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Published: July 26, 2010
“Field goes far a field”
A critique of poll on Californians’ views on abortion
(Editor’s Note: On July 22, California Catholic Daily published a story (“Who cares what the Church teaches?”) about a recent Field Poll showing overwhelming Catholic support for California’s liberal abortion laws. After the story appeared, we received an email from Brian Johnston, director of the California ProLife Council, with the brief message, “You need to explain Field's REAL Agenda… to form opinion, not measure it.” Mr. Johnston attached a commentary on the Field Poll, which we have reprinted below. A link to our original story appears at the end of Mr. Johnston’s opinion piece.)
The Field Poll again demonstrates its intentional "framing of answers" in its opinion survey, which is at variance with reputable opinion analysis.
The Field Poll is well known for its ideological agenda and is a paid contractor of such for a consortium of California newspapers.
The questions in its most recent poll (7/21) are clearly designed to mislead those questioned and thus intentionally misconstrue their answers.
 Without any knowledge or reference to how widely available human abortions are, or to the actual laws surrounding the procedure, Mark DiCamillo then frames questions that heavily invoke the phrasing 'right to choose' yet absent of any specifics of the limits or existing parameters of what it is that is actually "chosen."
Yet the ENTIRETY of the conclusions he draws from those answers are only about the parameters or limits that should or should not surround abortion. He then proclaims (as the official opinion 'contractor' of those several papers) that his conclusions regarding this poll are ' the established opinion' of Californians. But his sweeping and amorphous statements are in direct variance with other opinion surveys.
The methods employed by the Los Angeles Times and other agencies have tended to be much more in keeping with organizations seeking objective analysis of opinion. On the abortion issue The Times has often polled on the specific limits that may or may not exist (abortions on minors -- majority regularly supports restoration of parental involvement; late-term abortions -- majority oppose).
More to the point, The Times has had the honesty and courage to question and poll the media itself about overt media bias on the issue of abortion (July 1990), demonstrating an objectivity and depth of analysis for which Mr. DiCamillo is not widely known.
To read California Catholic’s original story on the most recent Field Poll on abortion, Click Here.
Posted Monday, July 26, 2010 6:18 AM By Fr. Richard Perozich
Even CARA, the bishops' arm sends out polls to us priests. Sometimes their questions are skewed in a way that it would not reflect what I really observe, but by the way the question is presented, would allow them to draw what appears to be a predetermined conclusion. I refused to answer the poll. They told me the bishops approved it. I told them I still would not participate until they rephrased the questions.
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Posted Monday, July 26, 2010 7:10 AM By Maryanne Leonard
The subject of murdering babies has always been surrounded by lies, deception and underhandedness. Liberals spend an enormous amount of time trying to sway opinion and change the world to suit their views. Intentional deception is merely a tool in their eyes, and as many if not most of them are free from the burden of worrying about their mortal souls, they can employ whatever tactic they feel is appropriate. Thank goodness conservatives usually set high standards for themselves and seek admirable goals, knowing God is watching us. I would be ashamed to hold liberal views knowing my fellow liberals are amoral.
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Posted Monday, July 26, 2010 10:32 AM By Peggy
"poll the media itself about overt media bias on the issue of abortion (July 1990)" This information is a little old. How is the honesty and integrity of the LA Times now -- 20 years later?
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Posted Monday, July 26, 2010 11:47 AM By ted
Mr. Johnston makes an unfortunately valid point when he asserts that the poll in question was designed to form opinion rather than to discover opinions. The news media has been practicing this type of deception for many years. The most frightening aspect of this is that people don't realize what is being done to them. To find where the fault lies, look to our public education system. The students are not taught effective critical thinking skills, and are easily duped by the shapers of opinion.
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Posted Monday, July 26, 2010 12:10 PM By OneoftheSheep
My thanks to Brian Johnston, who has been in this battle against the Culture of Death for many, many years. May he continue to present the truth, dispel the falsehoods, and fight for life for many years to come.
Over and over again, at public events when we ask people about the permissible boundaries for abortion in our society, the public is shocked to learn that abortion is legal in the U.S.A. throughout all nine months of pregnancy. I often wonder what they think the term "partial birth abortion" is all about. Let's continue to speak the truth in love.
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Posted Tuesday, July 27, 2010 6:22 PM By Robert Bushlow
Mr. Johnston has done an excellent job of analyzing and exposingthe duplicitous methods employed by The Field Poll. Thank you Mr. Johnston.
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Posted Thursday, July 29, 2010 8:37 AM By Paul Rosenthal
What can be done to enlist the efforts of the faithful orthodox bishops to clean up the USCCB or, perhaps better yet, to disband it. The USCCB "majority" appears to be on board with Obama's determined march to an induced anarchy and followed by "salvation" via socialism - perhaps even through violent revolution of our younger citizens, necessitating "marashal law" to preserve "order." It is all very scary. Sadly, the USCCB is comprised of intelligent men, and intelligent men must certainly be deemed to desire the inevitable results of their words, silence, action and inaction. They really seem to be more intersted in politics than in their duty to preach, sanctify and govern in accordance with Magisterial teaching.
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