Religious Based Ignorance Once Again Thwarts Russia's Future

Before the Russian Revolutions of 1917 - first the February Revolution and then the Bolshevik Revolution in October/November - one of the mainstays to the retardation of Russia's modernization and movement towards a constitutional monarchy was the Russian Orthodox Church.  Now, while modern developed countries around the world are rejecting anti-gay bigotry and discrimination in favor of modern scientific knowledge on sexual orientation, Vladimir Putin - much like his Tsarist predecessors - is listening to the idiocy and ignorance of the revived Russian Orthodox Church hierarchy and pushing an anti-gay and anti-modernity agenda.  Putin is stupidly focused on the short term goal of hanging on to power at any cost with no thought or concern for the long term damage done or the lives ruined by the state sponsored bigotry that he has endorsed.  

In their quest to save the Russian monarchy, Nicholas II and Alexandra unwittingly set the stage for the revolutions of 1917 and the ultimate fall of Russia to the Bolsheviks and the ensuing civil war between the Whites and the Reds which damaged Russia so severely that economic output did not return to 1913 levels until the eve of World War II.  In the intervening years, millions of Russians perished.   By embracing the far right and the Russian Orthodox Church, Putin is repeating the same mistakes and making Russia a laughing stock in the process.  Now, as the Moscow Times reports, efforts are in motion to establish state sponsored "ex-gay" programs to turn Russian gays straight.  Here are highlights on this lastest idiocy from Russia:

Degtyaryov said that the Duma is also considering a program to provide anonymous and voluntary counseling for gay and bisexual people who want to be heterosexual.

"Many want to return to a normal life, to become heterosexual like 95 to 99 percent of our citizens," Degtyaryov said.

He also said that failure to forbid homosexuals from donating blood is a type of "sabotage."

LGBT activist Nikolai Alexeyev said that  . . . . There will be a lot of noise, and zero implementation of the law. Our politicians are so detached from reality that they no longer have any connection to the people. They just imagine gay people everywhere," Alexeyev told reporters.

Health Ministry spokesman Oleg Salagai said that the ministry will carefully consider the initiative.

Putin has apparently learned nothing from history.  It is ironic that he is embracing the same forces of reactionaries that helped destroy the Romanov dynasty.  One can only hope that his bigotry and willingness to make allegiances with forces seeking to oppose modernity will bring him a similar fate - all the more so because, unlike his imperial predecessors, he should no better because of all the available modern knowledge. 

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Quote of the Day: The Abuse of Domestic Spying

I continue to find the level of domestic spying on citizens in America frightening - not to mention a violation of the U.S. Constitution's provisions against unlawful search and seizure.  Yet Barack Obama and others have continued to defend the unconstitutional practice using the excuse that it is necessary to fight terrorism and national security.  The Nazi regime used the national security ruse in the 1930's and we all know what that lead to down the road.  The potential for abuse is simply too great and there are in truth no effective controls in place to prevent abuse should someone in the government decide to do so.  In a post Andrew Sullivan sums things up well after at first defending the practice.  The final straw for him was the holding and interrogation of reporter Glenn Greenwald's husband: 

When the NSA leaks burst onto the scene, I was skeptical of many of the large claims made by civil libertarians and queasily sympathetic to a program that relied on meta-data alone, as long as it was transparent, had Congressional buy-in, did not accidentally expose innocent civilians to grotesque privacy loss, and was watched by a strong FISA court.

Since then, I’ve watched the debate closely and almost all the checks I supported have been proven illusory. The spying is vastly more extensive than anyone fully comprehended before; the FISA court has been revealed as toothless and crippled; and many civilians have had their privacy accidentally violated over 3000 times. The president, in defending the indefensible, has damaged himself and his core reputation for honesty and candor. These cumulative revelations have exposed this program as, at a minimum, dangerous to core liberties and vulnerable to rank abuse. I’ve found myself moving further and further to Glenn’s position.

What has kept me from embracing it entirely has been the absence of any real proof than any deliberate abuse has taken place and arguments that it has helped prevent terror attacks. This may be too forgiving a standard. If a system is ripe for abuse, history tells us the only question is not if such abuse will occur, but when. So it is a strange and awful irony that the Coalition government in Britain has today clinched the case for Glenn.

A disclosure upfront: I have met David Miranda as part of a my friendship with Glenn Greenwald. The thought of his being detained by the British police for nine hours because his partner embarrassed the American government really sickens me at a gut level. 

My obvious question is: what could possibly lead the British security services to suspect David of such ties to terror groups? 

[A]lthough David was released, his entire digital library was confiscated – including his laptop and phone. So any journalist passing through London’s Heathrow has now been warned: do not take any documents with you. Britain is now a police state when it comes to journalists, just like Russia is.

In this respect, I can say this to David Cameron. Thank you for clearing the air on these matters of surveillance. You have now demonstrated beyond any reasonable doubt that these anti-terror provisions are capable of rank abuse. Unless some other facts emerge, there is really no difference in kind between you and Vladimir Putin. You have used police powers granted for anti-terrorism and deployed them to target and intimidate journalists deemed enemies of the state.

You have proven that these laws can be hideously abused. Which means they must be repealed.

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The International Olympic Commission: 1936 Deja Vu

This image pretty much says it all.  Hitler gave "assurances" too - and we all know where that led to.  Move the 2014 Winter Games.

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Russia Confirms Anti-Gay Law Will Be Enforced at Olympics

Russia seemingly is striving to create an impasse with western public opinion and  to force the International Olympic Committee to either repeat the moral bankruptcy it displayed in 1936 or to move the 2014 Winter Games.  How else to explain the new statement by Russia's Interior Ministry that the country's new anti-gay laws will be enforced during the games and that both athletes and tourists will be arrested under the draconian laws backed by the Russian Orthodox Church.  IT IS TIME TO MOVE THE GAMES. Here are highlights from state controlled RIA Novosti:

MOSCOW, August 12 (R-Sport) – Russia's Interior Ministry, which controls the police force, confirmed Monday that the country's controversial anti-gay law will be enforced during the Sochi 2014 Olympics.

Confusion has reigned over how the country intends to act during the February 7-23 Winter Games after President Vladimir Putin signed legislation in June that bans the promotion of homosexuality to minors.

Minister Vitaly Mutko to insist no one is exempt from the law.

Many have raised concerns about the vague definition of promoting homosexuality to minors.
IOC president Jacques Rogge said last week he would ask for clarification on the issue before his organization takes a stance.

Some gay advocacy groups backed by public figures such as British writer and TV star Stephen Fry have called for a boycott of the Games, though world leaders including US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have insisted it's the wrong way to tackle the issue.

If the IOC repeats the gutlessness it displayed in 1936, I for one will not watch a single competition on television and I will avoid the network broadcasting the event as well as the products of its advertisers.  I hope others will join me in this endeavor and that a loud message is sent to NBC and advertisers.  

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New Study: Religious People Are Less Intelligent than Atheists

As the title to this post suggests, this topic was just too good to pass up and the referenced study confirms my own personal belief: fundamentalist Christians are less intelligent than both atheists and more intelligent individuals.  I would go further and posit that for the deeply religious who are more intelligent, they obviously have deed psychological issues that make them predisposed to cling to ignorance and closed mindedness (Ken Cuccinelli is a case in point as he battles his closeted self-loathing).  Here are highlights from Yahoo News: 

Religious people are less intelligent than non-believers, according to a new review of 63 scientific studies stretching back over decades.

A team led by Miron Zuckerman of the University of Rochester found “a reliable negative relation between intelligence and religiosity” in 53 out of 63 studies. Even in extreme old age, intelligent people are less likely to believe, the researchers found - and the reasons why people with high IQs shun religion may not be as simple as previously thought.

Previous studies have tended to assume that intelligent people simply “know better”, the researchers  write - but the reasons may be more complex.

For instance, intelligent people are more likely to be married, and more likely to be successful in life - and this may mean they “need” religion less.
The studies used in Zuckerman's paper included a life-long analysis of the beliefs of a group of 1,500 gifted children - those with IQs over 135 - in a study which began in 1921 and continues today.

Even at 75 to 91 years of age, the children from Lewis Terman’s study scored lower for religiosity than the general population - contrary to the widely held belief that people turn to God as they age. The researchers noted that data was lacking about religious attitudes in old age and say, “Additional research is needed to resolve this issue.”

As early as 1958, Michael Argyle concluded, “Although intelligent children grasp religious concepts earlier, they are also the first to doubt the truth of religion, and intelligent students are much less likely to accept orthodox beliefs, and rather less likely to have pro-religious attitudes.”

The paper, published in the academic journal Personality and Social Psychology Review, said “Most extant explanations (of a negative relation) share one central theme—the premise that religious beliefs are irrational, not anchored in science, not testable and, therefore, unappealing to intelligent people who “know better.”  

“People possessing the functions that religion provides are likely to adopt atheism, people lacking these very functions (e.g., the poor, the helpless) are likely to adopt theism,” the researchers wrote. 

I am not anti-religion per se, but I do believe that it is important to understand that for millennium, religion has been used as a means to control and exert power over the less intelligent.  Russia is a classic example.  For centuries the Russian Orthodox Church used religion and religious dogma that depicted the Tsar as second only to God as a means to keep the serfs and peasantry under control.  The high Church clergy and the aristocracy lived in luxury while the peasantry lived largely in abject poverty.  Now, under Putin, we see the Church once again being used to control the masses and focus attacks on those the leadership has deemed to be unworthy.  In the process, of course, the Church hierarchy will bolster its own power and wealth.   Christ and the Gospel message are (and will remain)  nowhere in the picture.

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Gays in Russia Find No Haven, Despite Support From the West

A piece in the New York Times provides a good overview of the war on gays in Russia - and also the reality that concern and outrage in the western world has to date done little to end the plight of gays in Russia where anti-gay violence seems to be escalating in a chilling pattern reminiscent of Nazi Germany's onslaught against the Jews.  While the plight of gays in Russia has the attention of western powers, more needs to be done to end the anti-gay pogroms.  What's happening is also chilling because the Russian offensive against gays is precisely what American Christofascists would bring to this county if they were allowed to do so.  Here are article highlights:

The law, signed by President Vladimir V. Putin in June, has ignited international condemnation and blindsided the Kremlin with the sort of toxic political controversy that officials had desperately hoped to avoid ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. The last Olympics on Russian soil, in 1980, was marred by the boycott over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. 

The furor includes a boycott of Russian vodka in gay bars throughout the West and some calls for a boycott of the Sochi Games altogether. Beyond putting organizers on the defensive, it has cast worldwide attention on the cruel circumstances in which most gay people live in modern Russia.

Despite the breathtaking wealth and vibrant culture in the metropolises of Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia remains a country where discrimination and even violence against gay people are widely tolerated. 

“What is going on now in Russia contradicts its place in the world,” said Anton Krasovsky, a television anchor who was immediately fired from his job at the government-controlled KontrTV network in January after he announced during a live broadcast that he is gay, saying he was fed up with lying about his life and offended by the legislation. 

Few gay people in Russia openly acknowledge their sexual orientation, and those who do are often harassed. When some gay people protested the propaganda law by kissing outside the State Duma, the lower house of Parliament, police officers stood by and watched as the demonstrators were doused with water and beaten by antigay and religious supporters of the bill.

Last month, Patriarch Kirill I, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, called same-sex marriage “a very dangerous sign of the apocalypse.” 

Mixed signals from senior Russian officials over how the propaganda law might be enforced during the Games have undercut assertions by the International Olympic Committee that gay athletes and spectators have nothing to worry about, and have left organizing officials facing harsh criticism and demanding clarifications from the Kremlin. 

There have been comparisons to Nazi Germany as host of the 1936 Olympics inside and outside Russia, including one by Jay Leno during an interview with President Obama last week on “The Tonight Show.” 

“Something that shocked me about Russia,” Mr. Leno told the president. “Suddenly, homosexuality is against the law. I mean, this seems like Germany: Let’s round up the Jews. Let’s round up the gays. Let’s round up the blacks. I mean, it starts with that.” 

Russian officials say the criticism is unfair and inaccurate. In 1993, Russia repealed the Soviet-era law that made gay sex a crime.  

Gay rights advocates disagree, saying the law is vague and can be used to arrest anyone who appears to support gay rights.

Russian gay rights advocates said the outrage in the West was providing new energy and financial support to their still relatively young movement. It is also raising pressure, including fears of increased violence. 

“It’s not only a question of the period of the Olympic Games; here, there should be no law like this,” said Kirill Kalugin, 21, who was beaten by counter demonstrators at a gay pride event in St. Petersburg last month and then detained by the police. “I feel very offended that I am being presented as an enemy of my own people.”

Rights advocates said that Russia was growing more dangerous for gay people. This year, there have been at least two killings motivated by antigay bias in the country, including the savage beating death in May of a young man in Volgograd who was also sodomized with beer bottles. 

Mr. Smirnov said that even in Moscow and in St. Petersburg, where there are large gay populations, as well as a thriving and visible gay night life that includes several gay bars and clubs, bias was inescapable.

It's a frightening phenomenon and behind it all over and above Putin's quest to retain power is one of the great evils of the world: religion.   As for the 2014 Winter Games, I want to see them moved from Russia.

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Russian Government Intimidating Journalists And Activists Before The Olympics

The parallels between the 1936 Summer Olympic Games and the 2014 Sochi Winter Games continue to grow.  One of the measures employed by Hitler and the Nazis was to shut down domestic media outlets that criticize the brutal Nazi policies and to intimidate foreign press officials into silence or  into publishing puff pieces that ignored the growing list of Nazi horrors.  Now, as Towleroad reports, evidence of similar efforts by Vladimir Putin's dictatorial regime are increasing.  Here are some excerpts:

News sites everywhere have been documenting the issues in Russia surrounding the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, including abuse of migrant workers, the health and environmental impacts of construction, and the rather severe problem Russia has with homosexuality. Russia's response to this dissent has been to try to intimidate and abuse journalists and activists, particularly in the lead up to the Olympic Games.

Human Rights Watch has extensive coverage of these abuses and includes accounts of the Sochi Branch of the Russian Geographic Society having its funding threatened, rejection of the Sochi Pride House, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on websites critical of the government and the Olympics, and several individual journalists and activists being threatened by government officials.
Rule 48 of the IOC bye-laws explicitly states: 

The IOC takes all necessary steps in order to ensure the fullest coverage by the different media and the widest possible audience in the world for the Olympic Games.

Russia's treatment of journalists may wind up causing even more complications for the IOC as these abuses run directly counter to the bye-laws the IOC are obligated to uphold.

Here's more highlights from Human Rights Watch:

“Trying to bully activists and journalists into silence is wrong and only further tarnishes the image of the Olympics,” said Jane Buchanan, associate Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “One of the non-negotiable requirements of hosting the Olympics is to allow press freedom, and the authorities’ attempts to silence critics are in clear violation of that principle.”

Press freedom is guaranteed under the Olympic Charter, which has an entire section on “Media Coverage of the Olympic Games.” The IOC is obligated to take “all necessary steps in order to ensure the fullest coverage by the different media.” Other by-laws require that “media coverage of the Olympic Games shall not be impaired in any way….”

Starting in 2008, Human Rights Watch has documented the harassment and intimidation of activists, journalists, and others, regarding their actions and comments related to the Sochi Games.

“Preparations for the Sochi Games have been plagued with serious human rights abuses and other problems, many of which have only been brought to light through the efforts of activists and journalists,” Buchanan said. “If the IOC is committed to these issues, it should ask the Russian authorities to immediately stop harassing activists, organizations, and journalists, and investigate allegations of abuse.”

Some journalists told Human Rights Watch that local authorities sought to control negative or critical information about Sochi by pressuring editors to present Olympic preparations exclusively in a “positive” light. In addition, several independent online news sources and blogs that post critical materials about Olympics preparations faced highly coordinated, disabling denial of service attacks, where hackers rendered the sites inaccessible.

“Press freedom is a central tenet of the Olympic Charter and no successful Games can take place in an atmosphere in which journalists are afraid to report on stories of legitimate public interest,” Buchanan said. “The IOC should insist that the Russian authorities guarantee full media freedom for each and every journalist reporting in or traveling to Sochi.”

Harassment and intimidation of civil society in Sochi should be seen against the backdrop of the crackdown on human rights in Russia that has been underway for 15 months since the May 2012 inauguration of President Vladimir Putin.

During that time new laws were adopted restricting public assemblies, re-criminalizing libel, criminalizing religious insult, introducing additional restrictions on internet content, expanding the definition of treason, and banning “propaganda” for “nontraditional sexual relations.” A nationwide, government campaign to force nongovernment groups that accept foreign funding and engage in vaguely-defined “political activity” to register as foreign agents aims to curtail a broad range of work by independent organizations.

 All of these actions are reprehensible.  But they should not be a surprise.  After all, Putin is a former KGB thug.  Now we are seeing that he's changed very little from his KGB days.

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Instead of Punishing Russia, International Olympic Committee May Punish Pro-Gay Olympians

My opinion of the International Olympic Committee ("IOC") is dropping by the second.  And my parallels of the current anti-gay pogrom in Russia to events in 1930's Germany when the IOC prostituted itself to Adolph Hitler for the 1936 Summer Games seem increasingly on target.  Now, there are rumors that rather than move the 2014 Winter Games or demand that Russia safeguard gay athletes and tourists attending the Games, the IOC may be planning to take action against athletes who display any type of pro-gay support claiming that such actions would constitute engaging in "political activities".    I'm sorry, but a tawdry whore has more scruples and integrity than the IOC.  A piece in Huffington Post looks at these disturbing developments.  Here are excerpts:

Controversy is swirling around the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia -- scheduled to start six months from today -- due to a shocking and barbaric crackdown against the basic rights and freedoms of that country's LGBT community.

In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a draconian law that labels any public acknowledgement of the LGBT community as "gay propaganda." It is now a crime in Russia to advocate for LGBT equality, publicly say that gay relationships are equal to non-gay ones, organize an LGBT pride parade, or even simply hold a rainbow flag. Violators face jail time or fines of up to 1 million rubles.  . . . . And Putin's regressive policies are fueling and legitimizing an alarming surge in hate-motivated beatings, torture, and murders of LGBT people across Russia.

There are calls for the Games themselves to be boycotted, most notably from Harvey Fierstein, and actor George Takei argued yesterday that they should be moved to another host city entirely. Conversely, gay Olympians Johnny Weir, Blake Skjellerup, and Greg Louganis have come out against a boycott, saying that athletes should instead show up at the Games and express support for LGBT people.

But according to a shocking New York Times report by Jeré Longman, showing up and expressing support may not be a feasible option at all. That's because instead of punishing Russia for its brutal and indefensible assault on LGBT human rights, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) may punish athletes who wear pro-equality pins, patches, or T-shirts.

Longman reports that the Olympic Charter "prohibits athletes from making political gestures during the Winter and Summer Games," and that this prohibition could be used to "banish" Olympians who choose to protest, even silently, against Russian homophobia.

Since when is human rights advocacy a "political statement"? If the persecuted group in question were women, Jews, or a racial or ethnic minority group, would protesting their mistreatment still qualify as "political"? Or do things only become political when it's LGBT people -- a minority group it's still OK to hate in many parts of the world -- who are being terrorized?

Equally outrageous is the utterly impotent position that the IOC has taken on Russia's anti-gay laws from the beginning. According to The New York Times, "All the indignation the I.O.C. could muster about Russia's new antigay law was a statement saying the Olympic Committee would 'oppose in the strongest terms any move that would jeopardize this principle.'"

And the United States Olympic Committee isn't any better:

The United States Olympic Committee could have joined with Olympic committees from other nations and said they would not tolerate such a discriminatory law.

But that did not happen. And American officials decided not to speak out unilaterally. Scott Blackmun, the U.S.O.C.'s chief executive, sent a note to American Olympic officials saying, 'While we strongly support equal rights for all, our mission is sustained competitive excellence' and not political advocacy.

What contemptible cowardice. Have they learned nothing from the Berlin Olympics of 1936?

By silencing pro-LGBT athletes, the IOC will be actively complicit in Russia's egregious human rights violations.  They will have blood on their hands.

If the Games are held in Sochi, I for one will not watch ANY of the media coverage despite my love of figure skating (one of my daughters was a competitive skater).  I hope others will join me in boycotting all things Olympic if the Games are not moved from Russia.

 

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Obama to Leno: "I Have No Patience' for the Persecution of Gay People in Russia"

On the Jay Leno show, Barack Obama said nice words about his opposition to what is happening to gays in Russia.  However, as is always the case with Obama, the question is whether those nice words will translate into concrete actions.  I for one, will not be holding my breath.  After all, we still have no ENDA like executive order protecting federal employees and those working for government contractors.  Towleroad looks at the Leno-Obama exchange:

President Obama appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night and offered a broad interview on a number of current topics, one of which was the current situation with Russia. After a discussion of the Edward Snowden NSA case, Leno expressed his dismay at Russia's anti-gay laws, and wondered why it isn't a bigger story?

Leno:

"This seems like Germany - let's round up the Jews, let's round up the gays, let's round up the...it starts with that. You round up people you don't like. Why isn't more of the world outraged at this?"

Obama:

"I've been very clear that when it comes to universal rights, when it comes to people's basic freedoms, that whether you are discriminating on the basis of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, you are violating the basic morality that should transcend every country, and I have no patience for countries that try to treat gays or lesbians or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them.”

Obama then brought up the situations he encountered on his recent trip to Africa:

"What's happening in Russia is not unique. When I traveled to Africa there were some countries that are doing a lot of good things for their people, who we're working with and helping on development issues but in some cases have persecuted gays and lesbians and it makes for some uncomfortable press conferences sometimes but one of the things that I think is very important for me to speak out on is making sure that people are treated fairly and justly because that's what we stand for and I believe that's not a preset that's not just unique to America but should apply everywhere."

Again, the question is whether these correct words lead to action or remain merely words.  Mr. Obama, are you listening?

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Victim of Anti-Gay Torture in Russia Reportedly Has Died

Things are becoming increasingly dangerous for LGBT individuals in Russia as uncontrolled violence against gays continues to increase.   Worse yet, police and government authorities are doing nothing to stop the violence or to punish those behind the violence, including Neo-Nazi groups.  Now, yet another life has seeming been lost to homophobic violence.   The victim is pictured in the image above surrounded by his torturers.    It is all part of a move towards fascism that is being aided and abetted by the Russian Orthodox Church.  Blogger friend  and fellow Bilerico Project contributor Patricia Nell Warren describes it well, including the role of the Russian Orthodox Church which promoted anti-Jewish pogroms under the Tzars:

The ultraconservative Russian Orthodox Church is reoccupying Russia, and Putin supports their "moral" policies. So gays are not the only ones being persecuted. Women's rights are ending, as are the freedom-of-thought rights of anyone who isn't a Russian Orthodox believer. In a word, Russia is moving towards fascism on all fronts.

Here are highlights from a post derived from a gay rights activist in Russia who is undergoing threats himself:

According to the human right activist, Dr. Valentin Degtyarev, MD, who closely monitors infamous Neo Nazi group "Occupy Pedofilyaj", the Uzbek victim shown on this photo tragically died as a result of numerous tortures.  No arrests have been made and no charges were pressed. Putin's law enforcement seems to fully condone these actions.  Moreover, Dr. Degtyarev's numerous written complains to the authorities only resulted in his own persecution and threats directed at him and his 72 years old mother.  In the official correspondence from the local District Attorney office and Governor's office it was explained that Russian authorities do not see any wrongdoings in the video clips or photographs posted by Neo Nazi group "Occupy Pedofilyaj." Actually, the authorities referred to this group as one of the  "civil movements fighting the sins of the society."  

Dr. Degtyarev is routinely approached and offended on the street, receives numerous threats via mail, phone, SMS and email. He is not alone in his fight though.

Another brave activist dared to stand-up to this gang. His name is Artem Gorodilov. This LGBT rights activist was kidnapped in the middle of the night and brought to the local cemetery in Kamensk-Uralsky city (Sverdlovsk district). He was tortured and bullied there for being gay, spreading "gay propaganda" on the Internet and complaining about this hate group to the authorities. Eventually this Nazi group dismantled a huge wooden cross from one of the graves nearby and made Mr. Gorodilov to run with it for his life while being chased by their car. This incident caught attention of the local branch of the Russian Orthodox church who thought that the Nazi group displayed a disrespect to the Holy Cross and offended feelings of their believers thus the church representatives complained to the police. As a result, these Nazi group was brought by the police for questioning and immediately released.

Here is a full video of the horrific night at the cemetery. Mr. Gorodilov was brought to the grave of another victim of this Neo Nazi group that was driven to the suicide by them. One of the perpetrators was glad to point out this fact on the video:

 This is what the International Olympic Committee is condoning if it doesn't move the 2014 Games from Russia.  Its disgusting and frightening.

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CNN Op-Ed: Make Olympics in Russia the Gayest Ever

Not to beat a dead horse, but I would like to see the International Olympic Committee ("IOC") move the 2014 Winter Games out of Russia and leave Vladimir Putin and his fellow Neanderthals with a show place venue that no one ever sees.  The chances of the IOC actually having the spine to make such a move are probably remote - a bowl of Jell-O has more backbone - since this is the same committee that allowed Hitler to propagandize the 1936 Olympics.  So what should one do?  One CNN columnist is urging athletes to rub Putin's face in it if you will by making a major pro-gay scene at the opening ceremonies and throughout the games to underscore world disapproval of Russia.  It would be precisely what Putin doesn't want: either athletes are arrested creating a major stink and negative media coverage or he's humiliated by the deliberate flouting of Russia's hate motivated anti-gay laws.  It would be a lose, lose situation for Putin and his henchmen in the Russian Duma.  Here are column highlights:

You don't have to be gay or even Russian to feel the wrath of the Russian government's homophobia. You could go to jail if you are "pro-gay," whatever that means. And that's under just one of a growing number of hate-infused bills becoming law at a time when, as it happens, Russia is preparing to host the world in the next Winter Olympics.

The perverse anti-gay legislation is inflaming an atmosphere of persistent intimidation and at times deadly violence against Russian gays and lesbians.  The question now is: What should the rest of the world do?

The world has an opportunity to let Putin -- who signed all the laws -- and the politicians he dominates know just how repulsive their actions are. There is a chance of helping Russia LGBT activists persuade the government to reverse the most offensive legislation.

An Olympic boycott might not be the best way to go. Instead, let's turn the Winter Games into the gayest games in history.

Let the Russian police, if they want, arrest every athlete, every coach from Europe, North American, Australia and other forward-looking countries -- that includes you, Uruguay, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa. The teams should march during the opening ceremonies brandishing rainbow flags, holding hands, proclaiming that every one of them supports equal rights for gay and lesbians -- in Russia and everywhere else. Make it an "I am Spartacus" moment for the world.

Let Putin arrest them all.

And as for going as a tourist to the Sochi Olympics: Forget it. Russian lawmakers are making that boycott a no-brainer.

Olympic sponsors NBC, Visa, Coca-Cola, Panasonic, Procter & Gamble and others also have a responsibility to push against these blatant violations of human rights.

Keep in mind that Russian laws are encouraging vigilante "justice" against gays and lesbians.

Just imagine the sweeps of athletes, trainers and tourists, rounded up and sent to Russian prisons because they believe gays and lesbians should be treated like everyone else.

Some think the witch hunt against gays shows Putin is trying to deflect attention as the economy slows down and perhaps playing defense against opposition accusations that his friends have stolen as much as $30 billion in money earmarked for the Olympics.

The columnist has a point.  If done right, making the Olympics super gay would be a PR disaster for Putin who would face a populace that would have seen their country humiliated.  And the fingers would be pointing to Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church as the parties responsible.  I like the idea, provided athletes and better yet, entire teams would have the courage to give Putin the equivalent of the middle finger.  

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Russian Sports Minister: Olympic Athletes Will Be Subject To Anti-Gay Laws

I continue to argue that rather than have people and nations boycott the 2014 Winter Games, the International Olympic Committee needs to find a backbone and simply announce that the venue for the games will be moved in light of anti-gay Russian laws that violate both the Olympic ideal of non-discrimination, but also international conventions to which Russia is a member.  The IOC has tried to dodge facing the reality that it is acting like it did in 1936 by not forcefully telling Russia to repeal the laws or the games will not be held in Russia.  New statements by the Russian Sports Minister (pictured at left) underscore that athletes and tourists will likely be arrested if they attend the games in Sochi.  Here are highlights from AFP:

MOSCOW — Gay athletes are welcome to participate in Russia's 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi but must obey a new law banning "homosexual propaganda", the country's sports minister said Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin in June signed into law legislation that punishes the dissemination of information about homosexuality to minors but which activists say can be used for a broad crackdown against gays.

The comments by Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko appear to contradict assurances from the International Olympic Committee last week that no athlete attending the games would be targeted by the law.

"The law talks not about banning a non-traditional orientation but about other things, about propaganda and implicating minors," Mutko told the R-Sport news agency.

"No one is banning a sportsman with a non-traditional sexual orientation from going to Sochi. But if he goes out onto the street and starts to make propaganda, then of course he will be brought to responsibility.

Foreigners found guilty of violating the law can not only be fined up to 5,000 rubles ($156, 114 euros) but face administrative arrest of up to 15 days and eventual deportation.

Russian officials rarely use words like "gay" and "homosexual" and prefer to use the phrase "non-traditional sexuality" to describe same-sex love.

The law has aroused concerns among activists about whether Russia is fit to host the Games, the biggest sporting event it has held in its post-Soviet history, and even calls for a Cold War-style boycott.

Mutko's comments infuriated activists, coming after the IOC said last week it had received assurances at the "highest level" within the Russian government that the legislation would not affect those attending the games.

"Russian sports minister confirmed gay propaganda law WILL be applied at Olympics in Sochi! As I said Russian guarantees to IOC are b(expletive)!" leading Russian gay rights activist Nikolai Alexeyev fumed on Twitter.

Russia last week banned four Dutch nationals from entering the country for three years after accusing them under the controversial new law of spreading of "gay propaganda" to minors,

The solution again is easy: move the games.  Putin wants a self-congratulatory display via the games.  Give him a major humiliation instead. Moving the games might be complicated, but it could be done by returning to a past venue that has many of the needed facilities already in place.

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Russian Lawmaker: Russia Will Arrest Gay Athletes and Tourists at Olympic Games

The spineless International Olympic Committee has been trying to dodge having to take meaningful action - e.g., move the 2014 Winter Games to a new venue - in the face of Russia's horrific new anti-gay laws and attacks on LGBT individuals.  Part of this dodge and weave gambit has involved trying to rely on vague assurances that no gay athletes or tourists will be harassed or prosecuted.  Now, a Russian law maker, Vitaly Milonov, (pictured at right), is saying that such assurances are meaningless and that gay athletes and tourists WILL be arrested at the 2014 Games.  Here are details from Gay Star News:

A Russian lawmaker has said the ‘gay propaganda’ law will remain enforced during the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in 2014.

Vitaly Milonov, co-sponsor of the ‘non-traditional relationships’ bill, said the government cannot decide when to selectively enforce the law.

It comes as the International Olympic Committee said the Russian government had ‘assured’ them all athletes and spectators will be safe from arrest.

‘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.’

Milonov was the deputy responsible for the law prohibiting ‘gay propaganda’ in St Petersburg, beginning the trend that led to the nationwide ban.

 

As I said, there is an easy fix: move the venue of the games if the laws are not repealed immediately.  Otherwise, the IOC will be acting no better than it did when it allowed the 1936 Summer Games to be held in Berlin.  Putin and Russia need to be humiliated and sent a message that the civilized world does not tolerate nations that breach their international agreements.

A Russian lawmaker has said the ‘gay propaganda’ law will remain enforced during the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in 2014.
Vitaly Milonov, co-sponsor of the ‘non-traditional relationships’ bill, said the government cannot decide when to selectively enforce the law.
It comes as the International Olympic Committee said the Russian government had ‘assured’ them all athletes and spectators will be safe from arrest.
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/russian-lawmaker-we-will-arrest-gay-athletes-tourists-olympic-games300713#sthash.IJsxs8VS.dpuf

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Vladimir Putin’s War on Gays

I've commented a number of times on the all out war on gays being waged in Russia with the active support of dictator Vladimir Putin and the top levels of the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church.  Sadly, the governments of most nations in the world are doing little or nothing to condemn this anti-gay jihad which is part of a larger pattern of brutality and persecution in Russia.  The New York Times had a great editorial over the weekend condemning what is currently occurring in Russia.  Here are excerpts:

To the long list of Russians whom President Vladimir Putin is persecuting, add gay people and those who support gay rights. Along with political dissidents, journalists and billionaire businessmen, they are increasingly the focus of repellent laws and repressive practices that could send them, and anyone who dares defend them, to jail. 

For some time, antigay sentiment has been spreading in Russia’s conservative society, encouraged by the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church. But Mr. Putin and his government have taken that to a new level by legitimizing the hatemongering in legislation. 

Earlier this month, he signed a law banning the adoption of Russian-born children to gay couples and to any couple or single parent living in any country where marriage equality exists. Last month, Mr. Putin signed a law allowing the police to arrest tourists and foreigners suspected of being gay or pro-gay and detain them for up to 14 days. He also signed a bill classifying “homosexual” propaganda as pornography with vague wording that could subject anyone arguing for tolerance or educating children about homosexuality to arrest and fines. 

There is no defense for such actions, which occur against a backdrop of growing violence against gays and could be seen as a license for even more violence. Russia is in danger of moving from pursuing the rule of law to the rule of hate. The new laws contravene Russian commitments to human rights and fundamental freedoms under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. They also contradict the charter of the International Olympic Committee, which calls sport a “human right” and states that “every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind.” 

The United States, which has made great strides in accepting and protecting gay rights, has expressed concern about the new laws but needs to be more forceful. So does the International Olympic Committee, which too often fails to defend the Olympic ideals and should be leading a full-throated international campaign to insist that Russia repeal these laws. 

As noted before, in my view, the International Olympic Committee is worthless.  A bowl of Jell-o has more spine.  If the 2014 games go off in Russia, it will be reminiscent of the 1936 games in Berlin. 

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Russia: the Evil of Religious Based Hate on Full Display

As a Russian history major in college, I am fully aware that Russia has plenty of dark and evil events in its history.  In this modern age, one would think that a nation that claims to be modern the return of religious fueled evil would not be taking place.  Sadly, politicians eager to win the backing of the Russian Orthodox Church (which has a horrible history of siding with despots and whipping up anti-Jewish pogroms) have jumped fully on board the train to make gays and homosexuality scape goats to distract the Russian populace of the huge problems plaguing Russia.  With the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church spewing anti-gay statements and nasty individuals like Vladimir Putin taking advantage of the situation, gays are now open game for abuse, murder and criminal prosecution.  Things are so bad that Canada recently issued a tourism advisory recommending that gays not travel to Russia.  Perhaps worse of all is the fact that with the tacit blessing of the Russian Orthodox Church, those who torment, torture or even kill gays feel justified in what they do.  Religion - and the politicians who are only too happy prostitute themselves to extremists - proves itself again to be a great force for evil.  Here are highlights from a piece in the San Francisco Chronicle:

While we were initially hesitant to publish the video, the fact is that the video is everywhere now and it would be futile to try and hide it.

We reached out to Larry Poltavtsev, a U.S.-based tech entrepreneur who was one of the first people to bring the video to the attention of the English-speaking world, with the help of his Spectrum Human Rights Alliance. Poltavtsev helped explain why the video was so horrifying.

In the video, which appears to have been shot in the winter in the suburbs of a Russian city, a 15-year-old boy has been lured to a meeting place by the fictional online persona "Uncle Dima." However, once he is there he is met by a gang of young men and women. These young men and women apparently created a fake "Uncle Dima" account on VK, a Russian social network similar to Facebook, to lure the young boy to the meeting place.

Clearly under duress, the 15-year-old is then forced to "confess" to being a homosexual. He is forced to reveal his full name, the school he goes to, his parents' names, home address, etc.

Perhaps what is most remarkable about the video is that the gang that attacks the boy clearly feels proud of their actions. A number appear clearly in the video, and while one does wear a mask at one point, this may be more for intimidation. At another point an older lady comes into the frame, and she commends the gang for their actions, and tells the boy to be ashamed of himself.

According to Poltavtsev, the video is part of a wider problem. A former skinhead who has faced jail time for neo-Nazi crimes, Maxim Martsinkevich, has been the ringleader in two projects: "Occupy Pedophilyaj" and "Occupy Gerontilyaj." While these projects ostensibly have the aim of catching pedophiles, in reality, Poltavtsev says, fake VK profiles are used to find and publicly humiliate young gay men. The police do little to help, Poltavtsev says, and besides, most young men are too afraid to go public about the crimes. "Being outed in a small Russian town is like being killed," Poltavtsev said. "So, many resort to a suicide."

Poltavtsev says that largely the Russian media hasn't touched the subject, with a couple of notable exceptions.  Earlier this month Lenta.ru sent a reporter to the Urals, one of the places where the "Occupy Pedophilyaj" movement was strongest, to investigate. "If I had it my way, we would kill [homosexuals]," one member of the group tells the journalist. Another Russian story says that the victims are sometimes as young as 11 years old. 

It's hard to watch this video and agree with people who feel that Russia is being unfairly portrayed as homophobic. 

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee is too spineless to tell Russia that the 2014 Winter Games will be moved to another site if the laws are not repealed.  I am not saying the games need to be cancelled or boycotted.  The venue needs to be moved and Putin and Russia humiliated in the process.  Otherwise, the International Olympic Committee will be acting as it did in the 1930's when the Summer Games were held in Hitler's Germany.

 

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Head Of Russian Orthodox Church Says Same-Sex Unions Are Portents Of Doom

UPDATED:  BuzzFeed has a compilation of photos here of what is being done to gays in Russia that is must viewing.

Proving again that (i) American Christofascists do not have a monopoly on insanity and (ii) the fruits of religion are most often hate and bigotry, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Kirill, said on Sunday that the recognition of same-sex unions by Western countries is a portent of doom.  Little has changed in the Russian Orthodox Church which has for centuries sought to support the rights and luxuries of the few over the rights and welfare of the many - i.e., previously the Tsars and the aristocracy and now Putin and his circle - and often whipped up pogroms against Jews in Russia.   Huffington Post looks at Kirill's evil and dangerous hate mongering.  Here are excerpts:

Russia has been cracking down on gays and lesbians lately, with harsh legislature making it potentially dangerous to be LGTB-identified in the country. President Putin has signed three anti-gay bills into law, with more to come.

He is supported in his anti-gay mission by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, who thinks that the recognition of same-sex unions by Western countries is a portent of doom. The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill said on Sunday after the service in Red Square's Kazan Cathedral, "This is a very dangerous apocalyptic symptom, and we must do everything in our powers to ensure that sin is never sanctioned in Russia by state law, because that would mean that the nation has embarked on a path of self-destruction."
The religious leader called on Russians to block the passage of marriage equality laws, stating, "We face enormous temptations when countries start approving sin and codifying it into law in order to justify it." Putin seems to share his views, as the President has embarked on a shocking campaign against gays and lesbians living in Russia, as Harvey Fierstein explained in a New York Times op-ed on Sunday.  Fierstein comments:

Mr. Putin’s campaign against lesbian, gay and bisexual people is one of distraction, a strategy of demonizing a minority for political gain taken straight from the Nazi playbook. Can we allow this war against human rights to go unanswered? Although Mr. Putin may think he can control his creation, history proves he cannot: his condemnations are permission to commit violence against gays and lesbians.

On July 3, a law banned the adoption of Russian-born children to gay couples as well as all couples or single parents living in countries where marriage equality exists. Despite the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics, Putin signed another law allowing police officers to arrest foreign nationals and tourists they suspect of being gay, lesbian, or "pro-gay," and detain them for up to two weeks. The worryingly vague language suggests that anyone simply accused of being gay, including Olympic athletes, can be thrown in jail.

The 2014 Winter Olympics are scheduled to be held in Sochi, but these new laws are worrying to many who plan to visit Russia in order to see the Games. Human Rights Watch published a letter to the Director General of the International Olympic Committee expressing its reservations about the harsh legislation, stating, "This draft law is clearly incompatible with the Olympic Charter’s promotion of “human dignity,” as well as a blatant violation of Russia’s international legal obligations to guarantee non-discrimination and respect for freedom of expression."

I for one support moving the 2014 games from Russia.  It would be a much needed public rebuke of Putin and his regime.  Russians have a history of wanting to be accepted as a western country and losing the Olympic Games would make the average citizen view Putin's anti-gay agenda as a national embarrassment. 

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First Tourists Arrested in Russia for "Gay Propaganda"

It is time for the International Olympic Committee to relocate the 2014 Winter Games from Russia and send a strong message to dictator Vladimir Putin.  Many seemingly refused to take seriously the harsh homophobic law recently passed in Russia that can lead to arrest and jail time for even tourists.  Three Dutch tourists have been arrested and are now awaiting a hearing.  Their apparent crime?  Working on a documentary about the plight of gays in Russia.  A strong public humiliation of Russia is needed to send a message that backward, religious bigotry will make a country off limits for sought after international events.  Here are details from Gay Star News:

Three tourists were arrested in Russia for ‘gay propaganda’ today (21 July), making them the first foreigners to be officially charged under the anti-gay law.
In Murmansk in North Russia, three Dutch citizens were detained by police.
One of those arrested is Kris van der Veen, a councillor for the left-wing green party GroenLinks in Groningen. He is also chairman of the foundation KGBT Groningen, which campaigns for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.
It is believed Van der Veen was making a documentary about gay rights in Russia and had been asking children about their views.

One of those arrested is Kris van der Veen, who is a councillor for the left-wing green party GroenLinks in Groningen. He is also chairman of the foundation KGBT Groningen, which campaigns for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.
Nos says the four were making a documentary about gay rights in Russia and had been questioning youngsters about their views.
The four have been released pending their court appearance and Van der Veen used Twitter to say they are being helped by the Dutch consultate.
- See more at: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/07/four_dutch_nationals_arrested.php#sthash.xQee8jEf.dpuf

While the three Dutch tourists were being held in the police station, authorities said they had violated the ‘rules of stay in the territory of Russia’.
They were told they had broken the law of ‘non-traditional sexual relations’ propaganda among children, which was signed into law by President Vladimir Putin last month.
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/first-tourists-arrested-russia-%E2%80%98gay-propaganda%E2%80%99220713#sthash.Wh79LOGP.pOADUvUb.dpuf

Three tourists were arrested in Russia for ‘gay propaganda’ today (21 July), making them the first foreigners to be officially charged under the anti-gay law.
In Murmansk in North Russia, three Dutch citizens were detained by police.
One of those arrested is Kris van der Veen, a councillor for the left-wing green party GroenLinks in Groningen. He is also chairman of the foundation KGBT Groningen, which campaigns for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.
It is believed Van der Veen was making a documentary about gay rights in Russia and had been asking children about their views.

One of those arrested is Kris van der Veen, who is a councillor for the left-wing green party GroenLinks in Groningen. He is also chairman of the foundation KGBT Groningen, which campaigns for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.
Nos says the four were making a documentary about gay rights in Russia and had been questioning youngsters about their views.
The four have been released pending their court appearance and Van der Veen used Twitter to say they are being helped by the Dutch consultate.
- See more at: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2013/07/four_dutch_nationals_arrested.php#sthash.xQee8jEf.dpuf

While the three Dutch tourists were being held in the police station, authorities said they had violated the ‘rules of stay in the territory of Russia’.
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/first-tourists-arrested-russia-%E2%80%98gay-propaganda%E2%80%99220713#sthash.Wh79LOGP.pOADUvUb.dpuf

Three tourists were arrested in Russia for ‘gay propaganda’ today (21 July), making them the first foreigners to be officially charged under the anti-gay law.

In Murmansk in North Russia, three Dutch citizens were detained by police.  One of those arrested is Kris van der Veen, a councillor for the left-wing green party GroenLinks in Groningen. He is also chairman of the foundation KGBT Groningen, which campaigns for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.

It is believed Van der Veen was making a documentary about gay rights in Russia and had been asking children about their views.

One of those arrested is Kris van der Veen, who is a councillor for the left-wing green party GroenLinks in Groningen. He is also chairman of the foundation KGBT Groningen, which campaigns for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.

Nos says the four were making a documentary about gay rights in Russia and had been questioning youngsters about their views.

The four have been released pending their court appearance and Van der Veen used Twitter to say they are being helped by the Dutch consultate.

They were told they had broken the law of ‘non-traditional sexual relations’ propaganda among children, which was signed into law by President Vladimir Putin last month.

If convicted of the law, the three people could be heavily fined, held for up to 14 days in Russian prison and then deported back to the Netherlands.

 

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