Voters have right to make mistakes

Dear Editor,

I read Mike Hendrick's article, "Dictators and Police States," with much interest and found much with which I agree.

The Constitution is the greatest document of its kind ever written but is not without its weaknesses as he describes. I do not agree with his premise of "Pandering to the majority." Surely that is the very foundation of what the whole principle of democracy rests.

Is he proposing that it be replaced by utopianism? That is where the people are reckoned too stupid to be involved in such weighty matters as politics and such and it should be left to their superiors to manage such things by papal bull or Royal edict or some such?

Mr. Hendricks may not want the people to make mistakes over such things as flag burning and homosexual marriage and he has a valid point. I too believe it would be wrong to make these amemdments, but the Constitution does not belong to the president, the Congress or the Supreme Court or Mike Hendricks or a utopian group.

It belongs to the people and if the the people want to change it, then the will of the people must take precedence or democracy itself is at risk.

If the people are making a mistake, and I believe they may be so doing, surely it is their mistake to make and no one should deny them that right.

Perhaps the amendment process itself should be looked at, but that's another argument.

Anthony Pollock

via e-mail