Poll Examines Which Issues Most Americans View as Morally Acceptable

Jun 1st, 2009 • Posted in: News

Divorce, gambling, and embryonic stem cell research make gains; abortion appears to be losing support

NEW YORK
An annual poll of moral values finds that most of the U.S. public continues to view divorce, gambling, and embryonic stem cell research as acceptable, while abortion, cloning, and extramarital affairs remain unacceptable.

Congressional Quarterly reports that the percentage of the public that considers divorce acceptable dropped from 70 percent in May 2008 to 62 percent when the poll was conducted earlier this month.

UPI reports that the Gallup poll also found that the majority of Americans find the death penalty, premarital sex, and medical experimentation on animals to be morally acceptable.

Other issues seen by more people as morally acceptable than as unacceptable, according to the Gallup poll: wearing animal fur, having a baby outside of marriage, and gay or lesbian relations.

Abortion was viewed as morally wrong by a majority of Americans. And while recent data from a number of polls suggests that more Americans can be classified as “pro-life” rather than “pro-choice,” MSNBC notes that a new poll nevertheless finds that 69 percent of U.S. respondents do not want the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Sources: Congressional Quarterly, May 20 — UPI, May 20 — MSNBC, May 19.

For more information, see: Related Newsline story, Apr. 13 — Related Newsline story, Mar. 16 — Related Newsline story, Feb. 16 — Related Newsline story, Dec. 15, 2008 — Related Newsline story, Nov. 24, 2008 — CNN/Opinion Research Roe v. Wade poll, May 15 — Gallup Pro-Life, Pro-Choice Poll, May 15 — Gallup, May 20.

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4 Responses »

1. Ethics Newsline® » Statline » Where the U.S. Public Stands on Some Moral Issues on June 1st, 2009 at 6:58 pm:

   [...] more information, see: Gallup, May 20 — Related Newsline story, June 1.  Print This Story  Email This [...]

2. Ethics Newsline® » News » Stem-Cell Advance Said to Sidestep Ethical Dilemmas Involving Embryonic Tissue on June 8th, 2009 at 7:06 pm:

   [...] more information, see: Related Newsline story, June 1 — Related Newsline story, Mar. 30 — Related Newsline story, Mar. 16 [...]

3. Ethics Newsline® » News » South Carolina Governor Admits Affair in Argentina, Issues Apology on June 29th, 2009 at 6:52 pm:

   [...] more information, see: Related Newsline story, June 1 — Related Newsline story, Apr. 20 — Related Newsline story, Feb. 23 [...]

4. Ethics Newsline® » News » Federal Judges Complain About Law Restricting Death Penalty Appeals on August 17th, 2009 at 6:38 pm:

   [...] more information, see: Related Newsline story, June 22 — Related Newsline story, June 1 — Related Newsline story, Nov. 17, 2008 — Related Newsline story, Nov. [...]

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