Nov. 3 was a sad day in the history of Maine. In May 2009, the Legislature and the governor rightfully upheld the constitutional rights of all people to legally marry; churches could still decide if they would conduct those marriages. They correctly separated church from state and belief from law. On Nov. 3, a majority of the people of Maine retracted that law.

Laws in this country are in place specifically to protect minorities from the majority. Would African-Americans have the right to vote if there were a popular vote at that time in the nation’s history? Would women? And separate, but equal? Does that ring any bells, regarding the civil rights issues of the 1960s? I suspect most people would never trade their marriage for a civil union.

That law was a matter of constitutionality and nondiscrimination. It had nothing to do with education or religious beliefs. As long as marriage is a legal state it must be available to any adult, regardless of gender, religion, etc. An alternative would be to remove marriage as a legal status altogether. All couples would be joined under civil unions and individual churches would decide whether or not to sanctify those unions.

In the meantime, shame on those who let their religious beliefs, prejudices or the lies from outsiders influence their vote. Years from now, they will be appalled by their ignorance of the foundations of equality for all that this great country was built on.

Sarah Sloane, Farmington