Russia's anti-gay laws have teeth -- gay priders assaulted

[Jingthing]

...

you are the whiner and whinger par excellence when it concerns gay rights.

...

I've been called worse.

Obviously talking about gay rights fits well on the gay forum.

What did you expect? Fashion chat?

Edited July 26, 2013 by Jingthing

[isanbirder]

I am entitled to my opinion, as you are entitled to yours, Jingthing. Neither of has a monopoly on being right. It does your contention no good to go, as Naam puts it, "verbally berserk". And Naam has a right to his opinion, too.

[Jingthing]

I am entitled to my opinion, as you are entitled to yours, Jingthing.  Neither of has a monopoly on being right.  It does your contention no good to go, as Naam puts it, "verbally berserk".  And Naam has a right to his opinion, too.

I never said anyone doesn't have a right to their opinions and you know it. As far as name calling like whiner it's interesting that you would give support to that.

Sent from my GT-S5360B using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Jingthing]

Addressing anyone out there who agrees with me that an international response is justified relating to the Russian oppression of their gay people, what specific things might be done? That Russian group in the USA proposed a boycott of Sochi. In my view as I said before I think that's a poor idea and also clearly won't happen unless there is a stronger geopolitical reason for a U.S. (plus others) boycott. It's also really unfair to the athletes.

Looking back to Hitler's Berlin Olympics, I reckon there is no gay Jesse Owens to send that kind of message.

So at Sochi, assuming no boycott of tourists and athletes, what actions could international people do to shine light about these horrible Russian laws to the world?

Should they openly break the laws by wearing rainbow pins, kissing, etc. and be seen getting arrested by the international press?

Personally, I think that's a good idea, but I'm not sure what else could be done in a similar vein.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Yes blame the oppressed people for their oppression. That's logical.

Anyway, like Fierstein, I remain interested in what international people can do to respond to the anti-gay oppression in Russia. Other than the idea of doing nothing, which I do not agree with.

OK at least one gay bar is boycotting STOLI. I think that is a nice gesture but kind of laughable in it's weakness. Putin is a big strong man and Russia has a big head, a resurgence of hyper nationalism, even a political rehabilitation of Stalin. So a boycott on STOLI won't cut it.

But what will?

“The law might seem funny in its misuse with Madonna, dairies or others targets, but after it was passed LGBT people in St Petersburg faced more pressure, especially in schools and medical institutions — people were told day by day they were not welcome at work and finally had to quit because they couldn’t deal with such psychological pressure. The other consequence has been that assaults against LGBT people in streets and near gay clubs became more frequent.”

http://uncut.indexoncensorship.org/2012/12/russias-anti-gay-laws-no-laughing-matter/

Edited July 26, 2013 by Jingthing

[OldChinaHam]

"This is depressing.

At the same time gays in the USA have made such dramatic progress, Russia appears to be going seriously backwards."

Obviously more support is needed from Pussy Riot, my favorite Russian band.

[Jingthing]

An interesting perspective on today's extreme Russian homophobia:

Moral panics and the wider moral politics of which they are part are a stark reminder that the personal is political and the political is – or can rapidly become – intensely personal. As has already been demonstrated in the US and other countries in relation to debates over reproductive rights and sexual violence, as well as by events in Russia in relation to LGBT rights, the practices of moral politics are inherently divisive and dehumanising, costing people their lives and livelihoods and blaming them for their own victimisation. This is why LGBT rights is an issue that does not just affect LGBT people: If we accept the logic that is presented by proponents of “traditional values”, then we are not only accepting current inequalities and hierarchies of power, we are also also contributing to their perpetuation and in the process leaving ourselves vulnerable to further restrictions of rights if we do not meet criteria that are imposed by someone else and over which we may have no control. If we do not want this to happen, as Anton Krasovsky argues, remaining silent is not an option, both for the sake of other people and ourselves.

http://thedisorderofthings.com/2013/06/23/russias-anti-gay-laws-the-politics-and-consequences-of-a-moral-panic/

Gay people are being SCAPEGOATED in Russia now. This is nothing new in history for gays or other minority groups that are easy to scapegoat. There are people to blame but the people to blame are not Russian gay people!

Edited July 26, 2013 by Jingthing

[OldChinaHam]

An interesting perspective on today's extreme Russian homophobia:

Moral panics and the wider moral politics of which they are part are a stark reminder that the personal is political and the political is – or can rapidly become – intensely personal. As has already been demonstrated in the US and other countries in relation to debates over reproductive rights and sexual violence, as well as by events in Russia in relation to LGBT rights, the practices of moral politics are inherently divisive and dehumanising, costing people their lives and livelihoods and blaming them for their own victimisation. This is why LGBT rights is an issue that does not just affect LGBT people: If we accept the logic that is presented by proponents of “traditional values”, then we are not only accepting current inequalities and hierarchies of power, we are also also contributing to their perpetuation and in the process leaving ourselves vulnerable to further restrictions of rights if we do not meet criteria that are imposed by someone else and over which we may have no control. If we do not want this to happen, as Anton Krasovsky argues, remaining silent is not an option, both for the sake of other people and ourselves.

http://thedisorderofthings.com/2013/06/23/russias-anti-gay-laws-the-politics-and-consequences-of-a-moral-panic/

Gay people are being SCAPEGOATED in Russia now. This is nothing new in history for gays or other minority groups that are easy to scapegoat. There are people to blame but the people to blame are not Russian gay people!

Obviously, you cannot mean the gypsies.

[OldChinaHam]

I am sure that the more anyone practices tolerance, the better one feels.

Might get a warm fuzzy feeling.

This willingness to be tolerant begins with early education.

I wonder if there is not also a genetic component to intolerance, and bigotry.

Any hope for improvement is hopeless, however, as most of us know but do not admit.

It is only necessary to study history closely and buy a few tickets to a good zoo.

I do not like this truth any more than you.

[Scott]

A series of personal attacks and remarks have been removed. Please stick to the topic. You may express your opinion without attacking the position of others.

[LeCharivari]

I suggest if you're really that interested in that discreet topic that in THIS topic the focus really isn't gay parades but rather Russia's LAWS

old story with you JT. you see something that you perceive negative to your cause and then either start hairsplitting or go verbally berserk.

yawwwnnn...

The thing is your post implied the problem is Russia is gay parades. That is bloody wrong. The problem is horribly repressive LAWS. Gays in Russia are being persecuted. Whining that you don't like parades trivializes this horror to a triviality.

(re-posted without any observations)

Actually Naam is bloody right. The "problem" in Russia which started the whole series of bans and anti-gay laws WAS gay parades, starting with the 2005/6 Moscow Pride. That doesn't in any way justify the current laws, and whether it was a catalyst, a last straw or an excuse is debatable, but beyond any doubt gay parades was where the problem began.

[LeCharivari]

Addressing anyone out there who agrees with me that an international response is justified relating to the Russian oppression of their gay people, what specific things might be done? That Russian group in the USA proposed a boycott of Sochi. In my view as I said before I think that's a poor idea and also clearly won't happen unless there is a stronger geopolitical reason for a U.S. (plus others) boycott. It's also really unfair to the athletes.

Looking back to Hitler's Berlin Olympics, I reckon there is no gay Jesse Owens to send that kind of message.

So at Sochi, assuming no boycott of tourists and athletes, what actions could international people do to shine light about these horrible Russian laws to the world?

Should they openly break the laws by wearing rainbow pins, kissing, etc. and be seen getting arrested by the international press?

Personally, I think that's a good idea, but I'm not sure what else could be done in a similar vein.

(re-posted without any observations)

Should they openly break the laws by wearing rainbow pins, kissing, etc. and be seen getting arrested by the international press?

They wouldn't be arrested - just as there was no smog and there were no beggars, stray dogs or shanty towns during the games in China, so there would be no arrests during the games in Russia. Any "kissing, etc" would, however, be observed not only by the international press but by the anti-gay majority who would see it as a sign of things to come if western-style gay rights were adopted; counter-productive at best.

[LeCharivari]

An interesting perspective on today's extreme Russian homophobia:

Moral panics and the wider moral politics of which they are part are a stark reminder that the personal is political and the political is – or can rapidly become – intensely personal. As has already been demonstrated in the US and other countries in relation to debates over reproductive rights and sexual violence, as well as by events in Russia in relation to LGBT rights, the practices of moral politics are inherently divisive and dehumanising, costing people their lives and livelihoods and blaming them for their own victimisation. This is why LGBT rights is an issue that does not just affect LGBT people: If we accept the logic that is presented by proponents of “traditional values”, then we are not only accepting current inequalities and hierarchies of power, we are also also contributing to their perpetuation and in the process leaving ourselves vulnerable to further restrictions of rights if we do not meet criteria that are imposed by someone else and over which we may have no control. If we do not want this to happen, as Anton Krasovsky argues, remaining silent is not an option, both for the sake of other people and ourselves.

http://thedisorderofthings.com/2013/06/23/russias-anti-gay-laws-the-politics-and-consequences-of-a-moral-panic/

Gay people are being SCAPEGOATED in Russia now. This is nothing new in history for gays or other minority groups that are easy to scapegoat. There are people to blame but the people to blame are not Russian gay people!

What exactly are "Gay people are being SCAPEGOATED in Russia" for?

They're not being blamed for anything, apart from being gay. Putin doesn't need to find some way of "recruiting support from conservative religious organizations" as Fierstein claims - hes' ALREADY got 100% of the support of the Russian Orthodox Church, who went so far as to say that he was chosen by God to lead the country.

The laws are unpleasant in the extreme, draconian, and (in my view) unjustifiable, but I haven't seen anything, until now, to suggest that they are being blamed for anything as scapegoats in the way that other minority groups have been for political ends in the past. Fierstein's whole line of argument is baseless.

[LeCharivari]

You suggest, JT, that Russian gay activists want Western interference.

That may be so, but it does not mean that that is the best way to foster a more liberal attitude to gays by the Russian public and officialdom.

Based on what do you make that presumption?

Does that come from specific knowledge of Russia or a knee jerk distaste for gays making waves?

You use the word interference. That is a LOADED word.

Focusing international attention is not the same as interference.

Foreigners wouldn't have the ability to "interfere" in Russia even if they wanted to.

Gays are being scapegoated in Russia.

I find it really sad to hear the voices of "conservative" gays that the world should just IGNORE it.

You know it's not really a coincidence that Jewish gays from America such as Fierstein, the majority of which have some kind of connection to Russia in their ancestry would have a strong feeling about a minority group being persecuted in Russia.

I remember well the SAVE SOVIET JEWRY campaigns.

That wasn't wrong back then and support for Russian gays isn't wrong TODAY either.

Activism is NOT a dirty word. So much of the progress in human rights in the world is because of activism. It can come from low, and it can come from high, from people such as Hillary Clinton.

"Activism is NOT a dirty word. So much of the progress in human rights in the world is because of activism. It can come from low, and it can come from high, from people such as Hillary Clinton."

Hillary Clinton has changed her views considerably on how support for foreign LGBT issues should be made since first voicing her support two years ago - then it was about visibly supporting Gay Pride and activism, while now it is very much about supporting LGBT rights ONLY through local LGBT groups.

I can't think of a single example of progress in gay rights that has come from international/foreign activism rather than local activism, although there are a number, such as Uganda and Pakistan, where such foreign activism has been visibly counter-productive. I fail to see why Russia would be any different - maybe someone better informed than I am could enlighten me?

[Scott]

Continued posting in a caustic manner is going to earn suspensions. You can treat posters in a civil manner and you can center on the discussion without splitting hairs and taking a posters point out of context.

[Jingthing]

Well the Stoli Russian VODKA boycott is gaining steam.

Correction: ALL Russian vodkas and I reckon any other Russian drink.

It seems pretty lame to me, I'm hoping for something MUCH BIGGER, but I guess it's better than nothing:

http://blog.sfgate.com/hottopics/2013/07/25/stoli-boycott-protests-russian-anti-gay-laws/

Seattle-based sex-advice columnist Dan Savage was the first to organize a vodka boycott, creating the rallying-cry hashtags #dumprussianvodka and #dumpstoli. Chicago gay bar Sidetrack dumped the stuff in response, posting on their Facebook page that they “cannot support a brand so associated with Russia at a time when Russia is implementing (against strong world criticism) its anti-gay law that bans gay ‘propaganda.’” Gay activists and allies have been calling around bars in major cities asking them to dump Russian-made spirits, too, and post up signs declaring why they serve non-Russian vodkas.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Regarding the use of the word SCAPEGOATING in referring the Russian treatment of the Russian identity group of Russian gays, that word is perfectly apt:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scapegoat

a : one that bears the blame for others

b : one that is the object of irrational hostility

As can be seen, a group or person does NOT need to be a blame bearer to be a scapegoat. The secondary definition makes that clear.

In any case, we can use the word scapegoat and also persecuted to describe the unfortunate situation of the Russian identity group of Russian gays in Putin's Russia.

http://americablog.com/2013/06/russia-on-verge-of-banning-pro-gay-words.html

Putin decided years ago to scapegoat Russian gays as the new Jews

Again, it is no wonder, no mystery, that gay American Jews such as Fierstein have a particular interest and personal FEELING about the situation for the Russian identity group of Russian gays.

Edited July 29, 2013 by Jingthing

[LeCharivari]

I am not defending either Putin or the recent laws, but the article you quote is incorrect on many levels.

Gays have never been made scapegoats in Russia as Jews were. Jews in Russia, from the times of the Czar until the 1990's, were blamed for economic problems and some unidentified "Jewish conspiracies". This has never applied to gays, who have been blamed for nothing apart from being gay - there is simply nothing to support the idea that "Putin decided years ago to scapegoat Russian gays as the new Jews" as the two situations have nothing in common.

The only person being made a "scapegoat" of here is Putin, who is being made a scapegoat by the American left-wing and gay media for laws which he did nothing to initiate or ferment - he only became involved once many of the laws had already been passed locally and although he has subsequently supported them his beliefs as a strong supporter of the Russian Orthodox Church made this inevitable - he is certainly not making political capital out of the "gay issue" as many Western politicians are (albeit it on the other side).

Russian police "routinely beat up" any and all protesters - its what they do and they're famous for, regardless of whether the protesters are gays or neo-Nazis.

The law does not "ban non-traditional sexual relations" - it bans promoting them on the internet or in the media or giving out anything about them to minors.

The law does not allow for anyone to be "thrown in a Russian prison for being gay, or simply being okay with gays" (despite what Wiki says about homosexuality being "illegal since 3rd July 2013"). Homosexuality is not illegal in Russia.

The fine for promoting homosexuality is not up to $31,000 but is up to $156; the $31,000 fine is for a company, not an individual.

The laws are still wrong. Totally and absolutely wrong ... but that doesn't justify using them for political ends against Putin, turning them into a political issue not a human rights issue.

[Jingthing]

I'm sure the dictator Putin is pleased to have western defenders.

[LeCharivari]

Addressing anyone out there who agrees with me that an international response is justified relating to the Russian oppression of their gay people, what specific things might be done? That Russian group in the USA proposed a boycott of Sochi. In my view as I said before I think that's a poor idea and also clearly won't happen unless there is a stronger geopolitical reason for a U.S. (plus others) boycott. It's also really unfair to the athletes.

Looking back to Hitler's Berlin Olympics, I reckon there is no gay Jesse Owens to send that kind of message.

So at Sochi, assuming no boycott of tourists and athletes, what actions could international people do to shine light about these horrible Russian laws to the world?

Should they openly break the laws by wearing rainbow pins, kissing, etc. and be seen getting arrested by the international press?

Personally, I think that's a good idea, but I'm not sure what else could be done in a similar vein.

(re-posted without any observations)

Should they openly break the laws by wearing rainbow pins, kissing, etc. and be seen getting arrested by the international press?

They wouldn't be arrested - just as there was no smog and there were no beggars, stray dogs or shanty towns during the games in China, so there would be no arrests during the games in Russia. Any "kissing, etc" would, however, be observed not only by the international press but by the anti-gay majority who would see it as a sign of things to come if western-style gay rights were adopted; counter-productive at best.

As expected, Russia has already exempted "anyone attending or taking part in the Games" at Sochi from the laws and the IOC Committee have accepted it.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/russia-ioc-anti-gay-law

[Jingthing]

As expected, Russia has already exempted "anyone attending or taking part in the Games" at Sochi from the laws and the IOC Committee have accepted it.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/russia-ioc-anti-gay-law

This could still be a great opportunity. People could protest Putin's draconian anti-laws at Sochi and not fear arrest. They could make it clear the exemption they are getting from arrest is a big propaganda show in their protests.

[LeCharivari]

As expected, Russia has already exempted "anyone attending or taking part in the Games" at Sochi from the laws and the IOC Committee have accepted it.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/russia-ioc-anti-gay-law

This could still be a great opportunity. People could protest Putin's draconian anti-laws at Sochi and not fear arrest. They could make it clear the exemption they are getting from arrest is a big propaganda show in their protests.

Agreed, but any sort of mass or orchestrated protest would actually be difficult to orchestrate effectively. The police would be fully justified in removing any banners, flags, etc, by those entering any competition areas (normal) and any group of protestors would have to be "confined" for "their own protection" from opposing protestors and away from the events. Gays kissing on TV would just be ... well ... gays kissing - hardly newsworthy, except in the gay press.

Assuming the Soviet police know what they are doing (and I think they do) sidelining any protests would be simple and the only effective protest would be from a medal winning competitor, 1968 Tommie Smith / John Carlos style. Whether any gay athletes would (or should) do that is a different matter.

[LeCharivari]

As expected, Russia has already exempted "anyone attending or taking part in the Games" at Sochi from the laws and the IOC Committee have accepted it.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/russia-ioc-anti-gay-law

This could still be a great opportunity. People could protest Putin's draconian anti-laws at Sochi and not fear arrest. They could make it clear the exemption they are getting from arrest is a big propaganda show in their protests.

Agreed, but any sort of mass or orchestrated protest would actually be difficult to orchestrate effectively. The police would be fully justified in removing any banners, flags, etc, by those entering any competition areas (normal) and any group of protestors would have to be "confined" for "their own protection" from opposing protestors and away from the events. Gays kissing on TV would just be ... well ... gays kissing - hardly newsworthy, except in the gay press.

Assuming the Soviet police know what they are doing (and I think they do) sidelining any protests would be simple and the only effective protest would be from a medal winning competitor, 1968 Tommie Smith / John Carlos style. Whether any gay athletes would (or should) do that is a different matter.

[Jingthing]

I don't usually watch the winter olympics but this one might be special ...

On second thought, I do always watch the skating events ...

Edited July 29, 2013 by Jingthing

[Suradit69]

ACT UP Disrupts Stoli Splash Bash; July 31 Demo Planned at Russian Consulate

BY PAUL SCHINDLER | It certainly didn’t have the makings of a fair fight, as a group of less than a dozen members of ACT UP/ NY faced off against a crowd of roughly 150 who had been primed with free rounds of Stolichnaya Vodka. But when the activists disrupted the opening of the Most Original Stoli Guy New York competition at Splash bar in Chelsea on July 30 with signs that read, “Russia Kills Gays” and “Dump Stoli,” the crowd watched in bewildered silence.

http://gaycitynews.com/actup_disrupts_stoli_splash_bash_july_31_demo_planned_at_russian_consulate/

Edited July 31, 2013 by Suradit69

[Jingthing]

It sounds like they have some educational outreach work to do about what's happening in Russia.

[Suradit69]

^{Stoli Vodka ?? Russian?? NEVER!}

^{Nothing promotes a PC social conscience like having your profit threatened.}

^{In his first U.S. interview since a worldwide boycott was launched against Stolichnaya vodka in response to the Russian government’s anti-gay crackdown, the CEO of the company that owns the iconic “Stoli” brand insisted that his company is “not a Russian company,” even as he confirmed that the company operates a distillery in Russia, that “several hundred” of its 2,500 employees are in Russia and that it obtains its ingredients from Russia. Val Mendeleev, chief operating officer of SPI Group, the Luxembourg-based company which owns the brand outside of Russia, also announced that in response to the boycott the company would be making a financial donation to an unspecified group working on behalf of Russian LGBT activists fighting against the Russian government’s anti-gay policies. (Scroll down to listen to the full interview)}

^{Sitting down for an in-studio interview with me on SiriusXM Progress on Monday, Mendeleev described himself as an “ex-Russian,” having left the country 20 years ago, and said that the billionaire owner of the SPI Group, Yuri Scheffler, is an “ex-Russian” and a political opponent of the current Russian government. Scheffler, Mendeleev said, left the country 10 years ago, lives in London and Switzerland, and has since been in a bitter business dispute with the Russian government. Both men, Mendeleev said, condemn the Russian anti-gay policies, as did the company in an open letter several days ago. SPI group, Mendeleev said, owns the Stoli name worldwide but is not allowed to sell the brand inside Russia, where a state-owned company owns and markets it; because of the dispute, SPI changed the label on the bottle to say “premium” vodka, from “Russian” vodka in 2007.}

“We are right now contemplating the best way to [use our influence],” he said. “I’ve been giving interviews, some of them in Russia, emphasizing our position, that we are upset by the lack of tolerance in Russia and the law limiting rights. But at the same time, we’re now analyzing the best way to influence this in Russia. Probably we will identify a global or local charity that knows better than us how to tackle the issue and influence the issue in Russia. And we’ll support it financially.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/31/stoli-vodka-gay-boycott_n_3682365.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices

Edited July 31, 2013 by Suradit69

[Jingthing]

OK, I never loved the Vodka boycott idea anyway.

Here is an interesting idea from Russia:

The human rights campaigner said if people around the world want to do something that will actually help Russian gays, then they should target the homophobic lawmakers.

He said: ‘Just three or four persons on the visa ban list of the EU, USA, UK and several other countries will dissuade other Russian politicians to follow this path.

‘This is the only thing which can effectively work.

‘Pressure your governments to put the authors of those laws on the black lists for the entrance visas. They will suffer and others will think twice. Nothing else will work!’

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/russian-gay-activists-there-no-point-boycotting-vodka260713

And a key Russian bigot responds. He also claims the anti-gay laws WILL be enforced at Sochi against tourists and athletes.

This is getting more interesting.

After Russian LGBT rights campaigner Nikolai Alekseev said there was ‘no point’ in boycotting vodka, a petition began calling for the United States to ban Milonov from entering the country. Elena Mizulina, who was the State Duma deputy responsible for the federal law, is also on the proposed visa ban petition.

Speaking to RIA Novosti, Milonov said: ‘I get word of such things from time to time. I absolutely don’t get nervous about this subject.’

‘Having spoken with many American politicians, I understand that they support the stance I’ve taken on this issue,’ he added. ‘Such support has also been expressed to me by several members of German parliament.

According to the petition organizers, they need 100,000 signatures by 25 August for it to be considered by the Secretary of State John Kerry. At the time of writing, they have just over 2,600.

http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/russian-lawmaker-we-will-arrest-gay-athletes-tourists-olympic-games300713

Edited July 31, 2013 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

There is talk about sending (lesbian) high profile MSNBC tv broadcaster RACHEL MADOW to Sochi specifically to focus on the anti-gay law angle.

Like I said, this is getting more interesting.

Russia is not going to escape international backlash from their hateful anti-gay laws.

[Suradit69]

This could still be a great opportunity. People could protest Putin's draconian anti-laws at Sochi and not fear arrest.

Maybe not...

Russia Will Not Suspend Anti-Gay Legislation For 2014 Sochi Olympic Games: Official

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.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/30/russia-anti-gay-olympic-games-sochi_n_3676311.html?utm_content=buffer37035&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

Edited August 1, 2013 by Suradit69