How the public feels about gays, gay marriage and efforts to ban it

The Associated Press

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— Americans are closely divided on whether homosexual relations between adults should or should not be legal.

— A majority of Americans, sometimes by as much as a 2-1 margin, say they oppose legalizing gay marriage.

— Americans are divided on whether homosexual couples should be allowed to form legally recognized civil unions, with slightly more people opposing it.

— People are less enthusiastic about a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. When given the option of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage or letting states make their own laws, almost six in 10 favor letting states deal with the issue, while almost four in 10 favor a constitutional amendment.

The results on homosexual relations come from a January CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll, the results on gay marriage come from several recent polls, and the results on civil unions and a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage come from an ABC News-Washington Post poll out in January.

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