Letters: Majority shouldn't decide rights

In a letter on same-sex marriage there was an objection that "Californians voted against same-sex marriage, but the court overturned that state's referendum anyway" ["Differing views of same-sex marriage," July 6].

The laws of this nation are supposed to favor the majority up until the majority chooses to violate a minority's civil rights, at which point the court could, and should, step in to protect those rights.

Majority rules, but cannot supersede minority rights. Judge Vaughn Walker of California was absolutely correct in declaring Proposition 8 a violation of the Constitution's 14th Amendment granting all citizens equal protection of the laws.

Bruce Barton, Holbrook
 

I am troubled by the reader who believes that the right of gay marriage should be determined by popular vote. This premise supports an idea that people should be allowed to determine the civil rights of another group of people.

It is the job of the government to protect the rights of all Americans as stated in the 14th Amendment. The proposition passed in California was morally wrong.

Before 1967's Loving v. Virginia decision, it was illegal for African-Americans to marry whites. What if religious groups had put pressure on people to vote against interfaith marriages? Should I, a Jewish woman, have been prevented from marrying a Catholic man? Would we have been denied almost 39 years of a wonderful marriage because it is against some people's religious beliefs?

Lorraine Huzar, Jericho