California's Proposition 8: Grandparents More Open-Minded Than Grandkids?
No, we don't have it backwards. This is a case where older people are the most sympathetic and tolerant toward personal freedoms and individual rights, than are people in the up-and-coming generation. Isn't the reverse supposed to be typically true?
Furthermore, this ballot initiative is an amendment to the California State Constitution. Based on the attitudes of California's 30-and-younger population, it seems that Proposition 8 will remain embedded for generations to come.
What ever happened to free thinking among younger folks? How does this California anti-gay outlook manifest itself in comparison to the passion for "change" that was embodied in Barack Obama's campaign, which historically drew millions of young adults into political and social action for the first time?
These poll results are puzzling, but the Baltimore Sun --- which conducted the survey for the Associated Press --- is among the most respected and professional news operations in the nation.
Barack Obama often makes a point of bringing gender equity into the picture during his frequent speeches that emphasize that people should unite in various ways, such as "black and white and red and yellow and brown." Or, "not red states and blue states, but the United States." He consistently includes "gays and straights." Yet when asked about gay marriage, both Barack Obama and Joe Biden have said, oh, no, we will not go that far, marriage is between a man and a woman. In other words, when it comes to gay rights and equality, Obama and Biden strive to have it both ways.
The Associated Press/Baltimore Sun poll on California's Proposition 8 really is a stunner. Do most young people, similar to Obama and Biden, waffle on gay rights when the time comes to walk the walk instead of just talking the talk?
When entrenched senior citizens demonstrate more open minds and hearts than their children and grandchildren, then something is amiss.
SOURCES
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-bc-ca--exitpoll,0,5541166.story
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposition_8
Published by Michael Thompson
Michael Thompson is a retired newspaper reporter who lives in Saginaw, Michigan. Main topics are political and social justice issues, with occasional escapism into sports and so forth. View profile
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44 Comments
Post a CommentDude, while it would be NICE if the younger generation voted that way, they didn't. You got your data backwards. I even checked your sources to make sure. You might want to consider retracting your article.
By the way, Dave is right. This idiot of a writer has the information backward. Don't bother listening to him. It's embarassing he didn't actually check that before posting this article.
That is some fantastic conspiracy theory paranoia there, Casey. The background reason for this proposition was to impose religious views on state law. Voting 'No' on the proposition doesn't reverse that. Voting 'No' actually keeps the sanctity of separation of church and state. Unless a religious view happens to coincide with allowing the safety and freedom of all (i.e. no killing, stealing, etc.), then it should have no part in state or federal law. Imposing religious views on our laws is a much slippier slope than denying those views. Churches, religions and free speech will always be protected under our first amendment. Don't use that as an excuse for imposing your religious views on a free state.
To Casey:
Gay people, unlike proposition 8 supporters, do not seek to impose their way of life on others, but only want to be treated equally under the law. You, along with many others just voted to REMOVE the rights of a minority group you do not belong to, which is fundamentally and profoundly wrong.
I think you have the data completely backwards. According to CNN.com, it's:
18-29: 39% YES / 61% NO (against the ban on gay marriage)
30-44: 55% YES / 45% NO
45-64: 56% YES / 44% NO
65+: 61% YES / 39% NO
The young group was AGAINST the banning of gay marriage. The older group was heavily FOR banning the gay marriage.
If Prop 8 didn't pass. . .Can you imagine what would be next? Churches no longer being allowed to perform marriages, unless they included gay couples? Doctors getting sued for not inseminating a lesbian couple? Photographers getting sued for refusing to shoot a gay wedding (even though photographers are in over-abundance)? Polygamists finding loop-holes to wed multiple partners in CA? Orthodox religions losing their tax exempt status?
Yet--Prop 8 passed...what did the gay & lesbian community lose? They can't get married in CA anymore. They still have ALL other rights. They can still be married in Canada, or another state--it just won't be called marriage here.
I totally agree! Any public display of affection is irritating (I am a high-school student)--but especially between same gender couples. If I am forced to attend school & college--should I HAVE to walk past the blatent displays every SINGLE day?
I think one of the reasons younger people are less tolerent of gays is that we, as a generation, are SICK of having homosexuality shoved in our faces! We don't ask other people to watch heterosexual people making out in public, yet gays are out there & everywhere--movies, TV, etc. I used to love Adam Sandler Movies--but then he started putting gays in every single one of them! Sam thing with Howard Stern--he got addicted to Lesbian women & it was all downhill from there. Why can't we keep sexuality in the bedroom where it belongs?
You read the data backwards. "Yes" on 8 was anti-gay marriage.
Can you imagine a referendum taking away the right to keep guns at home?
While Hitler outraged the rest of the world taking away the rights of Jews by fiat I wonder how the more sophisticated and liberal Europeans view this ignoble, cowardly bullying. I see a march to the supreme court.