By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League
RALEIGH — Yet another poll shows that North Carolinians stand ready to affirm marriage as between one man and one woman. The recent automated phone survey of 671 likely primary voters showed that if the vote was held right now, 61 percent would say yes to the Marriage Protection Amendment, while just 34 percent would vote against it.
“This is consistent with a number of other polls that we’ve seen this year, again confirming that people in North Carolina don’t want same-sex marriage legalized and are tired of being the only state in the Southeast where that could easily happen,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “These results are encouraging and at the same time remind us that what truly matters is what happens in the voting booth. Christians must commit now that they will not fail to vote to defend traditional marriage in May.”
Civitas Institute polls in December 2010 and September 2011 showed 62 to 65 percent in support of a marriage amendment. A similar survey of African Americans also showed 62 percent favor such a change to the Constitution.
The newest poll, performed between Sept. 30 and Oct. 3 by Raleigh-based Public Policy Polling, shows the Republicans support the Marriage Protection Amendment by an 80 to 17 margin and unaffiliated voters by 52 to 43. Democrats are not as enthusiastic, but still showed a slight majority (49-44) favor the amendment.
“These results are interesting, not just because they show a majority of voters support the marriage amendment, but also because of their source, Public Policy Polling,” said Dr. Creech. “This is a business founded by well-known Democrat activist and campaign donor Dean Debnam.”
Dr. Creech pointed out that Debnam is also a plaintiff in the recent ACLU lawsuit challenging the “Choose Life” license plate in North Carolina.
”Public Policy Polling is not a polling group that we would consider sympathetic to our values,” said Dr. Creech.
The President of Public Policy Polling, Debnam, said in a press release that contrary to the newly released poll, in which only 30 percent said that same-sex marriage should be legal, his company’s polling has “repeatedly found that a majority of North Carolinians support either gay marriage or civil unions for same-sex couples.”
He went on to say the key for those opposed to the amendment will be “to convince pro-civil union voters that it goes well beyond banning gay marriage and thus reaches too far.”
But Dr. Creech said, “It wasn’t the state that invented marriage. The state simply recognizes the institution, which predates the state’s existence. Invented terms like ‘civil unions’ really don’t change the simple truth: Marriage is marriage. Marriage is one man and one woman, and a constitutional amendment is the only way to protect it for today and future generations.”
Dr. Creech added the pressure on voters from those who are determined to redefine the institution is already mounting and supporters of the MPA can’t sit idly by and expect it to pass without their efforts.
“We need to let these poll results inspire us and light a fire under us to spread the word and help get the voters to the polls that support marriage as one man and woman. Any way you look at this issue, it’s the people – not the courts – not lawmakers – who need to determine what marriage is going to be in this state.”