The highs and lows of post-election contemplation

Grassroots campaigning works, at least that is what Barack Obama has taught me. Instead of going after people with deep pockets and asking for large donations, Obama sought small donations from millions of people. He included the American people in fundraising, campaigning and electing our first non-white president. The more I learn about Obama the more inspired I am. At the same time I am jubilant in his victory, our victory really, I am uncertain of how I feel about four other measures/propositions/etc. Arkansas passed an anti-gay adoption bill last night, both Florida and Arizona passed anti-gay marriage bills and California of all places passed yet another anti-gay marriage bill. Gay marriage has been legal in California since May 2008, thanks to the California Supreme Court's decision stating that it is unconstitutional to prevent same-sex marriages. I believe in democracy so I can't be upset about the people of California having a voice on this proposition. I can however be irate with people that claim that gays are not discriminated against when applying for housing and jobs, that we aren't beaten or sexually assualted because we're gay, that we have a choice to be out or not to be gay or straight, that gay rights are special rights and that feel they have a right to tell me I am second rate to heterosexuals. As an intellgent thoughtful person I assure anybody out there who ignores or devalues gay struggles as a choice and therefore unavoidable that they are WRONG. We should not have to live in a closet and we should not have to live without the equal rights we fight for today. Gay rights are not special rights, they're equal rights. My wife and I having legal rights will not cause the world to come crashing down around us. The only reason people will be negatively affected is because they want to be. So those of us who happen to be gay and love Obama it was a bit of a bittersweet election night and post-election day. From this we can only move forward, no looking back at the negative aspects of the day. As CNN says, tomorrow is a new day and maybe, just maybe, I'll see the first gay president in my lifetime.