Is being a gun owner the new minority?

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Demitrios

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I've been giving this some thought lately (just a warning if you're easily offended stop reading or just plain go away) but I've come to consider us gun owners as the new minority. If i remember my numbers correctly approximately 10% of America's population are gun owners, that's around 35,000,000 citizens. Now where I'm going with this is when I tell someone (I live in a blue state like NJ mind you) that I'm a gun owner and a shooter the first thing I'm met with is an odd look or a comment or some mild to not so mild response. The few times I've mentioned the fact that I'm a gun owner to someone who's a L.E.O. they look at me like I'm a criminal. I almost feel like people are friendly with me until they know this aspect (more properly a passion) of my life, after which I'm almost perceived as a threat. Once given the chance though there's not one person I've spoken to, face to face, that hasn't at least comfortable with me owning a gun. If gun owners were a race, this would be racism at its finest. Does ayone else feel like this or have a similar point of view?
 
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10% of 300,000,000 is 30,000,000 (gun owners). You can solve your problem by just not mentioning your guns unless someone asks, I think. Here in TX however, I encounter more people who are gun enthusiasts or at least interested than those you describe.
 
Yeah. Even in Maine being a gun owner is one of those things that is viewed as mostly for hunting, concealed carry isn't generally well liked here. A lawyer I saw yesterday (not for me) said something to the effect that if he is going to carry he would carry openly, so there is no problem. I don't think he fully understands the level of animosity people get for owning a gun at all, let alone carrying it regularly. Also, here owning or occasionally shooting is normal, but knowing more than what type of cartridge to put in your rifle or shotgun is odd or suspicious.
 
How long ago was it that a MAJORITY of Americans owned guns?

Is there any state in the union that maintains a majority of residences who are gun owners?
 
I honestly couldn't tell you if there's a majority of gun holders in any state, but I used the word minority to get across the point that people are biased towards us.
 
I didn't mean to hijack your thread, but those questions instantly popped into mind and I'd be interested to know the answer. I can't imagine the actual stats are anywhere to be found though, but who knows.
 
I don't know, I get the impression that being a gun owner is becoming more common than it has been in recent years. And I also thought it was more like 50 or 60 million gun owners in the USA.

Can you clarify what you mean by this sentence:
Once given the chance though there's not one person I've spoken to, face to face, that hasn't at least comfortable with me owning a gun.
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Generally, I believe that most Americans respect skill at arms. Even those that are prejudiced against gun owners, or "gun nuts" as they might see them, are probably more open to people that shoot competitively or hunt.

But I could see how in states like MA where they make it a pain to legally own a gun, let alone ccw, the gun culture could go underground and become a minority. Gun owners that aren't current on their license/registration dues aren't going to talk about their guns, so it will be perceived that very few people are gun owners.
 
Depends where you are. In Florida it's county specific almost. I live in Seminole County and gun ownership is quite common in that three out of every ten people I talk to own firearms I'd say. The other seven tend to be interested in getting a firearm but just don't feel the need. Gun owners actually accounty for about 30% of the population on paper. And I know more than a few people who have only bought guns in private sales at gun shows. Orange County is more like Yankee territory and it's also got lots of poor areas with tons of crime. Most folks are from Chicago, Boston, New York City and have wild opinions on gun ownership that'd please Hitler plenty. Now if you go out to Volusia country you'll find the KKK, country folk types, and owning a gun is as common as owning a truck with four wheel drive.
 
Yeah! I've a "concealed gun"!

Why would I want to walk around telling people that I carry a CONCEALED gun and then act surprised if/when they give "an odd look"? Why should I be surprised if, by way of DISCUSSION, I issue a "a warning if you're easily offended stop reading or just plain go away"??? [I HAVE A CONCEALED GUN!!!!!:confused::uhoh:]

I think that people DO have varying opinions on ANYTHING - yes, including about GOD!!! Why should that FACT force me to lose my equanimity?
 
I live in a blue state like NJ mind you
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It's got a lot to do with where you live.

Last year when I met the new neighbor lady, about the first thing she said to me was, "Are you the one that does all the shooting?"

I said, "That's me".

She said, "Will you teach me to shoot?"

This afternoon we are going to do some more shooting practice for her concealed carry license.
 
I must live in a very small world or something, but I have yet to meet anyone who has taken offence to the fact that I own guns.
 
Living in Michigan there are a good number of gun owners around and many people I talk to who don't own aren't offended, they are usually just indifferent but to a greater extent would be interested in learning to shoot and they just haven't got to in their life. There are a small number of people who have opposition to some or all guns (my mom once said "Handguns should be illegal, they aren't used for hunting and just kill people") but they are very few.
 
Is there any state in the union that maintains a majority of residences who are gun owners?
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Wyoming for certain, probably at least 80%. Utah probably, along with Arizona and Idaho. Colorado a long time ago, but I doubt it now.
 
I must live in a very small world or something, but I have yet to meet anyone who has taken offence to the fact that I own guns.
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Or so you think... maybe.:scrutiny:

Sometimes when I talk about gun ownership to certain people, I wonder if they are simply, agreeably playing along, but when they get home, they tell their spouse, "Let me tell you about this nutjob I met today!".:D
 
CoRoMo said:
Or so you think... maybe.:scrutiny:

Sometimes when I talk about gun ownership to certain people, I wonder if they are simply, agreeably playing along, but when they get home, they tell their spouse, "Let me tell you about this nutjob I met today!".:D
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That is a possibility! :)

I mean, I've of course met and know people who don't like guns, but where the ownership issue has arisen, even with those, it's always been an 'each to their own' type thing.....to my knowledge at least, as you say!
 
Yeah, I think we are becoming a minority.

Just don't look for anybody to come and stick up for us, extort money on our behalf, or pass hate crimes legislation for our benefit.
 
I think it would take a lot to really sort out how many there are. Those under 18 cannot in most states, a lot of people have them in a closet and don't even think about them, and some people probably wouldn't admit for fear of retribution or robbery....
 
If people don't like that I'm a gun owner, an NRA member, an advocate of the RKBA, too bad for them.
 
I doubt it. It is estimated that 45% of American households have a gun. There's about 260 million firearms in the USA and growing.

This is why there has been so much momentum with "shall issue" carry rights and recent court judgments regarding the right to own handguns.

Dems in both houses in DC fear putting their names on any "anti gun" legislation because they know they'll be voted-out come around election time.

Rather than complaining to fellow gunowners, spend a little more time being vocal to those outside this forum, and contact your local politicians to share your views.
 
I've lived in MA, CT, PA, and FL, but I can't think of anyone that ever displayed animosity toward me because I owned guns. However, I can think of a few that found other reasons !!! :evil:
 
I suspect strongly that there's a big difference between the average "gun owner" and the people who frequent this forum.

Huge difference.

Most here are a minority within a minority.

No offense intended and no negative judgment made......but we're different.

The usual people who hunt and fish are different from most Americans.....we of this forum (most of us) are MORE different.
 
I don't know about being a minority but I've begun to call antis, bigots. They refuse to respect my civil rights so they are bigots pure and simple, They hate because they fear. It's similar to how minorities are treated
 
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