I was reading today that a recent survey done by Public Policy Polling has really uncovered some interesting issues down south. Before I get all into their data, I think it is pertinent that I mention that these polls and surveys are only given to a small group of people who are supposed to be representative of an entire population. I think that’s a stretch but at the moment, let’s run with it for the sake of discussion.

According the polls out of 1256 Republicans polled in Alabama and Mississippi (600 in Alabama and 656 in Mississippi), a combined 50% of those polled (29% in Mississippi and 21% in Alabama), still believe that interracial marriage should be illegal. Really? Although legislation was passed in 1967 regulating people to mind their own business, also known as the overturning of the anti-miscegenation laws of the south, there have been court cases as late as 2009 of some southern counties not allowing interracial couples to marry. Just last year, an interracial couple in Kentucky was refused the right to join the Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church, under pressure, they reversed their decision but that’s the allowance that comes a little too late, per say.

Public Policy Polling conducted their research within the ranks of GOP members; I was not able to locate findings for a similar poll conducted among Democrats. I would like to move away from this being a left or right issue and look at whether or not this is a regional issue. Are we going backwards in time, or are the results of the survey being polarized in an attempt to further show “proof” that the GOP is, by some accounts, racist?

This all reminds me of the way the South acted after Lincoln begrudgingly signed to free the slaves. The law was in place but the South did what they wanted to, when they got ready. In all honesty, I can’t help but to wonder what the larger numbers are. Do you think that if Alabama and Mississippi were both polled (not based on political affiliation), that the numbers of those who think that interracial marriage should be illegal would increase, decrease or pretty much stay the same as indicated in the Public Policy poll?