Americans and their guns

THE annual meeting of the National Rifle Association, America’s gun lobby, ended yesterday in Indianapolis, attracting 70,000 gun lovers. But it’s not all ammo and AK-47s. Wine stalls and cigar booths were set up. Seminars were held on sausage making and puppy training. Packing in Pink, a gun accessories firm targeting women, offered ladylike holsters and children’s clothes. In short, guns are not a fringe fetish among disaffected Americans but part of its mainstream culture. Survey data by YouGov for The Economist bear this out. More than one in ten women say they own a gun. Education level has no bearing on ownership, nor does region. Fewer people left-of-centre own guns, yet many do. And the poll offers surprises. Ownership is roughly the same by income, except for the poor, who are less likely to pack. Older people embrace arms more. To be sure, people aren’t always truthful on surveys. But it underscores that gun culture is as much a part of American life as baseball and apple pie.