The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that under that state's constitution, same-sex couples are legally entitled to get married. The justices gave the legislature up to 180 days to rewrite state marriage laws to permit that to happen. So it appears that in the next six months, gay marriage will be legal in Massachusetts. But opponents of gay marriage haven't given up. They want an amendment to the state constitution that would define marriage as being between one man and one woman. Even if that were adopted, however, the earliest it could go into effect would be 2006.
According to a new poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, the majority of Americans -- 55 percent -- believe homosexuality is a sin. Fifty-nine percent oppose gay marriage -- that's up from 53 percent in July. And Americans with the highest levels of religious commitment reject gay marriage by a margin of six to one.Earlier this week, Kim Lawton explored the implications of the Massachusetts ruling with Scott Keeter, associate director of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, which conducted the poll.
KIM LAWTON: Scott, this seems to have really galvanized people. Some are urging the U.S. Congress to take action, to maybe pass an amendment to the U.S. Constitution defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. How much pressure is this putting on politicians?
Mr. SCOTT KEETER (Associate Director, Pew Research Center for the People and the Press): Well, this is definitely an issue that the Democratic candidates for president for next year would have preferred to see stay in the closet. It has all the trappings of a classic wedge issue. Among those who tell us that they plan to vote for George W. Bush for president next year, opposition to gay marriage is almost unanimous. Whereas, among those who say they would prefer a Democratic candidate, feelings about the issue are divided, roughly 50-50.LAWTON: And how strongly do voters feel about it?
Mr. KEETER: Well, people who oppose gay marriage are more likely to say they oppose it strongly, whereas those who support gay marriage are weaker in their support for it.
LAWTON: And that would be granting same-sex couples some of the benefits of marriage, but not the legal title of marriage?
LAWTON: There's been a rising tolerance in the culture for homosexuality. Are we seeing a backlash on the issue of gay marriage, to see these rising levels?
