Americans split on gay marriage

WASHINGTON — Most Americans think the government should protect religious liberties over gay rights when the two come into conflict, a new Associated Press- GfK poll finds, though fewer think most businesses should be allowed to turn away gay couples because of religious beliefs.

The survey uncovered nuanced views on gay rights as the Supreme Court considers, in a case heard this week, whether the Constitution gives same- sex couples the right to marry.

Americans are more likely to say that religious liberties are more important for the government to protect than the rights of gays and lesbians, by a 56 percent to 40 percent margin, the poll found.

But fewer Americans — just 40 percent — think most business owners should be allowed to refuse service to gays and lesbians on religious grounds.

With public opinion apparently split, it’s an open question how gay rights will play in the 2016 campaign.

Nearly half support gay marriage

According to the new AP- GfK poll, nearly half of Americans favor laws allowing gay and lesbian couples to wed. Just over a third are opposed.

But Americans are split down the middle on what action the Supreme Court should take when it rules on the marriage case later this year, with 50 percent saying it should rule that samesex marriage must be legal nationwide and 48 percent saying that it should not.

The poll shows a massive partisan divide on both questions. Two- thirds of Democrats and just under half of independents say they support legal same- sex marriage, compared to less than 3 in 10 Republicans.

Support dips for service refusals

The poll shows that a slim majority of Americans ( 52 percent) say that weddingrelated businesses in states where same- sex marriage is legal should be allowed to refuse service to gay and lesbian couples because of religious objections.

That’s down slightly since the beginning of February, when another poll found 57 percent of Americans in support of allowing wedding- related businesses to refuse service. The earlier poll was conducted before a public outcry forced the state of Indiana to add protections for gays and lesbians to its recently passed Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which critics charged was intended to allow discrimination against LGBT people.

Religious liberties gain over rights

Although most Americans aren’t willing to give just any business the right to refuse service to LGBT people, most say that it’s more important for the government to protect religious liberties than the rights of gays and lesbians if the two come into conflict, by a 56 percent to 40 percent margin.