On November 3, 2009, the LGBT community suffered great losses. In New Jersey, where the incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine vowed to sign gay marriage into law, the people have elected Republican Chris Christie who has vowed to do the opposite. In Virginia, hopes of passing gay rights legislation have been dwindled greatly as Republicans won all seats on the ballot. Perhaps worst of all and the most blatantly anti-gay result of the 2009 voting year, Maine has lost the way to gay marriage. In a state where it seemed we finally had our chance in the bag, Maine's defeat is perhaps the biggest blow since Proposition 8.

What do we do now? Surely we can crawl back to our homes and hide under the covers. We can drop the picket signs to the pavement and hang our heads in defeat. Truly, these options would be the easiest, but they will never be the actions of the true champions of Human Rights. The atrocity at Stonewall inflamed our community to stand up together and march. When Anita Bryant threw us into the category of social deviants, our community made our stand in California against Proposition 6, and won. We are a community of strength and love and inside us is a storm to be reckoned with. So smile. Let the bigots know that they will not so easily crush the hopes and dreams of the gay sons and daughters of America. They will not defeat this movement no matter what gains they make. Show them that we will meet their attacks with a tempest that will reduce them to the pathetic playground bullies that they are.

We will march again and continue this struggle together, for we are great and loving creatures; for we are human.