Letters to the Editor
February 26, 2004
Civil disobedience
A necessary risk
Nick Dayton's column, "Disobeying laws hurts democracy," (Feb. 25) misses an important aspect of protecting people's civil liberties. Civil disobedience has been essential for the rights of minorities throughout history. Was it wrong for Rosa Parks to stay in her seat on the bus? No. It is often difficult or even impossible for minority groups to use the legal avenues for changing the law when an oppressive majority is fighting against them. This is why civil disobedience is necessary. The race issue was able to be fought by individuals because civil disobedience did not require a government license. San Francisco is performing an act of civil disobedience in order to challenge the constitutionality of an unjust law. As Mike Howard said in "Rebellions defend the public interests," the courts are the best way for minority rights to be protected against the majority. There is also a stark difference between issuing marriage licenses to gay couples and giving blind people driver's licenses or crazy people guns; that difference is public safety. There is no risk of death in handing out a marriage license. Civil disobedience is necessary to ensure that everyone in this country has equal opportunities and equal rights under our laws.
-- Eric Hansen
junior, political science
Missing the point
Regarding Nick Dayton's column on municipal disobedience ("Disobeying laws hurts democracy," Feb. 25), he seems to miss the central rationale behind San Francisco's decision to issue marriage licenses to homosexuals. Dayton repeatedly asserts that violation of the Constitution by a municipality will "irreparably damage" our republic. However, San Francisco is challenging the current law exactly because it believes that giving marriage rights to homosexuals is mandated by the Constitution and its stated principles of equality. Dayton's argument seems based more on justifying his belief that gays shouldn't be allowed to marry than on providing any actual discussion of the question posed, regarding potential ramifications of municipal disobedience vis-a-vis federal or state laws.
-- Gabriel Scheer,
Evans School of Public Affairs, Jackson School of International Studies
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