Halt same-sex marriage until people vote on it

I must take issue with a June 3 column, “GOP toeing the deep end,” by Todd Dorman. The column dealt with the issue of same-sex marriage. The author made several erroneous assumptions and missed facts that I would like to clarify:

1. Marriage is a licensed, controlled activity, therefore it is a privilege to marry and not a right. For example: A person cannot marry multiple spouses or animals, and in the majority of states and countries, gays cannot marry each other.

2. Just because the Iowa Supreme Court says something does not mean that it is true, which is why we have the ability to amend our Constitution. Some of the hottest issues of our day have been decided, not by the people or our representatives, but by our courts. I don't remember voting on abortion, do you?

3. Nearly 70 percent of Iowans support some kind of same-sex marriage ban. Every state where the people have been allowed to vote banned it.

4. Both houses of the Iowa Legislature voted in favor of it. Our chief executive signed it. Seven people out of about 3 million decided that it did not matter what everyone else thought.

So what is wrong with issuing a stay until the people have a chance to vote?

Pastor Joshua Graber

Oelwein