It is a remarkable thing that the county clerk is basically breaking the existing law (no matter how unconstitutional it is). It succeeds in exposing the anti-gay zealots for who they are. It also accelerates the judicial review process.

I certainly cannot predict what will happen, but it can do nothing but good regardless of the legal outcome.

I entered the Bridge at exactly 22:00, it was calm and quiet. The trio of officers manning their stations stood promptly at attention when they saw me.

"At ease gentlemen" I stated quietly with a slight motion of my hand. "Status Report"

"Sir we are on course for Regulus arriving in 3 hours. Ship Propulsion functioning at peak performance. Currently cruising at warp 4". Stated Lt Reed.

"Weapon systems currently offline for routine maintenance. Current torpedo load is maxed at 100 sir. Phasers will be back online in 45 minutes." Stated Lt. Rogers.

"Ships scanners and the main deflector is offline for routine maintenance. All other systems standing by, sir" stated Lt. Morell.

"Thank you continue course increase to warp 7, execute" I stated.

The ship surged forward, though it was not noticeable. I was concerned that so many systems were offline for routine maintenance but I let it go for now. While I was still generally unhappy with this particular trio I was happy to see that they were complying with my orders without hesitation and were actually prepared for their shift. I also noted that their uniforms were pristine.

"Mr. Morell, I want all scanners and the main deflector brought online now. Please make it happen. Mr. Rogers get all weapons back online as soon as possible, I don't like having our systems offline like this." I requested casually.

The two busied themselves communicating to their departments to get the systems brought back up. This ship shook violently and we dropped out of warp.

"Sir, helm control is not functioning." stated Reed.
"Raise Shields!" I shouted.
"Shields up sir" shouted rogers.
"Red Alert, and are deflectors and weapons back up yet?" I asked quietly. The ship rocked violently again.
"Deflector is online, scanning..." said Morell
"Weapons are offline sir." reported Rogers
"We are in trouble. Damage Report!" I said
"Shields holding, no hull breaches." stated Rogers
"Can we get something on screen so we can see what we are dealing with?" I asked.

The turbo lift doors opened and Bastion entered. "What's happening Capt?"

"Unknown, we are trying to get visual up now." as I said this the screen lit up with the site of a ship. "Nausicans! Incoming!" I shouted as a volley of torpedoes approached.

"Shields down to 70%. Rerouting power." stated Morell. Several other officers entered the bridge and took various stations.

"Helm?" I queried.

"Back online, sir moving to attack position." stated Reed just as we were caught in a tractor beam.

"Phasers?" I asked

"Phasers online and Torpedoes loaded sir!" Shouted Rogers.

"Attack pattern omega, fire at will Lt." I responded. The Los Angeles began moving and firing. "Target weapons and shields, execute"

The Nausican ship ceased firing...

"They're Hailing sir"

"Let them eat static, continue to fire. Disable their engines" I stated calmly.

Tactical continued to fire and the Nausican ship started to move away. With the next volley of phaser fire the ship began to drift.

"Status Report"

"Shields at 100%, Engines online and Warp drive is available. Weapons are hot sir."

"The Nausican ship has no shields or weapons. Their Propulsion systems are down. Sir, they are adrift."

"Lock on to the Bridge crew and beam them directly to Cargo Bay 4 and put up force fields. Let's give them a face to face. Bastion, Reed, Rogers, Morell you're with me." I got up and headed for the turbolift.

This is a good thing, bans themselves will get their day in court, and they will lose under the civil rights act. This will tumble all the others.

Unfortunately, the people who fought to have these anti-equality laws put in place will fight tooth and nail to keep them in place. :(

Kudos to the county clerk and others that are taking a stand though. It gives me hope the fight for equality is still making progress.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/pa-officials-sue-to-stop-rogue-county-from-issuing-marriage-licenses-to-same-sex-couples/2013/07/30/e6dbfde0-f93a-11e2-a954-358d90d5d72d_story.html

I just don't understand why they can't leave us alone. We aren't hurting anyone. We just want the same rights as everyone else.

Quote by valeriavictrix

Hello Stonewall! :)

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Amy, 35 years old, transgender (I prefer female pronouns), and from the Detroit, Michigan area.

So far I have loved Stonewall! It's been a great experience for me. In fact, Pride was amazing!!! It was my first Pride ever and I loved every moment of it! It was just a total blast!

I haven't been very active in the LGBT* community because well, I suffer from social anxiety and depression. Which btw totally sucks! lol So for me, joining Stonewall was a big step!

Due to my anxiety, I haven't been very active in chat. I'm working on it. ;)

I absolutely adore STO. However, my level of play is at times hampered by my depression. As is everything else I enjoy.

Other than STO, I also enjoy a wide array of geeky/nerdy interests. I love computers/networking. I build them, fix them, work with software, and I've been known to dabble in C from time to time. There's also radio! I'm a scanner listener, shortwave listener, and I'm also a licensed Ham. Then there's astronomy, history, languages, and so many other things.

One thing I can't say enough this.. Thank you Stonewall for providing a safe and welcoming environment for all of us. :)

See you in STO! :)

Hi. I also suffer from deep depression. If you ever find yourself wanting to chat, just give me a /tell. I can be a bit anti-social. But this fleet is really good with acceptance. So I have learned to be just a little less anti-social. :-)

Hello Stonewall! :)

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Amy, 35 years old, transgender (I prefer female pronouns), and from the Detroit, Michigan area.

So far I have loved Stonewall! It's been a great experience for me. In fact, Pride was amazing!!! It was my first Pride ever and I loved every moment of it! It was just a total blast!

I haven't been very active in the LGBT* community because well, I suffer from social anxiety and depression. Which btw totally sucks! lol So for me, joining Stonewall was a big step!

Due to my anxiety, I haven't been very active in chat. I'm working on it. ;)

I absolutely adore STO. However, my level of play is at times hampered by my depression. As is everything else I enjoy.

Other than STO, I also enjoy a wide array of geeky/nerdy interests. I love computers/networking. I build them, fix them, work with software, and I've been known to dabble in C from time to time. There's also radio! I'm a scanner listener, shortwave listener, and I'm also a licensed Ham. Then there's astronomy, history, languages, and so many other things.

One thing I can't say enough this.. Thank you Stonewall for providing a safe and welcoming environment for all of us. :)

See you in STO! :)

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

I am fine with boycotting the games and bringing attention to the horrors my brothers and sisters have been going through. Let's celebrate unity and teamwork as people are being beaten and killed in the streets. The Olympics will survive.

Quote by NicholasJohn16

I watched it shortly after the remake came out. It was decent, but very different than the remake. The remake was better in a lot of ways. I never got around to watching most the spin offs and what not cause it just didn't hold my interest.

You hush your mouth! I like the original. The remake was okay. The story just seemed to fizzle out.

Quote by Zeryon

The Original Miniseries, and The Final Battle were amazing stories for their time. NBC decided to capitalize on their success and attempted to turn it into a weekly series, but they failed to comprehend the relevant story that was told in the original installments. The weekly series died after one year, and for good reason. It got caught up in too many cliches, and really became unhinged only a few episodes in. There wasn't really a way for it recover. Enjoy the mini-series, and pick up: V: The Final Battle if you can find it. They're great stories, and I really think you'll enjoy them both. Just avoid the weekly series--'cause that'll kill everything for you. ;-)

I got all three. :-) They had them all, which is very rare for Half Price Books. I finished the Mini-Series. Going to start the Final Battle tonight.

I'm sorry to hear that you've been subjected to personal attacks because of this Tsar. That's really unnecessary.

But, unfortunately, the Olympics have been and always will be a symbol of equality and human rights. This is by far not the first time that the Olympics have been used to bring a light to oppression and it won't be the last.

While the assurances that Olympians and guests will be treated fairly is nice, it's not nearly enough. What about the Russian glbt citizens? And what about after the games end? Should we just not care what happens to them?

At the end of the day, the Olympics is a huge boon to the Russian economy. Bringing in a million some tourists who will rent hotels, buy meals and purchase souvenirs. As well as basically paying for the renovation of one of their biggest tourist destinations. It's in the Russian governments (ie. Putin) best interest to assure anyone and everyone that everything is fine so they can make as much money as possible. At the end of the day, those dollars are being used to oppress lgbt people like you and me.

I would hate to see the Olympics boycotted and sacrifice the years of work that the athletes have put into getting to this point I would like at least like to see lgbta athletes and spectators stand in solidarity with the lgbt citizens so they know they aren't alone.

I tend to agree, the Olympics aren't a political entity though politics plays a role in what they do, it's really more about diplomacy than anything else. Even without the Olympics Russia is getting plenty of international flack for what it's doing. I wanted to share this article that details why boycotting Russian vodka and pressuring the IOC to attempt to strong-arm the Russian government into changing it's policies are not the best ways to go about affecting this kind of change and offers a viable alternative:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gabe-zichermann/boycott-russia-heres-a-better-idea_b_3672466.html

If Snowden is any indication, Russia will not be cowed into doing anything they don't want to do especially by the West and especially by the US, who for generations they have viewed as corrupt, decadent, morally bankrupt hedonists.

64% of their economy is based on Oil and gase exports with the remainder being military technology and natural resources and they rely very little dependency on foreign imports.

Very little money goes to the host country or city, it would go to the IOC and sponsorship fees have already been paid. It would be logistically impossible to move the games at this point.

What is going on over there is most definitely a human rights violation and something has to be done, the problem is that particular country very politically and economically insular and I have trouble seeing them squirm underneath any sort of international pressure the West could bring to bear against them. I mean it's always been that way hasn't it? The best alternative is to put pressure where pressure is due and that's on the White House and the UN. There's a link to a petition that you can sign to have the US government streamline asylum procedures for LGBT Russian nationals.

**WARNING RANT AHEAD**

I beg every one involved to not use the Olympic Games as a mode to advance an agenda for a particular group. Many of you know I work for IOC and have been working for them since 2004, just before the Games of Athens. I am one of the highest ranking openly gay IOC staffer, and the highest ranked openly gay IOC staffer in the United States. I am considered essential staff for the Games, I need to be there and damn right I'm worried and I have a vested interest in this. I am also very proud of my job and of the organization I work for.

I am intimately aware of what happens when a particular group tries to use the Olympic Games to further their own agenda. In 1968 during the Games of Mexico City, a gold medalist and a silver medalist both gave the Black Power salute and there was a backlash. There was a backlash against the athletes, a backlash against the Games and a backlash against many civil rights organization. In other words, no body won.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900397,00.html

Take that to today the gay community is in a the same position the civil rights movement was in in 1968. Biggest different gay rights organizations have been SEVERELY antagonistic towards the IOC. GLADD, the HRC and other US based gay rights organization have slung a lot more mud and have made more personal attacks towards individuals than individual countries have. I've been called an Uncle Tom, a worthless bureaucrat and a castrated pig just to mention a few. After all that mud slinging and jabs, we still have pressured Russia over Sochi and we've gotten guarantees, and we are satisfied.

The IOC will not and SHOULD NOT be a tool for special interest organizations to further their agenda. That is a job for the United Nations, let them work with their sanctions and declarations.

The Original Miniseries, and The Final Battle were amazing stories for their time. NBC decided to capitalize on their success and attempted to turn it into a weekly series, but they failed to comprehend the relevant story that was told in the original installments. The weekly series died after one year, and for good reason. It got caught up in too many cliches, and really became unhinged only a few episodes in. There wasn't really a way for it recover. Enjoy the mini-series, and pick up: V: The Final Battle if you can find it. They're great stories, and I really think you'll enjoy them both. Just avoid the weekly series--'cause that'll kill everything for you. ;-)

The oppression of glbt people in Russia is such a shame. Hopefully, the Olympics can be used as a platform to protest their treatment.

I LOVED the original V my friends and I used to pretend we were in the movie when we'd play around. The remake was interesting.

I just got done reading the original miniseries, a really well done story.

I watched it shortly after the remake came out. It was decent, but very different than the remake. The remake was better in a lot of ways. I never got around to watching most the spin offs and what not cause it just didn't hold my interest.

The ragged trio entered my ready room as I was going over the various PADD's on my desk. Some were ship daily reports, others were requests. I was totally sick of PADD's at this point. My mood was normal, however, when the cleaning trio entered I turned more solemn and stern than any had ever seen. I motioned for them to sit down on the couch against the far wall. My inner calm was working overtime. I remembered a time back on Vulcan when I was in school. I was taking a test along with many others. There was a half human half Vulcan boy in the class that everyone picked on constantly. I actually liked him, he tried so hard to maintain the Vulcan part of himself and was always very good at maintaining control. On this day, during this test, he lost it. I think he actually exploded in a rage like I had never seen. Security came in and dragged him out and off to the medical facility. I finished my test shortly after and went to inquire about him. I had asked the instructor where security had taken him. His response was cold and unfeeling as was expected but his destination was the mental ward. They decreed he had to be locked up. I inquired if it was possible for me to visit him. It took time but I was granted access to him. I remember the run to the medical facility and arriving on the floor that had him locked away from the rest of civilization. I asked to see him and was shown to a room. There he was almost completely naked, shivering in the cold room that had no furnishings. I immediately wrapped my jacket around him and tried to comfort him. He reached for me as an infant reaching for his mother. I held him for hours while he sobbed. My hidden anger at his treatment was buried so far down inside that all I could do was sit there and hold him. I began to plot ways of getting him out of there immediately. Of course that never happened and is really a story all of it's own for another time. Needless to say we ended up lifetime friends. My anger at the trio in front of me had subsided upon reminiscing about my friend.

"So, how was your shift scrubbing the cargo bays?" I inquired.

The 'leader' stood up to address me. "Sir, I speak for all of us and apologize for our tardiness. There is no excuse and it will never happen again." He said. I could feel his sincerity.

"Good, I expect my bridge officers to be shining examples to the rest of the crew." I stated.

"Yes sir" they replied in unison.

"You are now C-Shift and must earn your way back to be included in A-Shift again. I trust you will all work hard and regain your status in time. You'd better get some food and rest as your shift starts in 4 hours. I will be working the shift with you this time. Dismissed." I ended the conversation by leaving my ready room with them following behind quickly.

I entered my quarters after having some dinner and walking though engineering. It seemed like a quiet time on the ship. I preferred to do my 'inspections' with no notice and was pleasantly surprised that all was ship shape, to use an old Earth phrase. I had about 20 minutes to clean up and redress for bridge duty.

They also are going to have a presence at gaymer x this weekend I believe, so kudos EA