THE ABORTION CONTROVERSY

by Aaron K. Lish
The Institute for Public Acknowledgment
Bethesda. Maryland

Background

We undertook to do a definitive survey of American public opinion about the abortion controversy. Previous attempts to measure the public's views about abortion have all been flawed or otherwise inadequate.

In the United States, abortion has become an increasingly divisive issue. An accurate assessment of public opinion could have profound effects on the country's political and moral climate.

Our Survey

We surveyed 41,000 adults. The survey consisted of one question:

Do you support the abortion controversy (yes or no)?

Results of the Survey

We tabulated the responses according to criteria of gender, age, religious affiliation, and political affiliation.

* * * By gender:

Male:
13% YES
76% NO
11% UNDECIDED

Female:

76% YES
13% NO
11% UNDECIDED

* * * By age:

18-50:
59% YES
32% NO
9% UNDECIDED

65 and above:
23% YES
21% NO
56% UNDECIDED

Note: In order to conform with recent Supreme Court interpretations of U. S. laws, we have destroyed all data for the age group 51-64.

* * * By religious affiliation:

Protestant:
83% YES
12% NO
5% UNDECIDED

Catholic:
12% YES
83% NO
5% UNDECIDED

Jewish and/or Moslem
43% YES
42% NO
5% UNDECIDED

Other religeous affiliation, or no religious affiliation:
3% YES
3% NO
94% UNDECIDED

* * * By political affiliation:

Republicans:
32% YES
62% NO
4% UNDECIDED

Democrats:
62% YES
32% NO
4% UNDECIDED

Independent:
33% YES
33% NO
34% UNDECIDED

Analysis and conclusion

The American public is deeply divided on the abortion issue.

© Copyright 2001Annals of Improbable Research (AIR)

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