Articles by: Thomas Waters

What is the role of the US Supreme Court?

What is the role of the US Supreme Court?

Synopsis of the cases and what the Court will be deciding regarding marriage equality. … the reality is that the Court doesn’t grant rights. The court may rule that a law is unconstitutional, and thereby remove the law which was denying people rights. Laws create and limit rights. Courts determine if those laws are constitutional or not, and the US Supreme Court decides if lower courts have made correct or incorrect decision regarding the constitutionality of a law.

June 10, 2013 — Comments are Disabled — general, Same-Sex Marriage
Same-sex marriage and the US Supreme Court.

Same-sex marriage and the US Supreme Court.

Live call -in internet radio program: My guest- Professor Tony Infanti from the University of Pittsburgh Law School about the upcoming cases and how various outcomes will impact real same-sex couples. We will talk briefly about what each case is about, what was learned if anything when the cases were heard by the Court earlier this year, and what some possible outcomes may be.

June 9, 2013 — 6 comments — general, Same-Sex Marriage
Debunking the myths used to demonize Bradley Manning.

Debunking the myths used to demonize Bradley Manning.

Every gay, lesbian, bi, trans and queer person must care because Bradley Manning is you and me. He is a small person who believes things can be better and wrongs can be righted with the truth. He is a person attacking the Patriarchy which is about “power over others” and believing that the ends justify the means no matter who is harmed.

June 5, 2013 — Comments are Disabled — Activism, general
What is a bigot?

What is a bigot?

Andrew Sullivan shares comments from readers regarding bigotry and who is a bigot- a term he cares not to use, as it doesn’t lead to dialogue. I both agree with him, and disagree, and illustrate in this post why the term “bigot” can and should be applied and why to label some on the Far Religious Right.

June 4, 2013 — Comments are Disabled — Activism, general
Why I started an email newsletter.

Why I started an email newsletter.

I think more and more people are gathering their news and commentary in alternative ways like on Facebook and Twitter, and I think the average person needs to discern the difference between news and journalism from commentary and editorial. These efforts- gathering news in social Media and discerning content are often conflicting efforts, as social media is a space where commentary and editorial rule, and facts and journalism can be sparse.

June 4, 2013 — 1 comment — general
Poll Shows Pennsylvania’s Small Businesses Strongly Support Employment Non-Discrimination Laws Protecting LGBT Workers

Poll Shows Pennsylvania’s Small Businesses Strongly Support Employment Non-Discrimination Laws Protecting LGBT Workers

The poll, conducted April 8-17, 2013 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, also found that the vast majority of small business owners already thought laws existed to protect gay and transgender people. In terms of federal law, a striking 84 percent of entrepreneurs thought it was illegal to make employment decisions based on one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. In terms of state law, 78 percent of small business owners believed it was illegal to fire or refuse to hire someone because they are gay or transgender.

June 4, 2013 — 3 comments — general, LGBT Discrimination: Exploring Laws and Policies
Bradley Manning Trial Begins Today

Bradley Manning Trial Begins Today

I am convinced that Gays and Lesbians will continue to fail to support Manning since his efforts appear as an attack on a Government and a President whom we (as a LGBT community) want to believe is on our side. We need so much from this President and this Government, and so much is hanging in the scales right now as we await the US Supreme Court decisions on same-sex marriage. How can we, as a group hope for affirmation from this very government which has been so wrong as illustrated in these leaks? That is a real conundrum.

June 3, 2013 — 1 comment — Activism, general
LGBT INCLUSIVE NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE ADOPTED IN PITTSTON

LGBT INCLUSIVE NON-DISCRIMINATION ORDINANCE ADOPTED IN PITTSTON

Pittston has become the 31st municipality in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to adopt a non-discrimination ordinance. The small city of about 8,000 is the first in Luzerne County and second in northeastern Pennsylvania to adopt this type of local law.

May 28, 2013 — Comments are Disabled — general, LGBT Discrimination: Exploring Laws and Policies
Why we call them Bigots.

Why we call them Bigots.

This wanton extravagance of lies and misinformation- that’s what allows this to be characterized as bigotry. It is an utter failure to see those who seek Marriage Equality as real people with a real interest, and is far more offensive than what we get from anti-gay groups like NOM. At least NOM acknowledges exactly what we want, even if they are fighting tooth and nail to stop us from achieving it.

May 28, 2013 — 1 comment — general, Same-Sex Marriage
Gays, Boy Scouts, and Progress: Part 3

Gays, Boy Scouts, and Progress: Part 3

In any cultural change where it is portrayed as one side has something crucial to lose, no possible progress can come to be if both sides don’t seek a “win” for themselves and a “loss” for the other. In this case, a win for both sides exists as well as the situation is primed for the BSA to accept gay leaders since this the currently policy is so illogical. To condemn the recent progress, dismisses the very hard work of many that got us this far, and sets an adversarial tone that can harm further cooperation and progress.

May 25, 2013 — 5 comments — general
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