02:57

I got a message from my friend Mark, in Tulsa. He wrote to tell me that his fellow Oklahomans have passed, by 80%, a Constitutional amendment which forbids two human beings who are of the same gender to marry each other. In the same election, Oklahomans extended their rights to game, race horses and have a state lottery. Do those results appear just a little hypocritical to anyone else?

Oklahoma wasn't alone. In total, eleven states voted Tuesday on whether they should use their Constitution to protect themselves from the "threat" of people marrying others of the same gender. (Never mind that in these 11 states it was already against the law.) The people have spoken and the results are in. In all eleven states that voted, not only is it still illegal for gay citizens to marry each other, it's also now unconstitutional.

Ian, who teaches private international law here, doesn't understand our American system. "How," he asks, "can a Constitution, which was created to protect the rights of a minority from the majority, be voted on by the majority to take rights of a minority away?"

Although I'm a lawyer and have also taught law, I don't have an answer for him. All I know is that it's 2:57 in the morning and, as I unconsciously twist the engagement ring he gave me back and forth on my finger, I'm unable to sleep.