Poll: 60% asked oppose legalizing gay marriage

[question everything]

WASHINGTON – A majority of Americans say they don't want laws in their states that would legalize same-sex marriages, according to a poll taken after the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling in favor of such marriages.

(snip)

In polling conducted by the National Annenberg Election Survey, people said by a 2-1 ratio – 60 percent to 31 percent – that they oppose any similar law legalizing same-sex marriage in their states.

Still, they were cool to the idea of a federal constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages.

In the poll, 49 percent of those polled were opposed to such an amendment and 42 percent favored it.

(snip)

Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/tue/news/news_1n10gay.html

[Laughing Mirror]

1. 49 percent oppose federal ban on same-sex marriages

is significant, and I think, an even more interesting statistic.

With just a little information out there to people, it wouldn't take much, that 49 percent could quickly turn to that 60 percent, making it a federal consititutional issue, which it is.

[beyurslf]

2. I hate the 60% number makes a headline

and buried in the article you find 49% oppose an Ammendment while only 41% support it.

[David__77]

3. Yes, a majority are wrong.

Someday this will change. Young people support marriage equality. People who are acquainted with gay people in the workplace or elsewhere are more positive also. That's why it's so important for gay people not to ghettoize themselves and to live their lives wherever they may be.

[Onlooker]

4. Special rights for heterosexuals

The aggressive majority wants to preserve their special right and accord the state the right to determine the sanctity (or holiness) of ones relationship. We let criminals marry, we let Satanists marry, we let sadists marry, but god forbid we should extend that right to homosexuals. This whole issue is simply a manifestation of homosexual bigotry.

[sallyseven]

6. Does anyone know

if the constitution covers homosexuals? If it does the that should be the end of the story.

[Terran]

9. The XIVth Amendment

guarantees 'equal protection under the law' for all citizens. So any form of discrimination against anyone by the government is inherently unconstitutional--that was one of the bases of the SCOTUS decision in the Texas sodomy law case. This is also why they're talking about amending the Constitition--they know any other measures would be illegal.

[Terwilliger]

13. that's why they wanted the alcohol prohibition to be an amendment

it was illegal under existing laws for the government to ban anything

[CTLawGuy]

15. in fact

another reason that prohibition was an amenmdent was that in 1918 it was unheard of that the federal government had the inherent power to regulate individual private, consentual conduct. It's the same reason that the marijuana laws started out as an obscenely high tax on marijuana.

[Terwilliger]

12. yes it does

[slack]

5. In Germany it's the same

I don't understand this. We got a gay major in our capitol Berlin, we got many gay celebrities and I think it's really accepted to be gay (almost).
I'am not gay, but for me it's everybody's own decision to live how he or she wants to live. If they want to merry, why not?
Who has the right to say no, folks, you don't have the right to merry. If someone wants to protect or to advance families with children, it's ok. I think it's necessary. But this did not depends of your sexual bias.

[sallyseven]

7. The mayor of Providence, RI is gay

Congressman Barney Frank is gay, There are several gay congressmen that are gay and some of them are republicans. There are other Mayors and council people in the US that are gay. What is the problem. All walks of life can be gay. There are gay people in the media too. You might be surprised. Do not be fooled by a weedding ring.

[slack]

10. You might be surprised.

no, I'am not ;)

[Atlant]

8. And that's why human rights aren't supposed to be determined by polls. NT

[gold_bug]

14. I wonder what the results would be for "civil union"

rather than "gay marriage". If the question is, do you support "gay marriage", or do you support "civil unions" for gay couples, the results differ, maybe by 10 points.

When the question is a simple "do you support equal rights for gays" the majority will respond affirmatively.

[Mithras61]

16. Re; Civil Union vs. Marriage

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-01-14-gay-civil-union_x.htm

Gay 'civil union' not as divisive as 'marriage'
By Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY
Americans' views are sharply divided on gay rights, with most against same-sex "marriage" but fewer opposed to "civil unions," a new poll shows.
The word "marriage" makes a difference, suggests the latest USA TODAY/ CNN/Gallup Poll, based on phone interviews with 1,003 adults Jan. 9-11.

A majority (53%) opposes a law that "would allow homosexual couples to legally get married," while 24% favor it. But significantly fewer (41%) oppose "civil unions," giving homosexual couples "some of the legal rights of married couples."

[Dulcinea]

11. I wouldn't be surprised...

...to see gay civil unions in the next 10 years, if not marriage.

The fundies won't be able to stop it.