To the editor: John Lepper and Betty Poirier have every reason to be proud of their position on the matter of whether the voting citizens of the commonwealth should be permitted to vote on same-sex marriage. By saying, `` let the people vote,'' they stand squarely upon the side of the Constitution and its author, John Adams.

The Constitution of the Commonwealth is purposely laid out in such a way as to show the order of importance of each part. It begins first with the people's rights, then goes to the legislature, the executive, and finally, to the judicial branch of government. These are not separate, but equal; rather the people and their representation are of first importance, followed by the executive, who is to see that the people's will is done, and finally, the court, whose role is said to be to render decisions on points of law, which the legislature may follow or ignore.

It begins with our Bill of Rights, which says, `` All power residing originally in the people, and being derived from them, the officers of government, vested with authority, whether legislative, executive, or judicial, are their substitutes and agents, and are at all times accountable to them.'' Our rights as citizens to vote on same-sex marriage is higher than the decision of the unelected, appointed-for-life, members of the State Supreme Judicial Court. We are a democracy, not an oligarchy.

It further states, `` The people alone have an incontestable, and unalienable right to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same.'' The right to make laws affecting our society and culture, such as the very definition of marriage, does not reside with any court, but solely with the people.

The court rendered its decision in November of 2003, and the legislature ignored it, making no law concerning same-sex marriage. That should have been the end of it. This is the process by which laws are instituted in our commonwealth, not by the order of any court. Thank you John and Betty for standing up for the people's rights. You are to be commended.

Harold Crowell, North Attleboro