Reasons why there is much discontent

According to the polls, the vast majority of Americans are frustrated with and distrustful of our courts and government. Given these few examples, we have reason to be.

California voters decided in a statewide binding referendum that marriage was a legal relationship between two persons of opposite gender. The vote wasn't even close. But the state courts overruled the people.

Three Illinois leaders - of the same political party - can't stand to be in the same room. Their actions are guided by narrow political and petty personal agendas. So our state government spirals from crisis to crisis in perpetual chaos. How are the people served by this childish behavior?

Congress adopted a law authorizing the military to try non-citizen terrorists captured on the battlefield. The U.S. Supreme Court overruled the people's elected representatives. Now terrorists trying to kill U.S. military personnel - the true defenders of our rights - have more legal rights than our brave soldiers.

We're frustrated and distrustful because those who judge and govern arrogantly ignore the fact that they are our servants - not our masters. The politicians and pundits have it wrong again. We don't seek "change" or "hope" from the self-appointed and the media-anointed. We simply demand that our courts and governments respect our rights as free citizens and act accordingly.

Kenneth Spitz

West Chicago