New National Abortion Poll Shows Majority of Americans are Pro-Life
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 16, 2004
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Polls are consistently showing that Americans are becoming more pro-life. A December poll conducted by Zogby International, a respected nonpartisan polling firm, confirms that, by a 53% to 36% margin, the public supports the statement, "Abortion destroys a human life and is manslaughter."
In December, pollster John Zogby teamed up with Brad O’Leary of the O’Leary Report to examine the cultural differences in states that elected George W. Bush as president in 2000 and those that voted for Al Gore. The poll also contained questions relating to abortion.
As previous polls have shown, a strong majority of Republicans take a pro-life position, but so do a sizable number of Democrats.
Some 68 percent of Republicans agreed with the statement that abortion "destroys a human life and is manslaughter" while 43 percent of Democrats in the U.S. also agreed.
The Zogby poll also showed that Americans are more inclined to support "restrictions on abortion" compared to five or ten years ago.
According to the poll, 22 percent of Americans were more interested in abortion restrictions, while only 11 percent were less interested.
Sixty-six percent said their views on abortion restrictions were the same as they were five or ten years ago. Since polls have consistently shown considerable support for laws such as parental notification, informed consent, and unborn victims legislation, the Zogby poll confirms Americans are moving in the direction of ensuring that sensible limits are placed on legalized abortion.
Other recent polls also confirm a majority of Americans have a pro-life perspective.
An October 2003 Washington Post-ABC News poll, timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the papacy of Pope John Paul II, found a majority of Americans and Catholics believe abortion is "morally unacceptable."
Some 58 percent of all respondents said they thought "abortion, when the mother’s life is not in danger" was morally unacceptable. About 66 percent of Catholics agreed.
Only 39 percent of Americans and 30 percent of Catholics found abortion morally acceptable.
