Dear Editor:

This refers to the opinion piece of Gülin Ustabas, in which she deplores the democratic practice of governing according to the vote of the majority. If she did a little more research, she would find that the U.S. Constitution was fashioned only after a lengthy debate over minorities and factions. As discussed in “The Federalist” and in later debates, minorities of citizens would be protected by checks and balances.

Proof that minorities with ideas get plenty of recognition sits right on my desk.  On my work calendar, I see more religious holidays of a minority that came late to this country and totals only 2 percent of its population than the holidays of the majority, who founded the republic, who total some 80 percent.

Or look at the curriculum of the Stanford History Department, which, under pressure, replaced its celebrated course on the History of Western Civilization with courses on the history of minorities and women.

— Richard M. Jennings ’48