Well, another year has passed and supposedly we are another year wiser. Gregorian year 2008 has passed with the arrival of 2009; another 365.4 days that bring with it the usual hopes, dreams, desires and endless possibilities that we humans can imagine.  Some of us will make lists of resolutions, fewer will keep them, most will just lose the list, and others just reject such notions of resolutions for a multitude of reasons. 

I've been told that resolutions are a reminder of the things we didn't do the year before and hope to get around to in the year to come.  With that in mind here's my wish list for 2009:

In PA:

·         That Governor  Rendell uses his vast political clout to persuade the Pennsylvania Legislature to pass an anti-discrimination bill that includes both sexual orientation and gender identity.  This also would include the need for an immediate amendment to the Commonwealth's Hate Crimes legislation to include not just sexual orientation and gender identity, but the handicapped as well.

·         That the Pennsylvania Legislators stop discriminating against queer people and immediately pass the amendments to both anti-discrimination and hate crimes legislation.  For goodness sake . . . this is 2009 . . .  any delay is both senseless and disrespectful.

·         That term limits become not just a topic of conversation but a reality.  It has been said by some that equality comes from political action . . . if there is truth to this statement then we need to start pushing for term limits for ALL of our elected offices. There is nothing that will affect the political landscape faster then term limits. They will help eliminate the problems that come with career politicians and help to create a whole new generation of public servants with new and fresh ideas.

In NJ:

·         That New Jersey Legislators correct the State's flawed Civil Union laws that failed to provide true marriage equality with all the benefits of heterosexual marriage.  Do it and be proud to become the first state to legislate marriage equality to same-sex couples.

·         That New Jersey Legislators pass Assembly Bill 804, the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, so that medical doctors can prescribe a beneficial form of medical treatment to their patients.

In Philadelphia:

·         That term limits (they're so important I needed to mention it twice) be imposed on members of City Council. But there seems to be a catch.  Term limits can only come about by a change in the City Charter.  I've been told that the only way to change the Charter is by an action of city council . . . nice catch-22. Are there any lawyers out there with some ideas? How do we impose term limits on members of City Council?

·         That a dialog is started on the concept of a charter school for some of the city's queer youth and their peer allies. This is one of those emotional hotbeds of a subject; either for or against it. The future of our youth is worth such dialog.

Nationally:

·         That "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the law that states that queers must hide their sexuality while serving in the military, is repealed. 

·         That the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bars the recognition of same-sex marriages, is repealed.

·         That the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, is enacted into law.

·         That congress enacts federal hate crimes legislation that includes sexual orientation and gender identity protections.

·         That we continue to advance our fight for marriage equality in order that our unions receive the over 1,400 benefits and privileges that heterosexual married couples currently receive.

·         That there's a reduction in the continually growing number of hate crimes against queer people.

Internationally:

·         That the United Nations resolution decriminalizing homosexuality is approved.

·         That the government-sanctioned murders and torture of queers be eliminated by tyrannical governments.

·         That this is the year that the world is given the cure for HIV/AIDS.

These are just a few of my wishes for this year but highest on my list is that each of you, my friends, family, and readers, are filled with great happiness, wonderful health and a cheerful sense of humor.  May 2009 bring with it great victories on our road to full equality.