In a milestone for gay-rights supporters, more than half of Americans — 53 percent — say in a new poll that they support gay people's right to marry. This marks the first time a majority has approved the idea in a decade of ABC News/Washington Post surveys. Just five years ago, when George W. Bush supported a federal amendment to ban same-sex marriage, only 32 percent approved of same-sex weddings. The new poll also revealed a stark age divide — young people are much more likely to support gay marriage, while the elderly still resist the idea. Gay marriage has been banned by voters in 31 states, and is legal in only five. But with public opinion — and demographic trends — swinging toward acceptance, are same-sex marriage supporters destined to prevail?
Yes, we just need leadership: "We've certainly come a long way in a very short time," says The Economist, but "the battle over gay marriage is not over." The crucial next step is for a president to take a stand instead of "cowering behind support for states' rights and civil unions." This won't be as hard as it once was, because the unmistakeable upward trend in support for same-sex weddings makes the issue "a political winner for pro-gay-rights Democrats."
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