Las Vegas Sun

November 16, 2009

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Letter: Gay rights are not moral, but legal issues

Monday, May 5, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

But as a courtesy, let me explain a few simple facts unemcumbered by prejudice or religious zealotry. Gay American citizens are a fact of life. We work, pay taxes, vote, go to church, donate, and we volunteer; we pretty much do all the things other people do. We already get married. We have long-term loving and monogamous relationships.

We have families and in the state of Nevada we can adopt as single gay parents or we can adopt as couples. We send our children to school and college. Our society has given us the unique ability to determine whom we call family.

What we do not have are any of the civil benefits that go with state recognition of our marriages: the ability to provide medical benefits, the ability to join estates, the ability to cover by pension, the ability to file joint taxes and the right to claim as next of kin those we love are just a few.

These issues have nothing to do with moral beliefs. Just ask a Buddhist.

Chandler Levrich

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