Russia's Anti-Gay Olympic plans

[WitchSabrina]

Good grief  :shock:  :shock:  :shock:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/3 ... d=webmail7

Despite assurance by the International Olympic Committee July 26 that attendees of the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi would not be held under the jurisdiction of Russia's anti-gay legislation, the law's co-sponsor is now articulating a different set of circumstances. Vitaly Milonov, the politician responsible for the "gay propaganda" ban in St. Petersburg later adopted by the country as a whole, claims that the law cannot be selectively enforced nor suspended.

In an interview with Interfax, Milonov stated:

I haven't heard any comments from the government of the Russian Federation, but I know that it is acting in accordance with Russian law. And if a law has been approved by the federal legislature and signed by the president, then the government has no right to suspend it. It doesn't have the authority.
In effect, it seems as if foreign athletes and spectators at the 2014 Olympic Games will, in fact, be subject to the legalities of Russia's recent stream of anti-LGBT legislation. Signed into law by President Vladimir Putin on June 30, the legislation gives the Russian government agency to detain gay or "pro-gay" foreigners up to 14 days before facing expulsion from the country.

Perhaps most disturbing out of this recent interview with Milonov is the claim that he has "spoken with many American politicians" and that "they support the stance I've taken on this issue." He also cites support from German legislators surrounding the anti-gay crackdown.

In a statement released on July 17 to the Windy City Times, the International Olympic Committee attempted to prevent the high-publicity nature of Russia's anti-gay legislation and activity from affecting the 2014 Olympic games.
The International Olympic Committee is clear that sport is a human right and should be available to all regardless of race, sex or sexual orientation,...The Games themselves should be open to all, free of discrimination, and that applies to spectators, officials, media and of course athletes. We would oppose in the strongest terms any move that would jeopardize this principle.
In both a localized and international response to the anti-LGBT sentiments pervading the Eurasian country, boycotts of all things-Russian, including vodka, are being encouraged. In addition, a White House Petition is currently gaining traction to place State Duma Deputy Elena Mizulina and Vitaly Milonov on the visa ban list for "their role in creating Russia's ban on 'gay propaganda.'" The petition must reach 100,000 signatures by Aug. 25 for consideration by Secretary of State John Kerry.

Prior to this recent statement from Milonov, famed U.S. LGBT figure skater Johnny Weir had discouraged a much-discussed boycott of the 2014 Olympic Games, warning that those who would suffer the most from a potential boycott would be the athletes who have "dedicated their lives to possibly having their lone life-changing moment."

For more information on the events happening in Russia, visit Americans United for LGBT Justice in Russia.

[SGOS]

Leave it to the bigots to ruin the Olympic Games, which in the past, have symbolized a reciprocal appreciation between nations, a respite of friendly competition from our differences and animosities, and a time when the finest young amateur athletes could come together from all nations and do their best while the world celebrated their excellence.  Oh wait, the Russians circumvented the amateur part too.

Oh great!  This is going to be a lot of fun.

[WitchSabrina]

What is the litmus test for proving gayness prior to athletic endeavors?  How will they disallow certain athletes from competing?

     


AHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh    (screams at stupid)

[SGOS]

What is the litmus test for proving gayness prior to ...

Oh, Hell.  You can tell.  You can just tell when someone is gay.  Even cowboys from Wyoming are very good at it. :-D

[The Skeletal Atheist]

Prior to this recent statement from Milonov, famed U.S. LGBT figure skater Johnny Weir had discouraged a much-discussed boycott of the 2014 Olympic Games, warning that those who would suffer the most from a potential boycott would be the athletes who have "dedicated their lives to possibly having their lone life-changing moment."

Yeah...sorry Johnny, but I think the people most disadvantaged either way are the gays in Russia. There will be other Olympics for them to compete in.

[LikelyToBreak]

I had never even thought about atheistic Russia being anti-LGBT.   :(

[Colanth]

The Olympics.  That's from ancient Greece.  A culture that thought homosexuality was a pretty neat thing.

So let's all hear it for the Olympic Spirit ...

(And you thought you couldn't get any more sickened.)

[SilentFutility]

What is the litmus test for proving gayness prior to athletic endeavors?  How will they disallow certain athletes from competing?

     


AHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh    (screams at stupid)

They didn't say ban from competing, they said that the government does not have the right to make foreign athletes immune to Russian law just because they're visiting athletes. It just so happens that the law is a particularly nasty one. If the police choose to detain and deport them for being gay, thus violating the law, they can.

[Jason78]

What is the litmus test for proving gayness prior to athletic endeavors?  How will they disallow certain athletes from competing?

Russian Gaydar.

[gussy]

A much better idea would be embarrass Putin throughout the games.  Carry mini rainbow flags during the opening ceremonies.  Rainbow patches at the award ceremonies.  Make the Olympics much more gay than they already are.

[Valigarmander]

I had never even thought about atheistic Russia being anti-LGBT.   :(

Russia is quite religious.

[LikelyToBreak]

Valigarmander wrote:

Russia is quite religious.

Nice link.  
Yeah, I know.  I just hadn't really thought about it.  But, it seems now the politicians in Russia have to play to the religious right, just like here in the U.S.  I wonder how bad it will get there.   :-k

[AllPurposeAtheist]

This wouldn't be the first Olympic boycott and in fact the whole Snowden affair may get them boycotted again.
Nothing says: Don't visit Russia like, well.. Russia.

[Eric1958]

After most of a century of trying to bury the church, I was quite surprised to see it make a big comeback as soon as the old guard communists lost power.

Damn shame, they seem to have taken several of the worst qualities of capitalism to heart and left a large segment of their population in the dust with no comfort but the church. Talk about getting short changed.

[Colanth]

What is the litmus test for proving gayness prior to athletic endeavors?  How will they disallow certain athletes from competing?

     


AHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh    (screams at stupid)

They didn't say ban from competing, they said that the government does not have the right to make foreign athletes immune to Russian law just because they're visiting athletes. It just so happens that the law is a particularly nasty one. If the police choose to detain and deport them for being gay, thus violating the law, they can.

And they can be detained for up to 14 days, then expelled for being gay so, as Bri asked, how do they prove "gayness"?

How about just putting a rainbow on the Olympic patch?  Then every competitor will be wearing the "gay symbol", and the Russian authorities can go to the trouble of detaining (meaning housing and feeding) the entire Olympic contingent, then expelling all of them?  The 2014 Olympics would have an asterisk - and no records - in the record books.