# NAACP: "SSM AOK" \[effect on elections\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 20, 2012, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502 "2012-05-20T11:04:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/1 "2012-05-20T11:04:25Z")
[Linky](http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/19/naacp-backs-same-sex-marriage/?hpt=hp_t3). Will this have an effect on the upcoming US election? It could, if it can get some socially conservative black people to the polls who would have otherwise stayed home due to Obama’s support for same sex marriage. Of course this depends on a few factors like: – How heavily otherwise moderate black people listen to the NAACP – How many would-be Obama supporters would stay home just because of his stance on SSM, and – How this would shake out in actual election results, which would depend on swing states and/or the existence of marginal districts with lots of black people, the latter of which seems to be fairly rare due to the twin effects of the “concentration” strategy of gerrymandering and the demands for minority-safe districts under the Voting Rights Act. I applaud the NAACP’s stance on this. I just don’t know how large its effect will be. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/2 "2012-05-20T12:41:56Z")
Does the NAACP have a recent history of being a voice for the average colored person or are they agenda driven to move colored people more to the left? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/3 "2012-05-20T12:46:48Z")
I’m asking the former and i don’t know the answer. I don’t think the latter is true especially how it’s phrased. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/4 "2012-05-20T17:55:58Z")
I don’t think this will really have much of an effect. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/5 "2012-05-20T19:08:38Z")
I think this is more significant as an effect than as a cause. The opinions of black people as a whole don’t follow the NAACP; more, the opinions of the NAACP follow those of black people as a whole. If they’re endorsing SSM, that’s a sign that blacks (like most demographics) are becoming more comfortable with it. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/6 "2012-05-20T19:32:20Z")
I guess this isn’t a new stance, according to the article they were against Prop 8 in Cali. and DOMA. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/7 "2012-05-20T21:19:38Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Does the NAACP have a recent history of being a voice for the average colored person or are they agenda driven to move colored people more to the left? Are there some cites that lead you to ask questions like these…or are you _ **Just Asking Questions?** _ ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/8 "2012-05-20T21:23:53Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Does the NAACP have a recent history of being a voice for the average colored person or are they agenda driven to move colored people more to the left? The former, definitely. (I once worked for the president of a local NAACP chapter. And he weren’t no lefty.) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/9 "2012-05-21T05:17:58Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > The former, definitely. (I once worked for the president of a local NAACP chapter. **And he weren’t no lefty**.) Shhh! You’re not supposed to let the secret out. Next thing you know you won’t be not talking about Fight Club. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/10 "2012-05-21T12:59:43Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Are there some cites that lead you to ask questions like these…or are you _ **Just Asking Questions?** _ I’m going for multiple Czargasms 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naacp-ssm-aok-effect-on-elections/622502/11 "2012-05-21T14:41:50Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > I’m going for multiple Czargasms 😃 Like I thought-the latter.