From: EWLLDEF@aol.com Date: Tue, 16 Apr 1996 12:13:29 -0400 Subject: MICHIGAN POLL SHOWS PUBLIC DISLIKE OF ANTI-MARRIAGE BILLS TO: National Freedom to Marry Coalition Members, State Partners, and Allies FROM: Evan Wolfson, Director, The Marriage Project DATE: April 16, 1996 RE: Polls on Our Freedom to Marry and the Backlash Efforts Once again we have a poll showing that, even though the majority of those surveyed may not yet be with us on our equal marriage rights, there is considerable public dislike for the anti-gay, anti-marriage legislative backlash pushed by the religious-political extremists. (The other poll showing this resistance to the backlash was the New Hampshire polling data from HRC). Thanks to Jeff Montgomery of Michigan's Triangle Foundation for sharing the following useful information: On April 12, 1996, Marketing Resource Group, a Lansing-based, generally conservative, polling firm released results of a poll on the anti-marriage bills. The question: "Do you (ROTATE favor/oppose) a ban on same-sex marriages in the state of Michigan? (If favor/oppose, ask: would you say that your strongly favor/oppose this ban, or just somewhat favor/oppose)? The results: Strongly favor: 39% Somewhat favor: 7% Neither favor/oppose: 4% Somewhat oppose: 14% Strongly oppose: 26% Neutral/refused to answer/don't know: 12% Total favor: 46% Total oppose: 40% Margin of error is +/- 4.1% Michigan activists think this is very helpful. Within the margin of error, the question comes out statistically even. A full 16% of those asked really don't yet express an opinion and could be influenced. Only about a quarter of voters are strongly opposed to same-gender marriage. In any case this shows that there is no clear mandate from any segment of the state to go ahead with the anti-marriage preemptive legislation. While the strongest area of support for the pro-equality position came from the metro-Detroit area (not a surprise), the other area with the greatest support for fequal marriage rights was the Upper Peninsula ( a huge surprise!). One additional observation: Some are troubled by the (to me, unsurprising) fact that general polls continue to show that only 1/3 of the public as yet supports our equal marriage rights, while 1/3 remain adamantly hostile and the remaining 1/3 are not yet with us. Three points: First, even as we have just begun our necessary work of reaching out to non-gay people and leaders (in a way we have never really done before), 1/3 are already with us! Second, the polls before and since the Supreme Court struck down the analogous discrimination on interracial marriage in 1967 showed similar public opposition; this is why the Constitution does not put individual rights solely at the mercy of the tyranny of the majority, or put fundamental rights (such as marriage or equal protection) up for a vote or poll. Courts have their role to play, notwithstanding the polls. Third, we have only just BEGUN this critical work of reaching out and engaging non-gay Americans on a subject most of them have never had to think about before: lesbian and gay people, and marriage, in the same sentence. While changes in attitudes can take a long time (even today, polls show that 1/5 of Americans still believe interracial marriage should be illegal!), we can reach out to fair-minded people and help them move past the scare tactics and stereotypes thrust in their face by our religious-political extremist enemies. Evan Wolfson Director The Marriage Project Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund 666 Broadway, 12th Floor NY, NY 10012 212-995-8585-voice 212-995-2306-fax ****************************************************************************** * To subscribe to QUEERLAW, send mail to: majordomo@abacus.oxy.edu * * In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: subscribe queerlaw * * To unsubscribe to QUEERLAW, send mail to: majordomo@abacus.oxy.edu * * In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe queerlaw * * Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! * ******************************************************************************