After taking a closer
look, a map that identifies, by county, all the gun stores, museums and
libraries in the U.S. has some surprising results for Michigan.
look, a map that identifies, by county, all the gun stores, museums and
libraries in the U.S. has some surprising results for Michigan.
The large suburban communities
of Macomb County and Oakland County (perhaps Michigan’s most culturally rich
county) have more gun stores than museums and libraries.
of Macomb County and Oakland County (perhaps Michigan’s most culturally rich
county) have more gun stores than museums and libraries.
At the same time,
numerous Up North counties in the heart of hunting country feature an opposite
ratio: more museums and libraries than gun shops.
numerous Up North counties in the heart of hunting country feature an opposite
ratio: more museums and libraries than gun shops.
Blogger Christopher
Ingraham at The Washington Post
Ingraham at The Washington Post
created the county-by-county
map as a form of cultural measurements in each community.
map as a form of cultural measurements in each community.
“I thought it might be
useful to map museums and libraries against an institution that conservatives
might be more fond of: gun stores,” he wrote. “The inspiration here was Nathan
Yau’s recent map of where bars outnumber grocery stores. I took the IMLS’ museum counts from last week and added to their count of libraries. The idea here is that museums and
libraries play similar roles, as institutions of informal learning where
students and adults can go to learn more about their communities and the world
around them.”
useful to map museums and libraries against an institution that conservatives
might be more fond of: gun stores,” he wrote. “The inspiration here was Nathan
Yau’s recent map of where bars outnumber grocery stores. I took the IMLS’ museum counts from last week and added to their count of libraries. The idea here is that museums and
libraries play similar roles, as institutions of informal learning where
students and adults can go to learn more about their communities and the world
around them.”
Overall, Michigan
finished in the middle of the pack among states, with a slight edge for gun
buying over book learning.
finished in the middle of the pack among states, with a slight edge for gun
buying over book learning.
As for Macomb County,
we have 54 libraries and museums and 152 gun shops. About a 3:1 ratio in favor
of firearms.
we have 54 libraries and museums and 152 gun shops. About a 3:1 ratio in favor
of firearms.
In neighboring Oakland
County, the ratio is about 1.4:1, with 186 gun retailers and 132 museums and
libraries. That may come as a shock to the BMW-driving, latte-drinking crowd in
places like Birmingham and the Bloomfields.
County, the ratio is about 1.4:1, with 186 gun retailers and 132 museums and
libraries. That may come as a shock to the BMW-driving, latte-drinking crowd in
places like Birmingham and the Bloomfields.
In fact, Oakland
County is comfortably in the state’s No. 1 spot for most gun stores. Macomb’s
152 gun shops rank second, while Wayne (115) and Washtenaw (38) lag far behind.
County is comfortably in the state’s No. 1 spot for most gun stores. Macomb’s
152 gun shops rank second, while Wayne (115) and Washtenaw (38) lag far behind.
What’s more, the
stereotypes of northern Michigan counties as redneck country are obliterated,
at least by this measure of cultural values.
stereotypes of northern Michigan counties as redneck country are obliterated,
at least by this measure of cultural values.
The counties with a
ratio of more libraries and museums than gun shops include Iron and Baraga
(both in the U.P.), Chippewa, Mackinac, Cheboygan, Leelenau, Charlevoix and
Antrim.
ratio of more libraries and museums than gun shops include Iron and Baraga
(both in the U.P.), Chippewa, Mackinac, Cheboygan, Leelenau, Charlevoix and
Antrim.
An interactive version
of the county-by-county map can be found here
of the county-by-county map can be found here
As usual Chad skews the facts to what he wants them to represent. If you look at the map, in the UP 10 of 14 counties have more Gun shops then Libraries/Museums, and in the LP, 13 have more Libraries/Museums, and the other 55 or so are the other way around. So, 72% of Michigan counties are not the way Chad describes them
Chad, saying that every FFL holder is a "gun shop" is like saying that everyone that has a fishing license is a fish market. There are many reasons a person would have an FFL, it does not mean that they're selling firearms. You'd think with all those awards there would be some more fact-checking behind your articles,