AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT ELECT BARAK OBAMA

 CONGRATULATIONS.  AS THE COUNTRY REJOICES IN THIS HISTORIC MOMENT, I AM PERSONALLY SADEND BY THE PASSAGE OF PROPOSITION 8 IN CALIFORNIA BANNING GAY MARRIAGE AND THE ADOPTION OF PROPOSITION 2 IN FLORIDA BANNING DOMESTIC PARTNER BENEFITS.  YOU HAVE PROMISED TO BE OPEN MINDED, AND I ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER YOUR VIEWS ON GAY MARRIAGE.  I UNDERSTAND YOUR VIEW THAT "MARRIAGE" SHOULD BE AN ACT BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN.  I FOR ONE CAN ACCEPT THAT, AS LONG AS GAY AND LESBIAN HUMAN'S HAVE THE SAME CIVIL RIGHTS AS HETEROSEXUAL ONES.  THOSE OF US, IN LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS, CAN NOT LEAVE OUR LIFE PARTNER PROPERTY WITHOUT BEING SUBJECT TO AN INHERITANCE TAX.  AND IN NEW YORK THAT CAN MEAN, FORCING THE REMAINING PARTNER TO SELL THEIR HOME, EVEN IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE PROPERTY WAS PURCHASED TOGETHER.   WE ARE TAXED ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS THAT FORWARD THINKING CORPORATIONS GRANT THE DOMESTIC PARTNERS OF EMPLOYEES.  WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY, AND HAVE THEM STAY IN THE U.S, A RIGHT GRANTED TO HETEROSEXUAL COUPLES.  THESE ARE ONLY A FEW OF A LONG LIST OF BASIC CIVIL RIGHTS GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES LACK.  THOSE OF US WHO ARE GAY, AND VOTED FOR YOU, ASK YOU TO BE OUR PRESIDENT TOO.  KEEP THE WORD "MARRIAGE" IF YOU MUST.  BUT GIVE US GLARRIAGE, OR ANY WORD THAT AFFORDS GAY AND LESBIAN CIVIL UNIONS, THE SAME RIGHTS MARRIAGE AFFORDS HETEROSEXUAL UNIONS.

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THIS COUNTRY, AND HAVE ALREADY DONE SO,

PLEASE RETHINK YOUR SUPPORT OF GAY AND LESBIAN AMERICANS.  GIVE US GLARRIAGE.