Foxrac

A new poll released Thursday by the Pew Research Center finds growing support in the U.S. for allowing same-sex marriage, with as many Americans now favoring same-sex marriage as opposing it.

The Pew Research Center poll found 45 percent of adults now favor allowing gay marriage and 46 percent oppose it. Forty-five percent is the highest support Pew has found for allowing same-sex marriage since they began polling on the issue in 1996. As recently as April of 2009, Pew found only 35 percent of adults supported allowing gay marriage. Other surveys Pew conducted in 2008 and 2009 generally showed support for gay marriage in the 38-40 percent range.

Pew's report notes that support for marriage is divided geographically. Majorities in the Northeast and West support marriage rights, but only 40% in the Midwest and 34% in the South favor allowing it.



Other pollsters have found similar trends toward allowing same-sex marriage (results compiled by Pollingreport.com):

-CBS News asked a three-way question in August 2010, and found that 40% support allowing same-sex marriage, 30% support civil unions, and 25% do not support any legal recognition of gay marriage. Support for allowing gay marriage was up from 30% in 2008 and 22% since they began asking the question in 2004.

-An AP-National Constitution Center poll found that 52% of adults supported same-sex marriage, up from 46% in 2009. In addition, the poll found that 58% think couples of the same sex should be entitled to the same government benefits as opposite-sex couples.

-Fox News asked a three-way question in August of 2010 and found that 37 percent of registered voters supported legal marriage, 29 percent supported some other form of legal partnership, and 28 percent favored no legal recognition. Support for marriage was up from 33 percent in 2009 and from 20 percent since Fox began asking the question in 2004.

-A CNN poll in August 2010 found that 49 percent of adults thought gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to get married legally, up from 45 percent in 2009. In addition, 52 percent said they thought gays and lesbians should have that right under the Constitution.

-A Gallup poll in May of 2010 found that 44 percent said gay marriage should be legally recognized, up from 40 percent in 2008 and 2009, though one Gallup poll in 2007 found 46 percent of adults supported that measure.

While the level of support varies from pollster to pollster depending on the question wording and format, these results collectively show an unmistakable trend towards greater support for allowing same-sex marriage.

Poll: Support For Gay Marriage Growing

Good to hear.

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Deafness

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Reba

Of course, the popularity and the rightness of a thing aren't necessarily the same thing.

We know from history that some things that were acceptable or even popular weren't morally right.

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Foxrac

How? Gay marriage supporters are growing in over decades.

Legalize of gay marriage won't affect your lifestyle and churches are not under obligated to have gay marriage event unless they choose to have.

I'm gay marriage supporter and became more active since first time in 5 years ago and doesn't agree with your view on anti-gay marriage, I think you already know that.

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Frisky Feline

Wish things are so simple for gay couple/marriage by now. it's 2011.

shel90

What's morally right or not is subjective.

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Reba

Like I said, just because something becomes acceptable or even popular, it doesn't make it right.

shel90

Ok...killing poeople isnt right.

Gay marriage is a private decision between a couple so it may not be right for some but right for others.

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Foxrac

Agreed with Shel, only to some people, especially you.

For me, gay marriage is right.

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Reba

I don't get the connection.

Actually, marriage itself is not a private matter. In the USA, marriage requires a license from the state, which makes it a matter of public record. If it was truly private, there wouldn't be any need for marriage laws.

rockin'robin

Personally, my moto is "Live...and Let Live"....and to each his own...being honest with urself. We have only 1 life to live, and it's ours to live it the way we see fit. Times have changed and no matter if someone says "that's not morally right"....it's not their place to do so.

shel90

Why bring up what is right and wrong in this thread?

Killing people isnt right because it affects other people. Destroys lives of those who are guilty and innocent.

Marriage is private between two people that has no effect on others.
doesnt destroy lives.


So, how does gay marriage become not the right thing or not morally right? Because it is not right for you? Fine, in your opinion but for others, like me, we dont see it that way.

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Reba

I have the right to say whether or not something is morally right.

The OP mentions a poll that gives numbers of how many people are for against homosexual marriage. That already shows that there are two sides to the question. So, some are for it, and some are against it.

souggy

Wirelessly posted

Because in order for America to be strong, the country needs to be morally right.

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shel90

Morally right for you or for society as a whole?

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souggy

Wirelessly posted

Kind of remind me... of a line from a song:

"Now everybody's telling taller tales and I don't know who to believe. Ok, if your father really loves you more, what about the other families?"

So everyone got different morals, different religions, different lifestyles and different political and societal beliefs. How do we determine whose is right?

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Reba

Why not? Do we all have to have the same beliefs and opinions?

You really believe marriage has no effect on people other than the couple? If that's the case, then why do homosexual people want it?


It didn't "become" not the right thing. It has never been the morally right thing to do.

Just because others don't see it that way doesn't mean I can't speak up.

After all, the OP was about a poll. Polls are about more than one opinion.

Reba

God establishes moral rightness for all people, past, present and future, all over the world. He is the ultimate Judge.

KristinaB

While gay marriage is not for me and not something I necessarily approve of, I will not hold it against someone who does and is in a gay marriage. I personally know of 2 couples that have been married, but the state does not recognize it. R & P (males) have been together for 29 years and married for the last 8 of them. E & G (females) have been together for 10 years and married for the last 5 years. E & G were each married to men previously. G has had 2 children and has 2 grandchildren. Her 1st marriage lasted 20 years before he died. E's marriage never lasted the first night. She left him and went back home on her wedding night.

Who am I to say whether it is right or not. Seems to me that R & P's marriage has lasted longer than some heterosexual marriages.

Foxrac

What guess? I should stop to believe in the God.

Not all Americans are Christians, just 75% are Christians since evangelical is only make up about 25% of Christian population and most mainline Christians are for gay rights, some support gay marriage, some support civil unions.

I disagree with you about gay marriage is not morally right but oh well.

I'm sorry about bring up the religious discussion.

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Foxrac

No, every Americans have different opinions and beliefs so it is free country to express their views and consider it is moral or not.

The marriage should be for everyone, no matters about who are you and I'm all for equality, also you are right about marriage will be on public record, however gay people want to be married to receive spouse benefits, tax bracket for jointly couples, federal benefits, etc.

There is option to privatizing of marriage so government will be not in business to offer marriage.

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Reba

It has nothing to do with religious denominations.

Even if people don't accept God's morality, it still exists.

Like the law of gravity. Even if people don't believe in it, it still exists.

Foxrac

What is your comment if atheist don't believe that God is existence?

It should be your view about the God is existence.

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deafdyke

Reba, were you aware that slavery and segregation were law in the past, based on nothing more then an interepretation in the Bible? You know, more and more churches are turning around and saying that there's nothing wrong with being GLB.
Beliefs change you know.

Reba

This isn't a religion thread so I'm not going to comment about other people's beliefs.

Oceanbreeze

It is a private matter between consenting adults. Laws exists in this country to prevent the underaged from getting married. But, why should it apply to two consenting adults; just because they have the same gonads?

That makes no sense!

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Reba

Not true. Societies that practiced slavery did so for economic and power reasons. They misused the Bible to try to justify and support a system that they wanted to perpetuate.

Lots of churches support lots of things that aren't God's will. So? God doesn't follow popular polls.

Churches might be "turning around" but God doesn't change. Beliefs might change but God doesn't change.

That's the way it's always been.

Foxrac

Sure, just answer in PM instead if you want too.

I got your point about the God but I'm not going to make more comment anymore and try to get out of religious discussion.

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Oceanbreeze

I have to say I agree with Reba about one thing. It's merely a poll. Now, here's where I disagree with Reba...

I would LOVE to see these opinions translated into more states adopting a gay marriage law. Right now, only 5 states have such a law. Obviously, it'd be cool if all 50 states had a gay marriage law on the books, but for the time being, I'll settle for 20 states.

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"There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living."

Oceanbreeze

Its about equal rights. Homosexuals should have the same rights as heterosexuals. Legal marriage would entitle a same sex couple to the same rights as a heterosexual couple. No more, no less.

That's what it's about.

__________________
"There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living."

Reba

Relationships might be private matters between consenting adults under American law but marriage is a societal relationship sanctioned by public law.

Is it not true that those seeking legal marriages want public recognition of their relationship, and the legal and financial benefits that go along?

Yes, laws exist now to prevent underage (which varies from state to state) people from marrying but what's to prevent those laws from changing downward in the future?