DC: Poll - 70% in Black Community Want Gay Marriage Vote, 51% Would Vote Against It

Responses to a Washington Post poll of 1,135 adults in the District of Columbia. (Washington Post):

22. On another subject, do you think it should be legal or illegal for gay and lesbian couples to get married? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?

--------- Legal ---------
NET Strongly Somewhat
1/28/10 56 42 13
White 83 70 14
Black 37 24 13
-------- Illegal -------- No
NET Somewhat Strongly opinion
1/28/10 35 5 30 9
White 12 4 9 4
Black 51 7 44 12

23. As you may have heard, the D.C. Council passed and the mayor signed legislation to permit
same-sex marriages in the District. Do you think this issue should be put on a city-wide ballot, so District voters could vote yes or no on a referendum on same-sex marriage?

Should be on Should not be on No
city-wide ballot city-wide ballot opinion
1/28/10 59 37 4
White 39 58 3
Black 70 25 6

The disturbing results on Question 22 & Question 23 suggest, by a significant margin, that most of Washington, DC's African-American residents would like to vote on the civil rights of the gay and lesbian community. It may seem ridiculous to divide the population on unscientific, fabricated notions of race, but these results (if accurate) infer that those who self-identify as black continue to be opposed to same-sex marriages. Only 1 in 4 said there should be no referendum. Those who identify as white tended to say no vote was necessary, but nearly 2 in 5 still said there should be a referendum. Neighborhoods in Washington, DC, as most residents will agree, are largely self-segregated along ethnic lines as well as economic ones.

Full Story from Metro Weekly
Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington, DC.
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