American Family Association Marriage Poll (re Gay Marriage)

Olivianna

pee aitch dee
Joined
Dec 21, 2001
Posts
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I don't know if anyone's already posted here about this, but anyway:

There is a link to a poll conducted by the (anti-gay) American Family Association about legalizing homosexual marriages. They claim that they'll show the results to Congress. Umm...I think that's unlikely...now.

http://www.afa.net/petitions/MarriagePoll.asp
 
Heheheh....


Hope they choke on that one! I'd vote in favour but I'm not a US citizen so they prolly won't let me. :mad: Oh well... whatever gets taken on board in Sainted America usually paddles its way across the Pond PDQ! *evil grin*

:kiss: Sadie
 
Gay Marriage Poll Gets Annulled

By Daniel Terdiman | Also by this reporter Page 1 of 1

02:00 AM Jan. 22, 2004 PT

When the American Family Association posted an online poll last month asking its constituents their position on gay marriage, it thought it was engaging in a straightforward exercise.

The conservative organization supports a constitutional amendment defining marriage as strictly between a man and a woman, and it planned to forward to Congress the results of the poll, which it expected would support its position, as evidence of Americans' opposition to gay marriage.

But the AFA never counted on the power of the Internet. And once the URL to the poll escaped its intended audience, everything went haywire. As of Jan. 19, 60 percent of respondents -- more than 508,000 voters -- said, "I favor legalization of homosexual marriage." With an additional 7.89 percent -- or 66,732 voters -- replying, "I favor a 'civil union' with the full benefits of marriage except for the name," the AFA's chosen position, "I oppose legalization of homosexual marriage and 'civil unions,'" was being defeated by a 2-1 ratio.

"We're very concerned that the traditional state of marriage is under threat in our country by homosexual activists," said AFA representative Buddy Smith. "It just so happens that homosexual activist groups around the country got a hold of the poll -- it was forwarded to them -- and they decided to have a little fun, and turn their organizations around the country (onto) the poll to try to cause it to represent something other than what we wanted it to. And so far, they succeeded with that."

Of course, no such poll can be said to represent an accurate picture of popular opinion. But, clearly, the AFA had hoped Congress would take the numbers it planned to produce as exactly that kind of evidence.

Now, Smith says, his organization has had to abandon its goal of taking the poll to Capitol Hill.

"We made the decision early on not to do that," Smith admitted, "because of how, as I say, the homosexual activists around the country have done their number on it."

So what happened?

Against the wishes of the AFA and its members, the poll leaked to the outside. And soon, people like Gabe Anderson began posting it to blogs, social-networking sites such as Friendster and sundry e-mail lists. When Anderson posted it to his blog on Dec. 18, 2003, the anti-gay-marriage position was leading, with 51.45 percent of respondents opposing gay marriage or civil unions.

But with his posting, in which he alerted his readers to the poll, Anderson -- and many like him -- began to unleash the democratic power that the Internet promises, and which organizations like the AFA must have forgotten: the ability to bring people together to fight for, or against, a cause.

"I definitely think that if an organization like the AFA wants to conduct a poll like this, they open up themselves to more than they expected," said Anderson. "I think it's a great example that the Internet can effect change and have an influence if there is a cause."

Surely, by now, with the rise of organizations like MoveOn.org and Internet-fueled political campaigns like Howard Dean's, such results should surprise no one.

But the AFA seems to have been caught by surprise, and is now trying to gain new currency from the outcome.

"Hopefully the results of the poll will be a wake-up call," said Smith, "to realize the need for us to get more focused and organized and to do what we need to do."

But in the meantime, the AFA and organizations like it will have to get used to the idea that if they want to use the Internet as a tool, they had better understand how it works.

"I think it's pretty cool," said Anderson. "It's empowering that the Internet can have this kind of effect. As an individual, your first reaction is, 'I don't know if I can make a difference.' This is a good example of helping people who are historically apathetic (to say), 'Maybe my vote will matter, too.'"

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,61982,00.html

:D
 
Well, I added my vote, so ha to them! Mwahaha, it's actually a really good thing they made the poll. Now they can see how many people actually support it, not oppose it.
 
whats funny is so far thoes supporting Gay marrage out number thoes agains on thier own poll
 
Doubly Funny....

...is that if they intended to weigh the vote by placing access to the poll on sites that they presumed would carry a straight/conventional bias then it seems more than a little bit hypocritical of them to turn around and criticise others for drawing it to the attention of rational people who understand that just because you love someone of your own sex that shouldn't marginalise or even (in some states) criminalise you.

As someone who's been happily unmarried to the same person for over 14 years, I think the institution is over-rated but what I really hate is some smug twat trying to imply that he or she is better than I am because they have a piece of paper that says they're "married" to their partner.

Why gay couples should even "want" comparable identity with such a smug, self-satisfied system beats me!

What galls me even more is that I even have to pay more for my car insurance than some twenty five year old "married" person who's been "married" for six months and might be divorced and/or dead in a speeding accident in another six!!!

Why should your sexual proclivities or how you decide to declare them make you an inferior person?? And why should politicians be the ones to decide this?

Shut me up now. Doh!!


:heart:

PS> College Geek... i love your Avatar!!! Where is it from? It reminds me of Tzuszki Asato in the Yami no Matsuei mangas. *yum*
 
Zergplex Befuzzled

The link isn't taking me to the poll, is the poll over or have they moved it? Anyone have any idea?

-Zergplex
 
Re: Zergplex Befuzzled

Zergplex said:
The link isn't taking me to the poll, is the poll over or have they moved it? Anyone have any idea?

-Zergplex

They took the poll down. So the link doesn't work anymore.

See my post above with the article, "Gay Marriage Poll Gets Annulled."
 
innocentone said:
whats funny is so far thoes supporting Gay marrage out number thoes agains on thier own poll

[sarcasm]Yes, thank you for explaining that complicated concept to us idiots. we never would've figured it out the irony without your help.[/sarcasm] :rolleyes:
 
Bitchslapper said:
[sarcasm]Yes, thank you for explaining that complicated concept to us idiots. we never would've figured it out the irony without your help.[/sarcasm] :rolleyes:

Your sarcasm is not helpful either. If you just want to be an ass, please do it away from our discussions. Thanks.
 
Last time I checked this was a PUBLIC message board. Ergo, I can post whatever I want. If you're an admin then delete my post and/or ban me or whatever you think is best. If not, then stop harassing me before I report you. Your dictatorial comment is not helpful either.If you want to be a fascist, do it away from our discussions. [sarcasm]Thanks. :)[/sarcasm]
 
Bitchslapper said:
Last time I checked this was a PUBLIC message board. Ergo, I can post whatever I want. If you're an admin then delete my post and/or ban me or whatever you think is best. If not, then stop harassing me before I report you. Your dictatorial comment is not helpful either.If you want to be a fascist, do it away from our discussions. [sarcasm]Thanks. :)[/sarcasm]

I said "please", shithead. Your previous post was at least borderline trolling. That kind of thing IS against the rules in this forum. Read the rules for the GLBT ... please. :rolleyes:
 
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