When five largely unrepresentative and unaccountable people can decide to impose their moral values on a nation of 320 million, we really are not a nation of laws, but a nation of men.

When clerks in Washington, D.C. can deny citizens access to guns, despite there being an individual, constitutional right, we really are not a nation of laws, but a nation of men.

When Barack Obama can ignore court rulings and bypass Congress on a whim and be cheered for doing so, we really are not a nation of laws, but a nation of men.

When mayors and other leaders can be cheered for ignoring the marriage laws of the nation and issue same sex marriage licenses at a time doing so is prohibited by state law, we really are not a nation of laws, but a nation of men.

When jurors lie to get on death penalty cases to ensure the death penalty cannot be issues and they are heroes for doing so, we really are not a nation of laws, but a nation of men.

So when Kim Davis refuses to issue marriage licenses, she’s just behaving as all the others have done. Only she’s the bad guy because the secular loud voices of the country disagree with her ignoring the law.

But again, we are nation of men, not a nation of laws.

Anthony Kennedy decided to insert his will and morality into the discussion and shut up everyone else. He thought he could shut down the conversation. He only made it angrier.

We are not a democracy, but an oligarchy. And we are not a nation of laws. The republic may continue, but without the moral leadership necessary to bind the leaders and citizens to the same laws.