There is good news for those of us who support same-sex marriage (as well as an indication in the remarkable turnaround in public attitude in a relatively short time). According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, 6 out of 10 Americans now support same-sex marriage and believe that states should not be allowed to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. That is a record showing for same-sex marriage.
The poll was clearly timed for oral arguments next week on whether state restrictions on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. I believe that there is likely a fifth vote with Justice Anthony Kennedy to support a ruling in favor of same-sex marriage. Indeed, it will be interesting to watch Chief Justice John Roberts on this issue. Roberts has shown a strong institutional sensitivity and many be the most likely of the remaining justices to feel the pull of history on the issue.
Not surprisingly, the greatest gains have been seen in those under age 30 where support has grown since 2005 from 57 percent to 78 percent. However, even among the historically least supportive group (those 65 and over) support is now at 46 percent (from just 18 percent).
Republicans still oppose at a rate of 6 to 10, however. This creates an interesting dynamic for the Republican primary where some candidates have already shown movement toward greater acceptance. The trend appears in that direction. Moreover, GOP candidates face the classic dilemma of fighting to secure the nomination from the most conservative members of the party while being able to run nationally to appeal to independents and democrats. The social agenda of conservative Republicans has never appealed to as much to independents and libertarians in the general election.
Source: Washington Post
jimnjoy
Quote Jesus on homosexuals… You stopped short of the entire passage.
Why?
WHY?
GOP bill would block courts on gay marriage
http://thehill.com/regulation/239752-bill-would-block-courts-on-gay-marriage
@ Max-1: Quoting Jesus: “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?’ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.'” Matthew 19:4-5, (part).
Also, from Jesus: “…out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Mark 7:20-23.
Adulteries and fornications are referring to those things not taking place between one married man and one married woman.
See also Romans 1:24-32. Please note (verse 32) that God’s disapproval of such actions applies not only to those who DO the acts, but also to those who APPROVE of those who practice those acts.
Max,
Details details, it was ok to bonk yer mum back then.
Hey, where’s po on this issue? Or is it lim? Whatever his name is du jour, I wonder what his stand is on this? We’ll probably get a response talking about pigs confined to crates or something about Darren Wilson being a murderer.
Stomping it out… Where did Cain find his wife?
A) sister
B) primate
C) plucked her from a bush?
(Because we all know God only created Adam and Eve)
Another aspect of polling is the difference between what people say, and what they do. For example, in this 1999 poll on school racial integration, about 70% of the country was for it.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/3577/americans-want-integrated-schools-oppose-school-busing.aspx
If I could easily find a more current poll, I would, but I assume the number has either stayed stable or gone up. But what is the practice??? What do people actually do???
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/education/separate-and-unequal/the-return-of-school-segregation-in-eight-charts/
The numbers are even worse in Northern schools because blacks are a much smaller part of their overall population. The simple facts are, that even White liberals will stick their kids in private schools rather than sending them to inner city schools. All while giving lip service to school integration. I expect the same thing with same sex marriage and the whole anti-heteronormative movement. People will say one thing, and practice a whole ‘nother thing.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
The “sanctity” of marriage isn’t protected by a lack of will to outlaw the one legal tool used to disrupt marriage itself; Divorce.
Ancient religious texts don’t dictate laws in a secular nation.
Annie wrote: “Ancient religious texts don’t dictate laws in a secular nation.”
We are not a secular nation. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say we are a secular nation. We are a pluralistic nation that includes both religious and anti-religious people.
Question:
How does legalizing SSM threaten Newt Gingrich’s third marriage?
Yes Max, true, how could opposite sex marriage possibly harmed by same sex marriage, any more than its been harmed by straight people ourselves?
Annie wrote: “… how could opposite sex marriage possibly harmed by same sex marriage…”
Because it changes the very meaning of marriage from being about male and female unions to just being about two people in union. The value of gender diversity is destroyed.
David, that simply doesn’t make sense. A man won’t become a woman and a woman won’t become a man simply because same sex people are marrying. How tenuous a grip does one need to have on their gender identity to be swayed by some strangers’ same sex marriage? Complete and utter nonsense.
Gen 2:23 And Adam said: This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.
Gen 2:24 Wherefore a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be two in one flesh.
Cross all this out. A homo has stomped his foot and demanded something.
The consternation of married straights to “protect the institution” of divorce…
Loving V Virginia was against popular will at the time…
… Activist Judge?
It hit critical mass Old Nurse, change happens quickly after that. And you are so right, when we have gay people in our families, our friends, we can hardly keep demonizing them, unless we put an ancient text before our loved ones. I know of two families that were estranged from their gay child and siblings who have made a turnaround and reunited. The stigma was hateful, harmful and it’s about time we’ve dumped it.
Quote your Leviticus, quote your Paul, yet…
… Dare to quote your Christ.
Whatsoever you do to the least of your brothers…
… So too you have done to me. J.C.
Yet, so many use Paul and Leviticus against their brother…
The Court is about to mandate gay marriage in the upcoming case Obergefell v. Hodges to all fifty states. When I see opinion polls like this I ask–WHY?
If opinion is such then let the majorities in the various states simply change the laws. Marriage was left to the states (as Kennedy, at length in Windsor so noted) why create a one-size fits all federal mandate?
Does this not sound familiar? This is what the Court did with Roe. It appeared society was moving that direction at the time, so with newspaper in one hand they “found” the necessary right. The problem is that time has shown public opinion moves. Abortion is anything but settled with people but Roe stands leading to unnessary constant national level conflict to the detriment of what should be increased focus on other issues.
Let the republic operate as it was intended. If gay marriage is what the people want then let THEM mandate it via their representatives. To do otherwise as the Court is about to do and so many of you foolishly want them to do may just lead to a future opinion like this one:
“by foreclosing all democratic outlet for the deep passions this issue arouses, by banishing the issue from the political forum that gives all participants, even the losers, the satisfaction of a fair hearing and an honest fight, by continuing the imposition of a rigid national rule instead of allowing for regional differences, the Court merely prolongs and intensifies the anguish.
We should get out of this area, where we have no right to be, and where we do neither ourselves nor the country any good by remaining.”
Scalia in dissent in Planned Parenthood v Casey 1992
Eleazer Bryan, that was an excellent, well reasoned post.
So many people upset about equal Rights for humans…
… Yet not a peep about human Rights for chimps?
N.Y. Judge Amends Habeas Corpus Order For Chimps
https://www.google.com/#newwindow=1&q=NY+chimps
Blame it on Obama
Blame it on polls
Blame it on Hollywood
Blame it on Paul to the Romans
but never, EVER…
“In a video posted yesterday by the Christian Broadcasting Network, Rand Paul addressed “a group of pastors and religious leaders at a private prayer breakfast” in Washington D.C. on Thursday about the need for “revival” in America complete with “tent revivals” full of people demanding reform.
He suggested during the event that the debate about legalizing same-sex marriage is the result of a “moral crisis” in the country: “Don’t always look to Washington to solve anything. In fact, the moral crisis we have in our country, there is a role for us trying to figure out things like marriage, there’s also a moral crisis that allows people to think that there would be some sort of other marriage.”
– See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rand-paul-suggests-gay-marriage-result-moral-crisis-america#sthash.QtKcoAJ5.dpuf