A federal district judge in San Francisco has decided the citizens of a state prohibiting gay marriage violates the constitution. “Gender no longer forms an essential part of marriage,” said the judge, overturning several thousand years of history in one fell swoop. A majority of the citizens of California, the most progressive state in the union, disagree.In fact, 32 states ban gay marriage by constitution or statute. An additional seven ban it, but have civil-union laws. The judge in San Francisco ruled yesterday that civil unions do not equate with marriage.In fact, the judge focused on the historic cultural meaning of marriage before destroying the historic cultural meaning of marriage.39 states have banned gay marriage.It takes only 38 states to ratify a constitutional amendment.A majority of the American public and three-quarters of the American states have been overruled by one federal judge in San Francisco. To be fair, the ruling only affects Northern California. It will be appealed. The odds are, for now, that the judge will be overruled.But again and again the political elites in this country think they know best. From the mosque at Ground Zero to gay marriage to Obamacare, the majority of the people and states are forced to deal with a minority that does not respect them and democratic and legal institutions that oppose them.If a minority of political elites and liberals can impose their will and values on a majority sufficient enough to amend the constitution, it is time for the majority to respond with constitutional force.In Thomas Jefferson’s words, “In questions of power then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the constitution.”