[papafox]

fWithout wanting to start a politically fueled fight (pleaseee), I am genuinely curious as to how it is that VT is one of (if not the most) gun friendly states in the union, yet it is primarily liberal and democrat?

CA, NJ, NY, MD, etc all are similarly left on the political spectrum as VT is, yet all those states are very anti guns/2A, where as VT is far from that.

So how exactly is it that VT is so gun friendly even though it is primarily liberal, left leaning?? I mean it even makes Texas look anti gun in comparison

Thanks very much

[ansible90]

Maybe because VT is so rural? Just not enough population or population-density to worry about gun safety?

From City-Data:

Vermont ranked 49th in population in the US with an estimated total of 616,592 in 2002, an increase of 1.3% since 2000. Between 1990 and 2000, Vermont's population grew from 562,758 to 608,827, an increase of 8.2%. The population is projected to reach 638,000 by 2005 and 678,000 by 2025. The population density in 2000 was 65.8 persons per sq mi.

In 2000, the median age for Vermont residents was 37.7. In the same year, 24.2% of the populace were under age 18 while 12.7% were age 65 or older. The rural population increased 12% between 1970 and 1980; in the 1990s, Vermont had the highest percentage of rural dwellers in all states.

Vermont cities with the largest populations, all under 100,000, include Burlington, Rutland, and Montpelier.

As someone who grew up in NJ and spent most of my adult life in MD (near DC) -- always in crowded suburbs near large cities -- and more recently moved to VT, I find the stress level living up here is so much lower. Less people = less stress = less conflict = less need for regulation. Just guessing here.


BTW, wanting better regulation regarding who can buy a gun is not necessarily anti-gun or anti-2nd Amendment.

[arctichomesteader]

Because our state Constitution is very clear on the issue of gun control: it's not legal. There was a state supreme court case in 1903 on the issue that came out very strongly against gun laws: STATE v. ROSENTHAL.


Vermont was the most conservative state in the country until people from urban areas outside of VT began flooding the state in the 1960's. Not even FDR could win in VT during WWII.


Bloomberg has been dumping his money into the state through a front group called "GunsenseVT" which is trying to push for gun control. Some of their paid politicians lost their jobs in the last election and I suspect more will this year.

[thunderkat59]

Vermont is not liberal. The reality is very different than the perception. Vermonts liberals are the vocal minority. Vermont is like any other rural state. Very conservative with pockets of "liberal". There are a lot of reasons why Vermont is so gun-friendly, none of them really political. It's a "way of life" type ideology, for want of a better term. Vermont is very different than the rest of the country, so the usual arguments/thought process do not apply
Obviously people will disagree with this opinion.

[papafox]

Thanks guys for the insight. Very interesting and helpful to have a better perspective. Makes perfect sense after you guys explained it. Thanks again

[Oriz]

Originally Posted by thunderkat59

Vermont is not liberal. The reality is very different than the perception. Vermonts liberals are the vocal minority. Vermont is like any other rural state. Very conservative with pockets of "liberal". There are a lot of reasons why Vermont is so gun-friendly, none of them really political. It's a "way of life" type ideology, for want of a better term. Vermont is very different than the rest of the country, so the usual arguments/thought process do not apply
Obviously people will disagree with this opinion.

I somewhat agree with you, and I somewhat also agree with other comments in this thread. However, I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that Vermont is not liberal. Yes, there's alot more conservative opinions in VT than people on the outside realize, but there's also more liberal people than just say in Burlington. However I think in alot of ways VT liberalism reminds me alot more of classical liberalism than the modern day democratic commu..err I mean liberalism. Sure, most VTers still vote democrat(which is why you can't really say liberals are the vocal minority) but I think that's mainly due to the social issues, in which even for me as a 90% libertarian the GOP is way too conservative on. So at the end of the day for most VTers it is about the lesser of two evils when it comes to things such as gay rights, abortions(which I do not personally believe should be used as a form of birth control), marijuana, etc.

However with gun laws most are staying true to tradition and still strongly oppose. VT is also a state with alot of hunting and a long tradition of other "gun related" activities.

However, even in Burlington you would meet alot of people who are at least slightly more fiscally responsible than most dems in other states.

[Montguy]

Originally Posted by ansible90

Maybe because VT is so rural? Just not enough population or population-density to worry about gun safety?

From City-Data:


As someone who grew up in NJ and spent most of my adult life in MD (near DC) -- always in crowded suburbs near large cities -- and more recently moved to VT, I find the stress level living up here is so much lower. Less people = less stress = less conflict = less need for regulation. Just guessing here.


BTW, wanting better regulation regarding who can buy a gun is not necessarily anti-gun or anti-2nd Amendment.

Good speculations here.

However, the bolded statement may or may not be a problem. For anyone of the opinion that the president's recent EOs regarding who can buy and own firearms is some step in the right direction, then they very clearly have anti-gun/anti-2A tendencies, and that is a problem.

Vermont, you've done well to protect your gun culture, one which is exemplary of the fact that "gun culture" does not equal "crime culture". Seeing a few of your neighbors go off the rails like they have in recent years must be somewhat unnerving, though. Good on you Northern New Englanders for holding out!

[CatwomanofV]

Vermont is a VERY purple state. Burlington is very blue & Rutland is very red.

One of the requirements for getting a hunting license is that you need hunting education-except for yours truly. NO JOKE!


I am legally blind and because of that, I am allowed a free fishing license. So, I sent for it at the F&W department. When I got it, not only did they send me a free fishing license, they also sent me a free hunting license. Yup-you that that right. The State of Vermont sent a hunting license to someone who is legally blind. But, the joke is that most people would rather go hunting with me than with Dick Cheney.



Cat

[snatale1]

Originally Posted by papafox

fWithout wanting to start a politically fueled fight (pleaseee), I am genuinely curious as to how it is that VT is one of (if not the most) gun friendly states in the union, yet it is primarily liberal and democrat?

There's no shortage of Liberal and Democrats that are pro gun, however VT is more Libertarian than Liberal. They walk both sides of the fence.

[harry chickpea]

Oii.

I am Vermont native. I was handling a 22 at 8 years old, shooting rats at the Waterbury dump. I'm going to ask you to stretch your belief system. Having a gun is NOT about shooting other people. It is NOT about "I've got a gun and you don't so shut up." A gun is a tool. If hammers were outlawed, only criminals would have hammers.

Try to kill a coyote killing chickens with a hammer. Try to discourage a feral dog pack from worrying livestock with a legal writ. Your fear of the power of weapons is YOUR fear. Own it. Don't try to put it upon me as a responsibility to you. I drive a car that could run into you. Do you want to ban everyone from driving cars because of your fear?

Are there idiots who have guns? Yup. Are there idiots who drive cars? Yup. Do we all die? Yup. Is the CHANCE of our dying from gun related violence realistic if we live a peaceful life significant? Nope!

I have no problem with people being idiots or having idiotic beliefs if it doesn't affect me. When people try to foist irrational fear onto me, I get upset.