Kenneth Keechl, president of the Dolphin Democratic Caucus said, “Democrats have always supported treating all Americans equally, because that is the key to unlocking our highest potential as a society.”

It is in that spirit that Melissa J. Fojtik has reached out to various businesses and poitical organizations to help in that effort with the project called Fusion Coalition. This project is receiving the support of the Dolphin Democrats, GLBT Caucus and Broward Black Caucus as well as Georgie’s Alibi, Dorothy’s Deli, Stork’s Bakery, Union Printing and many individuals.

The mission of the Coalition is to secure and protect the rights of committed non-married couples and their children. “We seek to eliminate prejudice and discrimination through outreach and education,” Fojtik said. “We strive to have all committed Floridian couples treated equally.”

Keechl agrees with the mission, saying, “We need to protect those families with children who are denied the right to marry, as well as the families and children of those couples who are committed to each other and are unmarried.”

One of the projects the Coalition is pursuing is the Family Protection Amendment is Florida. The amendment would seek to insure joint ownership of property acquired during the partnership with rights of survivorship; Joint obligation for debts incurred during the partnership; Presumption of parenthood regarding children born during the partnership or through alternative insemination; Judicial determination of custody and support of children born during the partnership; Ability to authorize medical treatment of a partner’s children; Protection against disinheritance by a partner, and; Right to take extended unpaid leave to care for a partner.

“Fusion Coalition believes that all families should be valued, that the well-being of children is critical to our nation’s future, and that people who care for one another should be supported in their efforts to build healthy, happy relationships,” Fojtik added. “One of America’s strengths is its diversity, which includes not only a wide range of races, ethnicities, creeds, abilities, genders, and sexual orientations, but also a range of family forms.”

Fojtik believes that the key to success is building strong coalitions within the community and to other portions of the community that have similar objectives. “When we build coalitions with other groups that are affected such as opposite sex couples with children, and elderly committed couples, we cannot lose.,” she says.

Keechl expanded on the same principal, adding “As Democrats, we care about every American who has been forgotten in the current political climate. Invitations have been coming in from retirement communities, non-traditional family groups and GLBT organizations. This amendment will affect far more opposite-sex couples than same-sex couples and we are committed to giving a voice to those who have fallen through the cracks in today’s political climate.”

The Dolphin Democrats met earlier this month to discuss this and other issues. In their decision, released May 9, they gave their full support of the “decline to sign” initiative opposing the far right’s anti gay-marriage amendment. Then, in a forward move to protect Florida’s non-traditional families and committed couples, a strategy to place a Family Protection Amendment on the ballot was unanimously supported.

According to U.S. Census data, over a million people in Florida could benefit from this amendment and the majority are opposite sex couples. Over 40 percent of these households have children under 18 and find themselves facing a myriad of issues and roadblocks to protect their families.

“The importance of these resolutions and their support by the Democratic Party cannot be overstated,” said Fojtik, who is also Vice President of the Dolphin Democrats. “We have thousands of committed couples in Florida who cannot get married due to personal or legal restrictions and these couples and their children need legal protections.”

Keechl points out that if the Christian-backed anti-marriage initiatives gains momentum, that it could affect many more members of the population outside the gay community. “This is sweeping language that could also be used to ban civil unions, domestic partnerships, disallowing companies from treating all employees equally, the rights of straight couples living together, and even the elderly who wish to avoid the IRS marriage penalty,” he said.

Many political leaders are supporting the Coalition, including Scott Maddox, State Party Chair Karen Thurman, Florida Democratic Party (FDP), Sen. Ron Klein, Senator Nan Rich, Rep. Jack Seiler, Rep. Sherri McInvale, Rep. Tim Ryan, National committeewoman Diane Glasser, DEC Chairman Mitch Ceasar, Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton, Fort Lauderdale Vice Mayor Dean Trantalis and Oakland Park Commissioner Suzanne Boisvenue.

For more information about the Fusion Coalition visit their website at www.FusionCoalition.org or call 888.220.8524.

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