Field Poll: Majority of Californians now support gay marriage

[cboy4]

Source: Sacramento Bee



By Peter Hecht - [email protected]

Last Updated 12:11 am PDT Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1

Signaling a generational shift in attitudes, a new Field Poll on Tuesday said California voters now support legal marriage between same-sex couples and oppose a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

By 51 to 42 percent, state voters believe gay couples have the right to marry, according to a May 17-26 poll of 1,052 registered voters. However, the same poll revealed a California electorate that remains sharply divided over gay marriage – split by age, political affiliation, religion and the regions where they live.

The poll was taken after the May 15 California Supreme Court decision overturning a state ban on same-sex marriages. The results marked the first time in more than 30 years of state polling that a majority of Field Poll respondents favored making gay marriage legal.

In 2000, more than 61 percent of voters approved Proposition 22, a statute declaring that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid in California.

The state Supreme Court ruling overturned Proposition 22. Opponents of gay marriage have circulated an initiative likely to appear on the Nov. 4 ballot that would amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage – negating the court decision.

See the poll results... Release Date and Time: 6:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 28, 2008
http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2008/05/27/15/Rls2268.source.prod_affiliate.4.pdf

GROWING TREND IN SUPPORT OF
ALLOWING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN
CALIFORNIA. BIG GENERATIONAL AND
REGIONAL DIVIDE. VOTERS LEERY OF
CHANGING STATE CONSTITUTION TO
PROHIBIT SUCH MARRIAGES



Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/970055.html

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This is very encouraging news and will hopefully encourage other states.

It's time for equal marriage opponents to knock it off, and do something useful with their time like helping the sick and hungry and homeless.

Their fight to stop equal marriage is an ultimate lost cause. It's not a matter of whether it's going to happen, but when. I believe this with all my heart.

California State Capitol Building

[and-justice-for-all]

1. And when we can marry....

the world will not end, the sky shall not fall nor the seas boil.

We will notice little or no difference in our everyday lives. Other than the fact that a percentage of the population will have to live the rest of their natural lives knowing that there are NO second class citizens and we are ALL human; no matter WHAT ones religious ideology might claim.

[WillParkinson]

2. Well said...

And thanks for it.

[xchrom]

4. don't say that! -- remember we live in earthquake country. nt

[Tesha]

3. Be careful! After New Hampshire passed Civil Unions, we had that plague we thought were locusts...

Be careful! After New Hampshire passed Civil Unions,
we did had that nasty, nasty plague that we initially
thought were locusts, but then they turned out to be
just Mitt Romney and Rudy Giulliani supporters here
in the state for the Republican Presidential primary.

Tesha

[Ian David]

5. Massachusetts broke "The Curse of The Bambino," winning The World Series AND The Superbowl. n/t

[cboy4]

8. Good point!

:thumbsup:

[Ian David]

11. I predict this year, California will win The Stanley Cup because they legalized Marriage Equality.nt

[davidinalameda]

6. polls are great

but votes are even better!

you know that the right wingers will get ever last one of their voters to the polls come November

I hate to say it but the younger people who support gay marriage won't necessarily take the time to go vote without a strong GOTV effort

[tandot]

7. I read saw the headline in the sacbee this morning. Made me smile :)

I am pretty hopeful that they don't get the amendment to the constitution passed.

[dbackjon]

9. We are winning the war for equality for all Americans

No matter how much Obama and Clinton object.

The old bigots that oppose equality are dying off, the new voters support equality.

[cboy4]

10. Yea, that's exactly what I'm thinking...they're dying off

and taking their bigotry to the grave.

Times are changing. :thumbsup:

[slackmaster]

12. Somewhere I have an archived list of times DUers have declared the Field Polls as biased, pro-GOP...

But when the result is something people like, suddenly the poll is all goodness and niceness.

:toast:

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Zhade]

14. Fuck your bigoted cowardice.

WE WILL NOT REMAIN SECOND-CLASS CITIZENS BASED ON YOUR BULLSHIT FEARS OF EQUALITY.

Don't like it? Too fucking bad.

[FreeState]

15. DU is pro marriage equality

if you are not - enjoy your short stay. Telling Pro-Equality democrats to make there own party is extremely disturbing and homophobic to me.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[FreeState]

18. Just an FYI for you

you might want to read this post from Skinner who is the owner of the board:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1324374

Keep the following guidelines in mind:

1. We expect all of our members to support equal rights for all people, regardless of sexual orientation. That includes the right to marry.

2. If you want to discuss this issue, you need to do so in a manner that is sensitive to the values of this diverse community. Be as clear and as non-inflammatory as possible in everything you say.

3. If you are opposed to gay rights, you are a homophobe. Don't share that particular point of view here or else you're going to get banned. You've been warned.

[Zhade]

21. That post makes me love DU.

Thanks again, Skinner. It is sincerely appreciated that such hate will not be allowed here.

[slackmaster]

16. The situation in California will have no impact on the national election

IMO

[ckramer]

19. Next: polygamy

Why not?

[Gormy Cuss]

20. Well, that would be a bit more involved in terms of changing laws

because it presents a more complex structural difference than expanding the definition solely to suppress gender reference. I wouldn't be surprised to see polygamist marriage legalized eventually under similar stipulations -- i.e. all parties are legally of age to consent and don't present a conflict in terms of consanguinity laws.