For those who believe the support for marriage as a union between one man and one woman has gone asunder in America, we direct you to a scientific survey sponsored by the Alliance Defense Fund and completed by Public Opinion Strategies in May.
When all the numbers were tallied up from what is believed to be the most extensive national research survey of its kind to date, it was confirmed that 62 percent of Americans believe that "marriage should be defined ONLY as a union between one man and one woman." A majority (53 percent) of Americans strongly agreed with this sentiment, and a slim 35 percent disagreed. This comprehensive study of 1,500 Americans' attitudes toward marriage included research from 14 focus groups from coast to coast.
If this isn't enough to dispel the misguided claims and misrepresentative polls posturing that marriage in America is passé, please note that this survey is a strikingly accurate reflection of official polling results from the ballot box on this issue -- putting the troubled leftist pipe dream in peril. We're talking about election statistics spanning from 1998 to 2008, when voters from 30 states were asked to support or reject a state marriage amendment.
California, back in the ancient days of 2008, when an ultra-right-wing presidential candidate received 137 percent of the state's vote, a marriage amendment passed, sure. Oh wait, that's not what happened. Despite being outspent by $3.5 million and lacking the support of every media, entertainment, cultural, union, educational and political power structure, marriage proponents were able to pass Proposition 8 by four percent, with 52 percent of the vote.
Note also that Smurf-blue Maine voted in 2009 to reverse a legislatively imposed redefinition of marriage and restored marriage in the state as it's always been understood -- the union of husband and wife -- nothing more, nothing less.
In the 30 states that have voted on a marriage protection amendment to determine whether the definition of marriage should stay as a union between a man and a woman within their borders, 63 percent of more than 63 million voters tipped the scales at "yes." Only 37 percent said "no." That's nearly 40 million voters affirming marriage to some 23 million rejecting it -- a decisive victory for the American family.
But what about the remaining states without such an amendment protecting marriage? (The federal government, along with 44 states, has preserved the definition of marriage either through constitutional amendment or statute.) If would-be marriage re-definers are so confident, why do they oppose "taking it to the polls" and putting this very public policy decision in the hands of the public? Some judges have already beat voters out of their right to decide the issue.
In Iowa, the voters reacted to the state supreme court's imposition on same-sex "marriage" on the state by -- in unprecedented fashion -- throwing three of the justices off the court in 2010. Iowans likely would have ejected all seven had they been given the opportunity. Of the states that issue "marriage" licenses to same-sex cohabitants, none have had marriage redefinition approved by the people, with three states having it forced on them by the courts.
So, in a day and age when it appears as if marriage is about to be swept under by a relentless wave of an anti-marriage culture, all we need to do is grab our boards and say "surf's up!" Remember, we're riding above the wave -- not below it.
Brian Raum is an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund. This column first appeared at ADF's Speak Up Church blog, online at http://www.speakupmovement.org/church
Copyright (c) 2011 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press www.BPNews.net
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