gay marriage in California - not so fast

Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed the California legislature’s gay marriage bill.
He is saying that it is against the will of the people to have gay marriage create by a legislature and is basing his veto on a 5-year old vote.
Lest we forget this is a democracy and a state legislature is created and established by the voters of the state.
I am not sure how things will progress in this nation.
If a legislature creates a law defining rights, one man, one sole individual can overturn it by saying it is not the will of the people.
If a court interprets law defining the same rights, that court is guilty of “judicial activism” and is against the will of the people.
Which way is it?
Is the only way to determine whether or not gay marriage should be recognized to poll each and every individual in this country?
If that was the case, would women have ever been given the right to vote? Would Blacks still be considered 2/3 of a citizen?
With every losing battle, I cringe at the state of this nation and how less and less of a democracy and great nation we appear.