Steps forward, steps back: Ground lost in Arizona, Florida, and likely California

On the upside, President-elect Barack Obama included gay Americans in his victory speech last night as he spoke of the country uniting for change.

But in California, gay citizens are fairly sure to lose their right to marry as Proposition 8, a bill that seeks to change the very language of the state's constitution to discriminate against same-sex marriage, is almost certain to pass. And in Arizona and Florida, voters passed anti-gay ballot measures to ban same-sex marriage in their states.

Congratulations to all who voted in favor of these propositions. I hope you can sleep better tonight knowing that you've denied your gay friends, family members, neighbors and fellow citizens the basic right to marry the person they love.

This is sad, infuriating, downright disgusting news, and our thoughts are with gays and lesbians in these states whose civil liberties have been compromised in the shadow of last night's historic victory. Change can't come soon enough.