Editor, Times-Union: Never have I ever been so proud to be an American. This election season has seen the best of forward thinking and progress in the right direction. We have turned down those politicians who set out to redefine rape and could have set back our country 50+ years in women’s rights. Maryland, Maine and Washington state have voted to allow gay marriage, making nine states that allow same-sex marriage; 18 total that allow same-sex unions of some sort. The face of Washington, D.C., is changing too. Not only have we voted a mixed-race president into office for a second term, but Wisconsin has also elected Tammy Baldwin, our nation’s first openly gay senator. Hawaii has elected our first Buddhist senator (Mazie Hirono) and our first Hindu House representative (Tulsi Gabbard). We are also seeing the largest openly gay delegation in the House of Representatives in our nation’s history. We are carrying forward what our parents marched and protested for, full equality for all. We have honored their fight for equal rights by continuing the fight, and we should never stop until all people are equal. Steven Morgan Warsaw, via e-mail
