A new poll shows New Yorkers evenly
divided on whether gay marriage should be legal.
The Marist poll found New Yorkers split
right down the middle with 50 percent of respondents in favor of the
institution. Another 25 percent back civil unions for gay and
lesbian couples, and 25 percent say there should be no legal
recognition. A larger majority of respondents (53%) said they
believe marriage should only be between a man and a woman.
The new poll belies a poll released
last month by the Siena Research Institute at the Siena College in
Loudonville, New York, which found 58 percent of respondents in favor
of legalizing marriage between two members of the same sex and 36%
opposed.
The nation's most vociferous opponent
of gay marriage, the Washington-based National Organization for
Marriage (NOM), which
has pledged $1.5 million to defeat its legalization in New York,
immediately lauded the poll.
“More good news: A new Marist poll
released yesterday shows the majority of New Yorkers oppose gay
marriage, 53% to 46%; and it is New Yorkers of color who are leading
the way, since 63% of them oppose gay marriage,” the
group said at its blog. “Plus, the poll shows 76% of New York
Republicans think marriage should be only between one man and one
woman.”
Gay rights group Equality Matters
called NOM's posting “shameless” for misrepresenting the poll's
findings and playing the race card.
“It's a favorite tactic of theirs –
depict supporters of marriage equality as 'white urban liberals' and
then accuse them of trying to force their radical agenda on minority
groups,” the
group said at its blog.
“When it comes to restricting the
rights of gay and lesbian Americans, no strategy is too sleazy for
NOM.”