Poll finds 56% of all Americans and 58% of those 18-29 years old say abortion 'morally wrong'
NEW HAVEN, Conn., Jan. 21
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — On the eve of the 37th anniversary of the
Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion
throughout the United States, a new survey shows a strong majority of Americans believe abortion to be "morally wrong."
"Millennials"
(those 18-29) consider abortion to be "morally wrong" even more (58%)
than Baby Boomers (those 45-64) (51%). Generation X (those 30-44) are
similar to Millennials (60% see abortion as "morally wrong"). More than
6 in 10 of the Greatest Generation (those 65+) feel the same.
The
most recent Knights of Columbus – Marist survey – conducted in late
December and early January – is the latest in a series of such surveys
commissioned by the Knights of Columbus and conducted by Marist
Institute for Public Opinion. In October of 2008 and July of 2009, the
survey has
been
tracking an increasing trend toward the pro-life position – a trend
confirmed by Gallup and Pew surveys in mid-2009. K of C – Marist
surveys are available online at www.kofc.org/moralcompass.
"Americans
of all ages – and younger people in even greater numbers than their
parents – see abortion as something morally wrong," said Supreme Knight
Carl Anderson. "America has turned a corner and is embracing life – and
in doing so is embracing a future they – and all of us – can be proud
of."
He added:
"Advances in technology show clearly – and ever more clearly – that an
unborn child is completely a human being. That, coupled with the large
number of Americans who know one of the many people who has been
negatively affected by abortion are certainly two of the reasons that
Americans are increasingly uncomfortable with Roe v. Wade's legacy of
abortion, and with abortion generally. The majority of Americans now
understand that abortion has consequences, and that those consequences
are not good."
The question on abortion was part of a larger survey, which will be released in the next several days.
This
report presents the findings from a survey of 2,243 Americans —
including an oversample of 1,006 Millennials. Reports for Americans
have a margin of error of +/-2% and for Millennials it is +/-3%. Data
were collected from December 23, 2009 through January 4, 2010 using an online, probability-based panel from Knowledge Networks, Inc. Additional information is available at www.kofc.org. Data on the polls commissioned by the Knights of Columbus are available at www.kofc.org/moralcompass.