A ringing endorsement of equal marriage rights: We recognize that lack of access to marriage deprives gay and lesbian working families of more than 1,000 rights and benefits afforded heterosexual families, such as spousal Social Security and pension benefits, hospital visitation rights, spousal health insurance, immigration rights, and many other federal, state, and local protections, as well as rights in the workplace. Civil union and domestic partnership laws, while well intentioned, create an unequal legal status for same-sex couples that extends only a few of the state and local-level protections and benefits afforded "spouses" in heterosexual marriage. Says who? The Service Employees International Union, the largest union in the United States. El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido - despite the best wishes of the Right.