Donald Trump is trying his best to make life hell for anyone who isn’t a conservative, wealthy white male – but yesterday one of his inhumane agenda items received a big smackdown.
On Tuesday, a federal appeals court ruled that the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects LGBT employees from workplace discrimination. This 8-to-3 decision was made by the full 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago, and will likely be taken into account in any further decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court further down the line.
The judge, who had been appointed by Republican Ronald Reagan, said:
“I don’t see why firing a lesbian because she is in the subset of women who are lesbian should be thought any less a form of sex discrimination than firing a woman because she’s a woman.”
Judge Diane Wood wrote for the majority:
“Any discomfort, disapproval, or job decision based on the fact that the complainant — woman or man — dresses differently, speaks differently, or dates or marries a same-sex partner, is a reaction purely and simply based on sex. That means that it falls within Title VII’s prohibition against sex discrimination ….”
This ruling is major, considering that Trump and his administration have begun working in their own policies that will affect the LGBT community. In late March, Trump signed an executive order that revoked an order former President Barack Obama had implemented, which protected LGBT workers. The executive order Trump revoked required companies working with the federal government to provide documentation that they were working within federal laws. National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Kate Kendell commented on Trump’s executive order and what it means for LGBT workers:
“President Trump’s quiet take-down yesterday of federal safeguards against employment discrimination for millions of LGBT Americans is yet another example of why our elected officials, advocates, and our community must remain vigilant and continue working together to stop this administration’s regressive and harmful policies.”
But hopefully thanks to this federal appeals court ruling, it will be harder for Trump to push his agenda through. Greg Nevins, of Lambda Legal, called the ruling a “game changer”:
“This decision is game changer for lesbian and gay employees facing discrimination in the workplace and sends a clear message to employers: it is against the law to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.”
![](<p>One would think after the killing of Michael Brown by Officer Darren Wilson and all the national attention it got, cops in St. Louis, Missouri would try to stay out of the news as much as humanly possible. But, given all the civil unrest and rioting that followed the Michael Brown verdict in November, and the fact that a St. Louis officer recently had <a href="http://m.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/missouri-police-officer-shot-on-the-job-has-career-ending/article_0759292b-ad34-5ecc-b15d-c4d61a1f8983.html?mobile_touch=true" target="_blank">career-ending injuries</a>, they seem to be as trigger happy as ever.</p>
<p>Yet another potential wrongful police shooting occurred yesterday after an unarmed 31-year-old man, with prior convictions and outstanding warrants, was shot and killed by police.</p>
<p>Here’s what is known so far, courtesy of local station <a href="http://www.komu.com/news/man-shot-and-killed-by-springfield-police-officer-65978/" target="_blank"><em>KOMU TV-8</em></a></p>
<blockquote><p>SPRINGFIELD (AP) – Springfield officials say a 31-year-old man who was shot and killed by a police officer during a foot chase.</p>
<p>Police said in a news release that Michael Ireland died after he was shot in the chest Tuesday evening while being pursued by officer Andrew Bath in north Springfield. The pursuit began after officers responded to a report of suspicious activity.</p>
<p>Police say at some point in the case, the officer shot Ireland once in the chest. He died at the scene.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, police said it was believed Ireland was not armed and no weapon was found at the scene. Ireland was a persistent offender and convicted felon and was wanted on municipal warrants. He was on probation and parole.</p>
<p>As standard procedure, Bath has been placed on administrative leave.</p></blockquote>
<p>It seems like “administrative leave” is the new paid vacation in police speak.</p>
<p>Not to point any fingers here since it’s still very early, but the St. Louis police have proven that they have about as much credibility these days as Brian Williams. For example, Jeff Roorda, the former St. Louis police officer who demanded that the NFL <a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/11/st-louis-police-officers-group-demands-rams-players-be-disciplined-for-hands-up-dont-shoot/" target="_blank">discipline the five St. Louis Rams players</a> doing a “hand up, don’t shoot” before a football game, has a history of lying in police reports. Moreover, it seems he also sponsored legislation that would shield the names of police officers from public scrutiny unless charged with a crime.</p>
<p>If any of the countless police shooting tragedies have taught us anything, it’s that police investigating police is as scrupulous as kids grading their own papers.</p>
<p><em><strong>H/T: <a href="http://m.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/police-identify-man-shot-and-killed-by-springfield-mo-officer/article_b8b0e4b7-1c2c-56f5-8eb9-bfaf4260f05d.html?mode=comments&mobile_touch=true" target="_blank">St. Louis Dispatch</a> | </strong>Featured Image courtesy<strong> <a href="http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2013/12/st_louis_no_refusal_zone_warrant.php" target="_blank">RiverFrontTimes</a></strong></em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.ifyouonlynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/unnamed.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-10375" src="http://www.ifyouonlynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/unnamed.jpg" alt="unnamed" width="80" height="80" /></a> <strong>M</strong><em><strong>ichael is a comedian/VO artist/Columnist extraordinaire. Follow him on <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/mikehayne" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/michael.hayne" target="_blank">Facebook</a></strong></em></p>
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Featured image via Handout / Getty Images
