October 10, 2004
WYDEN AND LINCOLN IN THE CROSSHAIRS:
Gay-marriage divide cuts across party, racial lines in U.S. (LORI ARATANI, 10/10/04, Knight Ridder Newspapers)
[T]he issue of gay marriage could motivate voter turnout, particularly in such swing states as Arkansas and Oregon, which have proposals to ban gay marriage on their ballots in November. And as the results from Missouri and Louisiana show, the anti-gay marriage vote is so overwhelming that it could help Republicans overall by drawing more pro-Republican voters to the polls."If it is close, anything can matter, and this could matter to some people," said Gary Mucciaroni, a professor of political science at Temple University in Philadelphia.
The gay marriage issue resonates deeply because it challenges a fundamental institution -- marriage. Polls show that Americans believe in equal rights for all citizens, but remain conflicted on whether they want to include same-sex marriage in that equation.
"We're uncomfortable with the idea of challenge to traditional institutions like marriage," said Craig Rimmerman, a professor of political science at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, N.Y. "People are simply uncomfortable with the idea of same-sex marriage. It's a hot-button issue."
An unfortunate name given the topic. Posted by Orrin Judd at October 10, 2004 1:54 PM
Going on the Green Line to and from classes every day I passed the gi-normous sign advertising "Ellis the Rim Man".
Posted by: Eugene S. at October 10, 2004 6:57 PMIf an 80/20 vote is evidence of "uncomfortable with", what margin would it take for him to consider an issue as "overwhelming"?
Um, sure, we'll just learn to get over it so the few gays who are truly monogamous can marry and start adopting kids. What could possibly go wrong?