| WASHINGTON
- June 30 - Anti-gay comments made by Senate Majority Leader
Trent Lott earlier this month do not reflect the majority opinion in this country, says a
new poll released today by the Human Rights Campaign.
"Senator Lott might be
scoring points with religious political activists on the right, but his views don't
reflect those of a majority of American voters who believe in fairness and equality,"
said David M. Smith, communications director and senior strategist for the Human Rights
Campaign.
The survey, conducted by Lake Snell Perry, asked 931 registered voters: Trent Lott, the
Republican majority leader, recently made a statement that said homosexuality is a sin and
compared it to alcoholism and kleptomania. Others say that homosexuality is inherent and
not a choice, and that all Americans should be treated equally and fairly by lawmakers.
Which of these statements comes closer to your own opinion? 24% said homosexuality is a
sin and a disease; 55% said that homosexuality is inherent and that all Americans should
be treated fairly; 14% said neither or both; 4% said don't know; and 3% refused to answer.
These numbers cut across party lines with 62% of Democrats, 57% of independents and 41%
of Republicans saying that homosexuality is inherent and gay Americans should be treated
equally. 18% of Democrats, 21% of independents, and 35% of Republicans saying that
homosexuality is a sin.
"Strong majorities of Democratic and independent voters and a plurality of
Republican voters do not share Lott's views," said Smith, who oversees polling for
HRC. "This poll suggests that there could be a price to pay with key middle ground
voters who object to the Republican congressional leadership's stepped up campaign-year
attacks on gay people," cautioned HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg.
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