Opponents of an amendment to ban same sex marriage in North Carolina have long known their success depends on educating the public - not only about homosexuals in our communities, but about what the amendment will do.
A new Public Policy Polling survey released moments ago drives that challenge home. The survey of voters shows that North Carolinians are firmly in favor of an amendment that would constitutionally ban same sex marriage. But once those voters understand that the amendment also bans civil unions - as most experts believe it does - its prospects suddenly become a toss-up.
The numbers, from PPP's Tom Jensen: 58% of voters in the state say that they'll vote yes on Amendment 1, while 38% are opposed to it. Republicans pretty universally support it, 76/20. Democrats are closely divided with 48% in support and 47% opposed. The group most opposed is actually independents, who say they'll vote against it 55/42.
Says Jensen: "That's an important commentary on unaffiliated voters beyond this issue - they lean Republican in North Carolina right now because they're unhappy with the economy, but they're not hardcore social conservatives. The GOP needs to be careful about going too far out on a limb on social issues if it wants to keep its support with independents."
But here's where some contradictions begin: The poll also finds that 51% of voters in the state support some form of legal recognition for gay couples - 26% for marriage and 25% for civil unions - with 45% completely opposed to any.
How can you be for Amendment One but also in favor of legal recognition for gay couples? By not understanding what most believe the amendment does - ban both same sex marriage and legal recognition of civil unions. Only 31 percent got that right, while 28 percent thought the amendment banned only same sex marriage. Seven percent thought the amendment actually legalized gay marriage. Thirty-four percent said they didn't know.
Which leads us to the big stat: When voters are informed that the amendment bans both gay marriage and civil unions, only 41% of voters say they'll support it knowing that, while 42% are opposed.
One more interesting, if not new, note: White Democrats are opposed to the proposed ban, but African Americans support it 61/30. Yet another challenge for Amendment One opponents to overcome. With less than six weeks to go before the May 8 vote, that's a lot of needles to move.
Peter St. Onge
Thursday, March 29, 2012
We're confused: Marriage, unions and Amendment 1
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33 comments:
Pete,
You must have been out of the country when Prop 8 passed with overwhelming support from the Black community, since the stats in your last paragraph "surprise you"...
I like how you put quotes around "suprise you", but that phrase isn't in the part of the article you are complaining about.
I support Amendment One only because the O-pinion opposes it.
My god would you give it a rest. We already know you all are for gay marriage and are pulling out all the stops in an effort to push your liberal agenda, but I think at this point with you endless droning on you are turning even more people off.
I think you are confused about what an agenda is.
The Liberals are the ones who want it left alone. The Conservatives are the ones who are trying to get their own belief system and general bigotry written into the constitution in order to control the lives of people they don't even know.
THAT is an agenda.
Every couple who is voluntarily together (ie consenting adults) should get the LEGAL benefits of marriage, regardless of what reporoductive organs their body has.
Get the government out of private lives. I personally don't believe that gay marriage is right, but what in the name of the Founding Fathers does the government have to do with it? Isn't this country about personal choice? Ridiculous.
One of the comments here brings up an interesting thought: he says that all voluntary couples should get the legal benefits of marriage. I would submit to you that there should be none.
Why, after all, should a married person of any sort receive favored treatment from government when compared to a single person?
"The Liberals are the ones who want it left alone. The Conservatives are the ones who are trying to get their own belief system and general bigotry written into the constitution in order to control the lives of people they don't even know."
48% of Democrats suport the amendment. 47% Don't. More Democrats support the amendment than don't. You are lying when you say liberals want it left alone. You are lying when you say the belief that marriage should between one woman and one man is only a conservative value.
there is no evidence the amendment is "bigoted". It fall sin line with current law and currentl law allows people who are attracted to the same sex get married to one other person of the opposite sex who is of age and not an immediate blood relative.
"Every couple who is voluntarily together (ie consenting adults) should get the LEGAL benefits of marriage, regardless of what reporoductive organs their body has."
Ridiculous there is no reason to let immediate blood relatives get married. But more imortantly there is a reason we have marriage and it is to create an optimal environment for reproduction, survival, and establishment of paternity. It has been that way for thousands of years. if we are just going to make random exceptions to the basic objective, we ethically have to allow polygamy, polyandry, and incest. Suddenly subjective norms don't seem so unfair.
"Why, after all, should a married person of any sort receive favored treatment from government when compared to a single person?"
For the long-term benefit of society and human survival
It really doesn't matter what the Democrats or Indendpents think anyways, the Republican controlled General Assembly put this on a ballot during a Republican Primary. Republicans are going to the polls to vote for their Presidential Candidate. This would be the only reason why Democrats and Republicans have to go to the polls.
For a fair vote, this should be voted on; on the first Tuesday in November, not May.
Sorry Democrats and Independents go to the polls
Vote against Amendment One. I'd like to have another wife.
See, Peter St. Onge, that is the end reult of your argument.
Because, if marriage cannot remain being defined as between one man and one woman, why can't I have more than one wife?
Any one up at the Observer read Bias? By Goldberg?
The most telling is how you people run in packs with each other, and do not understand the real effects of policy and the like on average people.
Fairness is the question - Mecklenburg County took a stab at this and will eventually be scolded by a federal judge - In the county same sex partners get spousal benefits but the language specifically prohibits long term opposite sex partners who choose not to marry. If you are in a committed relationship how is it legal to give benefits to one class and not another. Answer - it is not. That's why many oppose this - make equal really EQUAL
I hate it when an article quotes "experts" without saying who those "experts" are. Are they on the board of LGBT? I don't know because they were not identified. If someone wants to state an opinion as an "expert", he or she should not mind being named
There is no "long term benefit to society and human kind" derived by passing this Amendment. Procreation will continue, regardless of whether or not the relationship is "licensed" by the government. We already have a law in NC that governs who can and who cannot receive marriage licenses and bans polygamy. A Constitutional Amendment is not necessary, it is redundant and it will be overturned for its blatant intrusion on civil liberties and its discriminatory singling out of a minority to be entitled to lesser status and benefits. If it is passed, I hope the first clerk of court that is approached to issue a marriage license to a divorced person replies "Sorry, you have used up the 'one man or one woman' the Constitution says you are entitled to, so I can't issue you a license." That will teach all the folks who voted for this Amendment without thinking about how far reaching it could be. Let’s all just vote against the Amendment and send a message to our government that now is the time that we declare we are no longer going to endorse their overreaching intrusion into our private lives and liberties.
Obama has deviously homosexualized America and its military. What a louse and it will all be reversed under GOP leadership.
Homosexuality is a 100% learned bad behavior that is dangerous unhealthy and contagious with HIV AIDS exposure.
Science has proven humans are not born homosexual and it is not genetic. 100% of homosexuals have hetrosexual parents, grandparents, great grandparents etc etc or they wouldnt have been born. Many just try to be different in rebellious activity.
The cure for this bad behavior is to provide early training at home and in public schools and colleges who should begin training its physicians to teach those afflicted to reverse this devious sick perversion that is unnatural no different than being a drug user or prostitute.
Muslim law executes all homosexuals so the tolerance rate is 0%. This is extreme and a last option only but not out of the question.
Castro isolates homosexuals and separates all AIDS HIV victims in fenced monitored reservations for treatment to prevent spreading of these deadly diseases in normal society. This could be considered.
China executes all homosexuals.
Homosexuality is a treatable perverted behavior like drug dependency and prostitution but America has been brainwashed by low intelligence liberal ignorance. This needs to be reversed under GOP rule.
Anti-homosexual training should begin in pre nursery school and continue K-12 and into college and advanced education.
It can be reversed with effort plus outlaw homosexuality on the books.
New professional physician professions will be created in America by the 10s of 1000s to correct this deviant behavior in adults. A big change is coming to stop the liberal moral decline of humanity and improve its health.
Really? You can't be serious. If you are serious, you scare the daylights out of me! How do you begin to respond to such an off the wall, totally unsubstantiated tyrade? Don't even try, someone with these ideas can never be reasoned with.
"With less than six weeks to go before the May 8 vote, that's a lot of needles to move."
And you folks at the Observer are gonna run your mouths about it every day until May 8, aren't you? And probably a week or two after the vote.
What's left to say about it?
Give it a rest, why don't you?
Now let me see if I can type these two stupid little non-words below to "prove I'm not a robot". How lame.
The opening paragraph really got me:
...their success depends on educating the public - not only about homosexuals in our communities...
Ok, why exactly do we need "education" about homosexuals? How is a person's sex life worthy of educating the community?
Why can't we educate the community about a Baptist pastor who is having an affair. Certainly God hates Adultery more than Homosexuality... since it is a commandment.
Yes, please let me know the commandment that says Thou Shalt Not Have Sex With Thy Own Sex.
I'm visiting from out of town and grew up in Charlotte. It's sad to read that 30 "Christian" leaders are supporting "gay marriage".Gal1:8 says"But though we ,or an angel from heaven,preach any other gospel unto you than that which we preached unto you, let him be accursed."Paul repeats this in the next verse.False teachers teaching to please itching ears will be even more accountable than those demanding to hear the lies that they teach. It's the truth that will set them free, not appeasement.
If Obama were so serious about fixing the health care system crisis and saving trillions he would be finding a cure for non-genetic homosexuality instead of exacerbating and promoting it.Education begins at birth and ends at death. Anything not genetic is curable.
http://bible.cc/leviticus/20-13.htm
They couldnt get all the many laws on 2 pieces of stone tablets plus Moses couldnt carry it by himself up and down Mt Sinai at 7500 ft high at 85 yrs old over 3500 yrs ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sinai
The 10 commandments are titles or chapters. The many hundreds of laws are in the 1282 Torahic pages.
Rabbi Yosef
Beth Temple
NYC
After reading post that homsexuality is not genetic and that execution of homosexuals is the last option but an option, I am definitely voting against Amendment One. LOL - can't make this stuff up!!
TO CHICKENPOOP ANONYMOUS HILLBILLY COWARD @ 6:28pm:
No. You will not "execute homosexuals". Yes- YOUR redneck depravity is a *learned* behavior. You are dismissed. Stay AWAY from LGBT folks or YOU WILL GET YOUR REDNECK BUTT SLAPPED DOWN. Understand, Bible-bigot hillbilly boy?
Study Shows Link Between Homosexuality And Pedophilia -
www.theinterim.com/2002/sept/02study.html
To the anonymous idiot who contradicted himself by stating "those afflicted can be taught to reverse the devious sick perversion," I would like to let you know that it sounds like your are saying heterosexuality is something that can be taught. If we are all born heterosexual as you state, why would it be something we need to learn? You compare homosexuals to drug addicts when homosexual relationships have a higher success rate than heterosexual marriage. You say science has proven humans are not born homosexual? I would like to know the name of this "rebelliously-gay" gene that proves individuals are gay for attention. If you considered the rude, ignorant, socially challenged behavior (such as what I'm sure you display) that homosexuals live with on a daily basis, you would see that no individual CHOOSES that life. It is comments like yours (suggesting exile and segregation) that contribute to the death of millions of homosexual adolescents who cannot find acceptance or change who they are.
http://www.cwfa.org/images/content/bornorbred.pdf
Science Does Not Support the Claim
That Homosexuality Is Genetic
http://www.adherents.com/misc/hsk.html
Survey: 43% of Serial Killers Are Homosexual.
You better re-read that again as 69% of all serial killers are homosexuals.
Find a cure quickly.
Stupidity and bigotry are learned behaviors... thank GOD not contagious.. too bad law doesn't require vaccination at birth against such behaviors... and If Cuba and China seem like places your views are shared.. by all means MOVE there..
Black Dems will hopefully stay home, since Obama lacks a primary challenger. Now, if only Santorum can drop out by May 8, so that White Evangelicals stay home as well. Maybe if Rick loses his home state the week prior, NC will have a GOP ballot dominated by lukewarm Romney and McCrory.
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