I suggested back in this message that all the protests over Proposition 8 in California were a waste of time; that all the energy put into marching and yelling would be better diverted into prepping for a battle on the next ballot. I may have underestimated the power of protest. A recent poll by SurveyUSA asked if the demonstrations had changed the minds of many of those who voted for Proposition 8. They concluded not many had switched…
Of the adults who tell SurveyUSA they voted FOR Prop 8, 90% of them told us recent rallies held by "No on Prop 8" Protesters have not changed their minds about the issue. 8% say protesters have changed their minds.
Okay, so 90% are still against the notion of Gay Marriage. But 8% is significant. Proposition 8 passed 6,775,560 to 6,203,012…or a difference of 572,548 votes. If 8% of the "yes" voters have changed their minds, then — someone check my math on this — 542,044.8 voters now wish they'd voted the other way.
Before you get excited about this, remember that the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3% and there's no data as to whether anyone who voted against Proposition 8 has changed their mind in the other direction. And of course, we don't believe any one poll that far about anything. Still, it bolsters my belief that the next time California voters get asked to vote about letting two people of the same sex be man and man (or wife and wife or however they describe it), it's going to pass and maybe pass by a wide margin. The momentum on this issue has only ever moved in one direction.