Majority in Hawaii oppose people packing firearms in public, poll finds

Most Hawaii residents disagree with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that supports the right to carry a gun in public, while 25% say the state needs stricter firearm regulations, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s latest Hawaii Poll.

Asked about the court’s recent ruling that the Constitution protects a person’s right to carry a handgun in public, 63% of respondents opposed the decision, 33% supported it and 4% were undecided.

Hawaii has among the most stringent gun regulations in the nation, but the high court’s ruling could lead to the overturning of a state law and thereby make it easier for registered gun owners to carry a firearm in public in the islands.

Poll respondent Claire Apana, 68, a retired physical therapist and Hawaiian activist from Wailuku, said “absolutely not” when asked whether she agreed with the high court’s decision.

“We never learn from all the children who die,” Apana said. “How many sacrifices do we have to have before people see that giving up some of the freedom, it actually gives more protection to people? I thought we were going toward stricter laws so there would be greater surveillance of who has a gun.”

More men than women in the poll said they believe people should be permitted to carry a gun in public, with 46% of male respondents and 21% of women agreeing with the Supreme Court.

Still, 53% of men and 72% of women who answered the question opposed citizens of Hawaii having a license to carry a gun in public.

Some 68% of Republicans agreed with the high court’s decision, as did 40% of independents. An overwhelming 87% of Hawaii Democrats disagreed with the ruling.

Ben Alconcel of Kailua- Kona, a 48-year-old super­visor of a mortgage lending product development company, agrees with the court. A licensed gun owner, Alconcel said he believes “law-abiding citizens should be allowed to carry a gun.”

“For me, the Constitution doesn’t really define or dictate the right to bear arms; it just says the government can’t infringe upon it,” said Alconcel. “The right to bear arms is ours, and the government has no business messing with that.”

Sixty three percent of Honolulu residents, 58% of Maui residents, 66% of people who live on Kauai and 65% of Hawaii island residents do not agree with the high court’s ruling.

The Hawaii Poll was conducted July 12-17 by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy of Washington, D.C. A total of 800 registered Hawaii voters were interviewed statewide by landline telephone and cellphone. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

In a related question, the Hawaii Poll asked respondents, “In general, do you think Hawaii laws regulating gun ownership are too restrictive, not restrictive enough or are currently sufficient?” Nearly half, 48%, said Hawaii’s gun ownership restrictions are sufficient, while 25% said they are not restrictive enough, 18% believe that they are too restrictive and 9% were not sure.

More women than men — 34% versus 16% — said they believe Hawaii’s laws are not restrictive enough.

By party affiliation, only 4% of Democrats in the poll thought Hawaii’s gun laws are too restrictive, 31% said not restrictive enough, 59% called them sufficient and 6% were unsure, while 43% of Republicans said the state’s laws are too restrictive, 12% not restrictive enough, 34% sufficient and 11% were unsure.

Mike Portillo, a 62-year-old welder from Kaneohe who is a registered gun owner, said he “100%” supports the Supreme Court ruling.

“It is our Second Amendment right to arm ourselves for our own protection. The way things are getting these days, I feel I need to protect myself with a firearm,” he said.

John Donaldson-Selby, a retired British soldier living in Honolulu, said people should be allowed to carry a gun to protect themselves, but not openly.

“Maybe a revolver in your pocket is OK. But people need to have protection; otherwise, they go crazy. Put a revolver in your pocket so you can protect yourself, but having a rifle over your shoulder with a magazine that has 20 rounds in it is unacceptable.”

Earl Shephard, 73, retired after 21 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, is originally from Oklahoma and now lives in Kahului. He said the bar should be set very high for people applying for a permit to carry a gun in public, and the reason should be “very serious.”

“I don’t think we need to carry one just to go to the grocery store,” said Shephard. “I’m retired military. I think it (guns) should be put away, really.”