Topic: Gay marriage
Quote: It is easy to look at such a vote and quote the slogan "a government by the people and for the people". But realistically, a government by the people is not necessarily a government for the people, in fact, it rarely is. Such government is only for the people if the majority votes in a fashion that is in the best interest of the people, which it generally does not. A system of government by the people (democracy) will rarely be for the people unless the power of the majority is checked. On the state level, it largely is not checked. A government by the people almost always creates tyranny of the majority if the majority\'s power is not held in check. Democracy may be the best form of government to protect liberty, but pure democracy, majority rule, will be the first to destroy it.
Response: Well, respectfully I have to disagree with you (and I know you aren't surprised). I've thought this over pretty thoroughly and I believe that the will of the American people is ultimately a pretty good standard to what we should institute in this country when it comes to moral issues. After all, if enough of the public had not been behind them, civil rights for black people would never have come about, nor women's suffrage.\nIn my opinion, we don't give the American people nearly enough credit to assume they can't be trusted with issues like this. Maybe, just maybe, the reason that many American people think gay marriage is wrong is simply because it IS. But I can tell you that I believe strongly enough in the American system that if enough of the public get behind gay marriage and support it to the point where it becomes legal in all the states, I would accept that as what America wants. What I don't accept is judges (individuals) deciding these issues, even going so far as to go against the American people. That is a VERY dangerous precedent that is much more monarchial than anything. \n
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