“Asian-Americans in California overwhelmingly oppose a ballot measure that would ban gay marriage in the state, according to a ground-breaking survey released today. The poll found that 57 percent of Asian-Americans likely to vote in the Nov. 4 election oppose Proposition 8, which would reverse last spring’s California Supreme Court ruling that gave gays and lesbians the right to marry. Only 32 percent planned to vote for the measure. Eleven percent were undecided.” Queer-friendly Margaret Cho is one of them, of course. [Mercury News]
Interesting…
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Mike
Not surprising. They’re Chinese, Korean and Filipino, all very conservative and religious (well Chinese typically aren’t religious, but socially conservative).
It would be interesting to see how African Americans are voting.
Jack
Mike…read the article again.
‘Asian-Americans in California overwhelmingly oppose a ballot measure that would ban gay marriage in the state…’
Crazylove
mike that would require polling african americans and reaching out to them in none nasty ways or ineffective ways rather than making assumptions as the gay community or lack there of likes to do.
Soup
While some Asians from the older generation have a tendency to be rather conservative, you will find that most of the younger generation are quite liberal. Besides, before homophobia was shipped in from the West, homosexuality was generally considered socially acceptable in parts of Asia.
John
Mike,
Did you even read the bloody headline? And these results are hardly surprising, as “Asians” don’t vote as some monolithic GOP block. Most of the social conservatism attributed to Asians originate with Southeast Asian rabble rousers who haven’t quite gotten over the Cold War. They’re a loud and obnoxious bunch. But they’re hardly representative of the majority.
The Chinese community in California typically goes 2-to-1 for the Democrats anyway. Politically, they aren’t that conservative. They merely seem stodgy and old-fashioned because they insist on maintaining their cultural values. Most of them are Buddhists, so they don’t give a rat’s behind about what Jesus would do.
Ditto for the Japanese. Members of Congress with Japanese ancestry are overwhelmingly liberal Democrat. Not to mention the George Takei connection. Before he came out as a gay man, he was already a very important figure in California’s Japanese community. He was actually knighted by Emperor Akihito (Order of the Rising Sun) in 2004. Loyalty is a big deal to the Japanese.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Vietnamese are very conservative (big time). And to a lesser extent, so are the Cambodians and Filipinos. Hardly surprising, since most of them are Cold War refugees and fervently pro-Republican. However, they makeup a smaller percentage of Asian voters than the more established groups.
ChristopherM
COME ON QUEERTY EDITORS! I understand your desire for open forums for discussion, but every fucking thread on here is devolving into race-baiting by trolls. Get this shit under control!
JJJJ
Asians (and Asian-Americans) generally have very high I.Q.s. I’m glad to see these ethnic groups realizing that two males or two females marrying doesn’t affect anybody’s lives except the two getting married. (No wonder they keep going to the head of the class in our public schools!) Caucasians will be a mixed bag with this vote. Unfortunately, most African-Americans will vote for Prop 8.
Doctor Who
those slanty-eyes are pretty clever … unlike those dumb as a doorknob darkies.
nytimes article on darkies voting against us
JJJJ
Dr. Who : Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, etc. might have somewhat slanty eyes, but Indians (the other high-I.Q. American immigrant) don’t.
simonmh
I think that this poll is just silly.
Asian American activists are far to the left of the majority of most Asians and it is just silly to think that Filipino’s vote the same way as Japanese or Koreans.
Remember, Bush got 52% of the Asian vote if you leave off Hawaii in 2004… So this poll is churned up product from Asian lefty activists