Give equal rights to gays

Problem:
Gay people face legal discrimination throughout America.

Solution:
Pass a federal law to protect all Americans from discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Every day in America people are fired from their jobs, kicked out of their apartments, and denied public services solely because of their sexual orientation. It may be surprising, but no federal law protects gay Americans from discrimination, and only a handful of states give gay people the same protection provided to other Americans.

Despite public opposition, an organized minority and a lot of indifference have allowed anti-gay discrimination to remain legal in 42 states.

Discrimination, no matter who it's against, is un-American and benefits no one. Congress should enact federal legislation to eliminate job discrimination on sexual orientation.

What I think is more important than job-discrimination, though, would be allowing gays to either marry, or at least form some type of union with the same legal status.

There are 1049 federal laws tailored to married couples, giving them benefits that are denied to gay couples. Marriage brings tax breaks, Social Security benefits, joint ownership of property, and next-of-kin status that affects everything from inheritances to funeral arrangements.