a mental health professional, and have worked in "gun free zone(s)." I have tried to engage administrators in conversations about encouraging a few clinicians with military or law enforcement experience to carry concealed where I worked. The common response I got back from the administrators is that their insurance company will not allow such a policy. After raising the question, all employees were required to sign the no firearms policy. It is only a matter of time before we have a paranoid psychotic client visiting the clinic while locked and loaded. Being a veteran, it would kill me if such an event happened where I work, and I didn't do everything I could to prepare for such an attack.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Apr 18 at 2018 9:11 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 21:11:19 -0400

Utter ignorance and stupidity, Sgt David G Duchesneau.

Response by CW3 Harvey K. made Apr 18 at 2018 9:38 PM

CW3 Harvey K. — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 21:38:47 -0400

Perhaps it depends on what part of the country you live in. I live in Monmouth County, New Jersey. My area was devastated by the terrorist attack of 9/11.
My wife's best friend lost her son, an employee of Cantor-Fitzgerald, whose offices were dead center of one of the impacts by the hijacked planes. Our neighbor two doors up the street escaped with his life by walking down the stairs from the 60th floor, as firemen were walking up those stairs to their deaths.
When the buildings collapsed he was covered with concrete dust, choking on the cloud of dust generated from the vast weight of the top floors of the buildings pulverizing the lower floors.
I spoke with another employee of Cantor-Fitzgerald, who was returning from a business trip to the West Coast that morning. His plans called for his plane to arrive at NYC in time for him to meet his boss in the C-F company cafeteria at the WTC for breakfast at about 8:30 AM. He would make a report on the results of his trip, then a brief stop in his office, and finally off to the last leg of the trip, the train home.
By chance, his flight was delayed, and he missed his scheduled connecting flight. While he waited for his alternate connection, the first reports came in of the terrorist strikes, and all fights were grounded.
Had his homeward flight gone as planned, he would have been killed along with his boss and co-workers.
For days afterward, when the wind was blowing from the north, the burning-plastic fumes from the smoldering rubble of the WTC could be smelled throughout the area.
We in New Jersey know what a terrorist attack is. We know what horror can result from airplanes and box-cutters.
What we fail to do, is to recognize that our stupid, irresponsible gun laws do nothing but leave us as "designated victims" to ordinary, run-of-the-mill armed criminals who would kill us for the sake of their next crack-cocaine "fix".

Response by SFC James Welch made Mar 27 at 2021 9:37 PM

SFC James Welch — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 21:37:32 -0400

Actually that’s not true. Real Americans don’t fear guns because they know guns by themselves do nothing. The fear is about the insane individuals who will use them. Terrorists are, and always be, are biggest fear. By the way, I just checked my guns. They are all accounted for and have not left my house to kill my next door neighbors or the people at Walmart!

Response by SPC David S. made Mar 28 at 2021 1:04 PM

SPC David S. — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 13:04:20 -0400

If you've never had to fight your way out a San Pedro Sula bar you just ain't living. Point is life is a hell of a lot more fun if you're not afraid to live it - betting a lot of those surveyed aren't living life.