Olympic Boycott over Russian Anti-gay laws? — Page 7

^^^

Yes.

Weir's statement rubbed me the wrong way for this very reason.

---

I don't begrudge him his hard work, but his statement came off as selfish and immature.

To be clear, I don't think a boycott would do much. But Weir's reasons for not wanting anyone to boycott seem all wrong....and a little spoiled.

---

Updated On: 7/27/13 at 12:29 PM

This page for Sochi Pride is in Russian.

Sue--you're Ukrainian,aren't you? I'm told 95% of Ukrainians are fluent in Russian as well.

Could you translate it for us?


SUE--CLICK ON THIS LINK FOR THE PAGE IN RUSSIAN

---

Updated On: 7/29/13 at 04:50 PM

Brad Fraser, one of my favorite gay playwrights posted this on his facebook. I completely agree (he gave me permission to share it, though his facebook is hardly private.)

The idea of boycotting Russia, it's products and attitudes has very little to do with the Olympics and everything to do with solidarity with those people in the country who are being arrested, tortured and killed for simply being who they are. The Olympics have never been particularly gay friendly and are nothing but a commercial event which makes it very easy to talk about the plight of gay people in Russia publicly. If the Olympics were not taking place in Russia the general populace of the rest of the world wouldn't give two ****s for what's happening over there. The Olympics, threatening them and promising to make a fuss, are our greatest tool in making people aware of their complicity with this corrupt regime. because most people are far more concerned about sports and their own personal glory than they are about any suppressed minority group, particularly gays. I think threatening the fiscal success of the Olympics is the only way people can be made aware of what's actually happening. So, whatever happens in the next year, pressure must be put on the IOC and ALL OF THEIR SPONSORS to make it clear we do not approve of their indifference. After all, there is another alternative to boycotting and that's having them move the Olympics to a civilized country. Don't be cowed by the anti-boycott talk. It's just there to shut up us. Let's make them consider other possibilities.

It will be much more effective to draw attention to official homophobia in Russia all around the world and expose the hypocrisy of the International Olympic Committee which went into discriminatory agreements with Russian regime and of the European Court of Human Rights which still has not considered our complaint concerning the unlawful denial to register Pride House Sochi!

This is the best idea I've seen thus far.

---

The Bruni piece made me laugh because, while it included the section on cost/benefit calculation every gay person has to make from the minute they decide they are going to come out and for the rest of their lives, he leaves out the most important American edict of all: the needs of the American athlete are the highest priority. Everyone must genuflect before the American athlete.

Whatever the jocks need, man, we can't disappoint them.

---

You said you were staying out of this thread.

---

something like this, though translation is not an exact science

The Winter Olympics in Sochi will be opened to by gay pride. Gay activists decided to hold its rally prior to the opening of the Olympic Games to draw attention to homophobia in Russia


Moscow LGBT-movement leader Nikolai Alexeyev said on Saturday July 27 that the Organizing Committee of the Moscow gay pride and the founders ' Pride-House in Sochi "decided not to boycott the Olympics in Sochi. Instead, activists will hold the Sochi gay pride on the opening day of the winter games, Alekseyev wrote on his Twitter .

ONLY CUZ youre USUALLY NICE to me

---

Updated On: 7/29/13 at 02:24 PM

---

Updated On: 7/29/13 at 02:29 PM

Now the idiot edited out their response to me.

Updated On: 7/29/13 at 02:34 PM

---

""Sue--unless you are willing to translate the Russian words at that link, you are hereby submitting PROOF that you are a FRAUD.""


Namo, i had intended to, but your pal and mine ^^ paljoey ^^ asked me a question as you well know. , and then challenged me. i was damned if i did, damned if i didnt so i had to reply

also, i wish you were right about people not wanting to engage me as its just dumb and tiresome, but you being the biggest culprit you know tht is not true. just check any of the threads i have posted in. youll see clearly that im trying to stay on topic while others like you, joey,phyllis, theaterdiva, snafu, carlos, liarsheadband, ljay keep engaging me, and i keep turning the other cheek.

---

Updated On: 7/29/13 at 03:33 PM