Most Americans side with gays in
religious freedom disputes: Reuters/Ipsos poll
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[April 09, 2015]
By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A majority of
Americans believe businesses should not be allowed to refuse services
based on their religious beliefs in the wake of controversies in Indiana
and Arkansas over gay rights and religious freedom, a Reuters/Ipsos poll
found on Thursday.
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The poll, conducted April 6 to 8, also found that 52 percent of
Americans support allowing same-sex couples to marry, far more than
the 32 percent who oppose it.
The survey results suggest a split over the issue between Americans
and some of the politicians who represent them.
Indiana's Republican governor, Mike Pence, triggered a firestorm in
his state this month by signing a law that would allow businesses to
refuse services to certain groups or people based on their religious
beliefs.
Gay rights activists saw the law as discriminatory and the resulting
backlash forced Indiana's state legislature to make changes to the
law.
Days later, Arkansas's Republican governor, Asa Hutchinson, forced
his state legislature to change a similar law in order to avoid
having it blow up into a controversy in his state.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2015/Apr/09/images/ads/current/stacy_sda_121014.png) The poll found solid opposition to allowing businesses to refuse
services or refuse to hire people or groups based on religious
beliefs.
Fifty-four percent said it was wrong for businesses to refuse
services, while 28 percent said they should have that right. And 55
percent said businesses should not have the right to refuse to hire
certain people or groups based on the employer's religious beliefs,
while 27 percent said businesses should have the right.
The Reuters-Ipsos poll found divisions among Americans on where
same-sex marriage laws should be made.
The largest grouping, 34 percent, believes same-sex marriage laws
should be made by the U.S. Supreme Court declaring a nationwide
constitutional right.
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Another 22 percent said same-sex marriage laws should be made at the
state level by voter referendum. Eleven percent said laws should be
made by state legislators and 8 percent would leave it up to
Congress. The poll found 24 percent did not know how best to handle
it.
The poll said 55 percent want to see all states - even those that do
not permit same-sex marriages - recognize such unions from states
where same-sex marriage is legal.
For the survey, 892 people aged 18 years old and over were
interviewed online. The Reuters/Ipsos online poll was measured using
a credibility interval. It has a credibility interval of plus or
minus 3.7 percentage points.
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Caren Bohan and Lisa
Shumaker)
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reserved.]
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