More than half of Americans would be OK with seeing someone openly carrying a holstered handgun in public, according to the results of a new poll.
The YouGov survey finds that a combined 52 percent of Americans would either be very comfortable or somewhat comfortable with the practice.
Further, just under half of those surveyed — 48 percent — said the average American can be trusted with a firearm. That breaks down to 69 percent of Republicans; 49 percent of independents; and 32 percent of Democrats.
The Northeast was the only region of the country that had more people say it would not trust, rather than trust, the average American with a firearm, at 48 percent.
Other highlights from the poll results:
- 45 percent said people should not be allowed to carry firearms in public places, including 58 percent of those living in the Northeast.
- 57 percent said they would be "very uncomfortable" with seeing someone carrying a semi-automatic rifle in public.
The Texas State Senate
recently approved legislation that would allow licensed gun owners to openly carry handguns in public. The bill is now
on Gov. Greg Abbott's desk, and he is expected to sign it into law.
Over the weekend, another firearms bill — one that allows the practice of carrying a concealed weapon on college campuses in Texas —
passed in the state legislature and is now awaiting Abbott's signature.
A Marine Corps veteran, meanwhile,
is experiencing push-back from the public after he tried to open a gun store in Arlington, Va. The ex-Marine and his business partner sell to many federal law enforcement clients from their nearby location in McLean, Va. Their desire to open a location closer to Washington, D.C., has been met with a petition demanding the shop does not open, since it is two blocks from a school.
"They really don't know anything about the shop, what it's going to be — or federal firearms laws for that matter," said James Gates' business partner, Rachel Dresser.
"Parents are worried their kids will hang out at the shop. I'm sorry, but that's not going to be the case. We're going to have a sign on the door that says if you're under 17, you can't come in without a parent. We don't want kids hanging out in our store either."