By JGrant | Published in OurTime.org
Today, CNN.com released poll results from interviews with 824 “adult Americans” asking their opinions on the legalization of marijuana and gay marriage. The only problem? They left out a pretty big section of “Adult Americans.”
If you feel like your voice should be heard vote here on your thoughts on marriage and legalization.
In response to the prompt, “Do you favor or oppose the legalization of marijuana?” 41% of “adults” said they favor it, 56% opposed, and 2% had no opinion on the matter. The results for “Do you think marriages between gay and lesbian couples should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?” showed 51% of “adults” saying that they should be recognized as valid, 47% saying they should not be recognized as valid, and 2% saying they have no opinion.
American adults tend to be evenly divided on topics like this – no surprise on the numbers here. However, what is incredibly surprising is that CNN.com posted these results despite the fact that they includeno respondents between the ages of 18-34.
Regardless of your opinion, you have a right to have an opinion, and for that opinion to be factored into poll results by one of the most trafficked news sites in America. Since 18-34-year-old’s were kept out of the conversation entirely, this is not an accurate poll and should not be labeled as such.
And in case you wanted to know that opinion, unlike the folks over at CNN, I can tell you that young Americans tend to be a little more open minded and focused on individual freedoms than older Americans do. A 2004 study (PDF) of young Americans by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) overwhelmingly support equality in every respect. With 56% supporting full marriage rights and 63% supporting civil unions. That number jumped to six in ten young voters under 30 in 2010, according to the Washington Post
California’s Proposition 19 during the 2010 election similarly saw huge favorability by young voters:
“Support was strongest among voters between 18 and 24, who went for it 64% to 36%. Voters between 25 and 29 narrowly backed it, 52% to 48%. But voters under 30 made up just 13% of the electorate, about the same as is typical in a midterm election. In presidential election years, these voters are at least 20% of the turnout.”
The fact that it was, is emblematic of a larger problem that we at OUR TIME are committed to fighting. This isn’t the only important discussion where people our age are left out – it’s just one of many.
Visit us on Facebook to tell us what you think about gay marriage and marijuana. If we match CNN’s 824 respondents, we’ll let them know what the results would have been, if they had asked us what we think.
To see the poll results, click here.
Similar questions surround other demographics in this poll. Like why is there an 8% margin of error on respondents between 35 and 49. That’s pretty high. Where the margin of error on over 50 is only 4%.
Caps of the poll are below.
Marijuana Doctors in Orange County
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