Newsweek (Thomas Kika, June 5, 2022) reports that, despite a continuing wave of deadly mass shootings in the U.S., nearly half of Republicans say that they are something that must be accepted as part of a “free society,” according to a new poll.
In the wake of shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, a new poll conducted by CBS News and YouGov surveyed Americans about their thoughts on guns and gun control. One question, in particular, asked respondents if they felt that mass shootings are an unavoidable by-product of a “free society” or if they believed the issue could be tackled.
Nearly half of all respondents who identified as Republicans, around 44 percent, said that shootings like those in Uvalde and Buffalo are “unfortunately something we have to accept as part of a free society.” By comparison, 85 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of Independents said mass shootings are “something we can prevent and stop if we really tried.” A majority of those who identified as Republicans, 56 percent, said the same.
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