In my 52 years as a responsible American I voted for the people who I believed would serve the public in empowering ways ensuring that all of us get the same opportunities to thrive as is why our nation is so great. Both sets of my grand parents were immigrants and helped to mold this nation. My father, a first generation born in America served in the Army in WWII, my brother in Viet Nam. I spent my twenties on 4 duty stations around the world as a partner to a Chief in the US Navy, during Dessert Storm. When I see old glory fly the pride I have for this nation and those who serve it is immeasurable. When I see it cover a coffin of fallen soldier I, like many Americans cannot contain my emotions. I now serve as a volunteer and member of the American Military Partner Association, a non profit, non partisan organization that reaches out to elected officials seeking help in getting care denied to our troops so I went to speak with Congressmen Tom Reed about the needs of our troops.

Most of my family is Republican and support steadfast values of freedom; liberty and justice for all define our great nation. America’s power is enhanced through securing those protections to all. But this year we cannot vote for Tom Reed after listening to his positions which are not well publicized, perhaps because hey are very discriminatory. His positions should be revealed so people can make informed choices. In my 2 in person meetings with Reed he was adamant he would not be changing his position to deny some of our fallen soldiers, their widows and children survivors pay and recognition. When listening to Reed who admitted he too like most American families has a gay sibling, Tom said his family relations are 'difficult' because although he has power to make historical changes he will continue denying his gay sibling the same rights, protections and privileges of marriage he and his wife enjoy.

I went to ask Tom why he continues to refuse to sign The Defense of Marriage Act that his constituents including the retired marine who works in office in Corning have asked for nearly 4 years now. Supporting it would ensure all marriages performed in states that recognize constitutional rights to marriage are recognized in all other states. Signing it ends the Jim Crow like discrimination suffered by all married same gender couples traveling or who are forced to move for jobs to states that now refuse to recognize their legal marriages. The current laws mean that an accident is disastrous and legalities deny rights of health care decisions and retention custody of children are the reality. The most heinous suffering is caused   when all rights to a child’s care is revoked in many states states like NC, Texas, S.C.  Some married gay couples with children are especially at risk for having children their legal custody stripped and in cases of accident children have been removed from the surviving parent and placed in state custody until the legally recognized next of kin can be found. This is determined by the state they happen to be traveling in. The surviving legal parent in one state is considered a stranger in another state even though that parent may have adopted the child, but because that state refuses gay Americans civil rights the parents and children are traumatized by separation as well as the loss of their biological parent as result of accident.

Reed's signing the act would help in legally equalizing marriage recognition and ensure that traumatizing children and families end.  I went to Reed several times to ask him why he supports such harmful laws. His response remains, “I believe that marriage is only for one man and one woman and gays should not have the same rights and protections through marriage.” This mantra is center productive to freedom for all and is unbecoming to the party that states freedom is the most valuable value and foundation of the Republican party, yet denying freedom to women, gays, races other than white and the very immigrant who built this nation is what many promote even in 2014 displaying the party has reached obsolesce. Reed voted against protection for gays, against equal pay for women, against equal rights for women, against our troops having the same survivors benefits and against immigrant rights. He supported legislation that legalizes the firing of gay people from any religious affiliated employer by signing the Employment Non Discrimination Act which actually removed rights of employees who can now be fired for revealing they are gay leaving them no legal recourse at all. Many lose their jobs, insurance and ability to keep their homes.

In our meeting I talked about Military Police Sgt. Donna Johnson who was serving a second tour of duty in Afghanistan and killed in action in 2012. Her wife Tracy, also serving 12 years in combat, is still denied all survivors’ pay and recognition as a widow. This is  because Reed refuses to sign The Respect for Marriage Act deserve the same rights and freedoms he enjoys only because they are gay soldiers. Reed says these soldiers do not deserve marriage recognition and widow, Johnson should not get the same entitlements or recognition as all other surviving  widows and children receive in exchange for their loss. I was there to ask him to release the $1200.00 a month survivors pay to Sgt. Johnson’s widow she has been denied since 2012. Tom still refuses to sign and join responsible Republicans like Richard Hanna who do recognize the most significant loss of life as a result of war and as a free nation we must ensure that freedom to all as the constitution guarantees should be ensured to those who lose their lives in pursuit of it.

Unfortunately Reed says he will not be changing his position to support the constitution. He stated he will continue to deny Americans and our troops the very freedom, liberty and justice America is defined by if re elected. A vote for any Republican who reserves those values and rights only for themselves is not responsible rather they support heinous cruelty born of obsolete ignorance that certain humans should not be included in marriage, service or church.

Reeds unchangeable position to deny gays, women and surviving widows and children of fallen soldiers should not be supported by decent Republicans. It is the responsibility of voters to chose a candidate who most reflects their own positions. The position to deny human beings of human things is not one I would proudly support. Criminalizing humans through homo phobia driven legislation that Reed is proud of and states he will continue doing is not my idea of promoting freedom, liberty and justice for all rather it supports the fall of our nation by dividing our people. Reeds unacceptable message that some human beings are not worthy of love, inclusion, marriage and human rights is not something my family and I  support. It’s also  why the green party candidate Howie Hawkins gets our votes rather than Republican Rob Astorino, running for governor. Astorino also supports harming gay people and shares Reeds homo phobia and may be why his support is so low statewide. Republicans who are denying humans of human emotions like love telling American families they cannot have marriage and inclusion in church are cruel, disrespectful and exhibit anti American mentalities via ignorance of biology is malicious and defining the party. The small number of Tom Reed lawns signs means a few people still have not been educated on Reed or Astorinos positions so they unknowingly align themselves in support of denying fallen gay soldiers widows of their health care and survivors pay and harming children of same gender married couples. The anti American Tea Party values Reed and Astorino are proud of has high jacked a once decent party shaming the party whose constituents do not share their position to be cruel to our gay family members by voting for them.

As an American I want  all widows including Sgt. Johnson's to get survivors pay but keeping Reed means not all will receive them. I do not want children to be stripped from their loving parent during tragic times while traveling but if Reed is kept in office more will be forced to suffer trauma through his position to continue to discriminate. I cannot vote party lines if it means my vote deliberately harms gay people and their kids so I am supporting Martha Robertson. She does support equal benefits and recognition so every fallen soldier and their family will get what is due. I cannot support any politician who vows to continue to deny our troops the very same freedom, liberty and justice they die for to ensure to me. If they die for freedom they do not get because Reed and others who discriminate denies it, voting to keep him means American widows and children suffer so I refuse to vote for Reed and I encourage the Republican party to bring forth another candidate who values freedom for all as what our nation is built on.

Joanne Cipolla-Dennis
Freeville, NY

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