Minority Rights put to Majority Vote is Wrong?!

So, I had to blog this one. In this AP article, there is a very interesting quote. Here you go, taken directly from the article.

"There's something deeply wrong with putting the rights of a minority up to a majority vote," said Evan Wolfson, a gay-rights lawyer who heads a group called Freedom to Marry. "If this were being done to almost any other minority, people would see how un-American this is."

Okay, what does this mean? Basically, it illustrates the very problem of democracy. If you say majority rules, then the majority can screw over the minority. But it is very interesting in another way. See, why is it only gay marriage that gets this response?

Let's look at a few other examples that should get this response.

A) Why should the majority be allowed to tell smokers what restaurants they can (or actually) can't smoke in?

B) Why should the majority get to tell fat people they aren't allowed to eat trans-fats?

C) Why should the majority be allowed to take the earnings of rich people?

In each of these examples, the minority's rights are taken away by a simple majority vote. Yet, would it be likely Evan Wolfson would come to these groups' defense? Why is it only gay marriage that is allowed to use the "minority rights" argument?

So, the next time you hear someone praise democracy (i.e. next election season), think back to this quote. Also, don't forget this quote attributed to Ben Franklin.

A Democracy is two wolves and a lamb deciding what's for dinner. A Constitutional Republic is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

Well said, sir.