Letter writer Tim Weber is absolutely correct that Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller has every right to state his position on gay marriage ("Why won't Mike Miller stand up for his beliefs on gay marriage?," Feb. 1). Unfortunately, that fact is quite irrelevant. Mr. Weber does not seem to understand that the Constitution is intended to restrict the powers of government, not the freedoms of individuals. And this fact is most important in preventing a majority from forcing its views — religious or otherwise — upon a minority.

Mr. Weber then descends into a stream of baseless statements about religion that appear to have sprung from an alternate reality. On what basis has the United States "tried to slowly do away with God?" Over 80 percent of this country still claims to belong to some religion. And even if that were so, it has no relation to the fact that "the United States has slowly slipped from the world power it was." Any person paying attention to the world knows that has been shaped by a variety of factors, not the least of which is the emergence of China — a country where Christians are in the minority.