2 Out Of 3 Americans See Anti-Gay Discrimination As A "Serious Problem"

A new Gallup survey has bad news for organizations like the National Organization for Marriage, Family Research Council, American Family Association, etc., who have fanning anti-gay bigotry as their principal raison d'etre: 2 out of 3 Americans see anti-gay discrimination as a serious problem.  More over, the survey results make it clear that most of the anti-gay bigotry is religion based.  Stated another way, in a nation (and states) that purports to prohibit discrimination based on religion, gays continue to be subjected to discriminatory laws and lack protections because we do not conform to Christofascist religious dogma.  The situation makes a mockery of both the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and every state law that pretends to bar discrimination based on religion.   Yet courts like the Virginia Supreme Court won't even touch the issue or admit that allowing anti-gay discrimination in employment, especially by government entities is unconstitutional.  Here are some highlights from the Gallup findings:

Most Americans see discrimination toward gays and lesbians as a serious problem in the United States today, and those perceptions are particularly common among those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Even so, LGBT Americans are rather optimistic that things will get better, with the vast majority expecting a consensus on gay rights issues in the future.

Though the demographic trends in gay rights issues would predict a growing consensus in the future, politics may get in the way of that. Republicans still trail Democrats and independents in their support for gay rights and it is unclear whether that will change. The Republican Party still officially opposes gay marriage, consistent with the views of its rank-and-file members. And those who oppose gay marriage most often cite biblical or religious teachings as the reason for their opposition. Thus, consensus on gay marriage and other gay rights issues may depend on whether Republicans and those opposed to gay marriage on religious grounds hold firm to their current beliefs or follow the growing societal trend toward greater tolerance, acceptance, and equality for gays and lesbians.

 Interestingly, 48% of Republicans admit that discrimination against gays and lesbians is a “very” or “somewhat serious” problem in the United States.  The chart below reveals that nearly 80% of the anti-gay animus arises directly from religion - something that needs to be excised from the civil laws: