Stephen Fry: Putin is making scapegoats of gay people, just as Hitler did Jews

Re:Stephen Fry: Putin is making scapegoats of gay people, ju... by mladenkovacevic on Wednesday August 07, 2013 @10:31AM (#6173081)

There is quite a leap from Russian anti gay propaganda laws to boycotting the Olympics. Many people would argue that laws supporting any kind of torture or the death penalty are human rights abuses so should any and all countries practicing those laws be forbidden from partaking in or hosting something so arbitrary as the Olympics?

I'm not arguing that this wouldn't be an effective way to get the Russian government to go back on some of the recent legislation, but then why stop there? Can we use this tactic to stop drone attacks, decriminalize marijuana and improve women's rights in many countries?

No we can't. Because this isn't a genuine movement designed to change Russian public opinion and laws, but a simple us=enlightened you=backwards monsters campaign.

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Re:Stephen Fry: Putin is making scapegoats of gay people, ju... by seandougall on Wednesday August 07, 2013 @10:55AM (#6173231)

As far as I've seen, nobody in those countries has publicly threatened Olympic athletes with torture or the death penalty, simply for the crime of existing.

I'm open to counterexamples, if I'm wrong.

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Re:Stephen Fry: Putin is making scapegoats of gay people, ju... by hedgie13 on Wednesday August 07, 2013 @11:09AM (#6173323)

I think homosexuality is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia and Iran. No one is trying to exclude teams from these countries from Olympics. Also:

> Milan, Venice and Turin had severed their “twin” relationships with Russian cities in outrage over the “anti-gay law”. However, Milan remains twinned with Dakar, Senegal, where any same-sex activity is illegal and punishable by 1 to 5 years imprisonment. Turin remains twinned with Kazerun, Iran, where any same-sex activity is illegal and punishable by death. Venice had only two twins; since it dumped St Petersburg in a show of solidarity that likely had the gay community in tears of emotion, it now has only one – Esfahan, Iran. Yeah, that’s right.

( https://marknesop.wordpress.com/2013/08/02/somewhere-over-th... )

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Re:Stephen Fry: Putin is making scapegoats of gay people, ju... by mladenkovacevic on Wednesday August 07, 2013 @11:29AM (#6173440)

So you are saying Russia has threatened to legislate the execution and torture of any gay athletes simply for existing?

Common, I'm all for enabling all minorities across the globe to live in peace and without fear of persecution, but let's make an honest effort of it and not via hyperbole and political posturing.

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