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

[Jingthing]

The Obama presidency is clearly SNUBBING anti-gay strong man Putin's Russian propaganda winter Olympics in Sochi. Hardly a U.S. or international boycott, but it is something that is clear.

The White House announced Tuesday that President Obama, Vice President Biden and the first lady will not attend the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in February, a pointed snub by an administration that is feuding with Russian leaders on a range of foreign policy and human rights issues.

The U.S. delegation will be led by a former Cabinet secretary and a deputy secretary of state, and it will include two openly gay athletes — tennis legend Billie Jean King and ice hockey player Caitlin Cahow — in an apparent bid to highlight opposition to Russia’s anti-gay laws.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obamas-biden-to-skip-the-winter-olympics-in-russia/2013/12/17/f7fbb148-676b-11e3-a0b9-249bbb34602c_story.html

[Jingthing]

Aha! Good old Billie Jean King is clearly planning something!

No, maybe not at Mexico City levels as it's doubtful an openly gay athlete will both medal AND protest on the award stand... but something.

Former tennis star Billie Jean King and figure skater Brian Boitano will also be in attendance. King, of course, is openly gay and an outspoken LGBT activist. Discussing the upcoming Sochi games in light of Russia’s recent anti-gay laws, she recently toldUSA TODAY, "Sometimes I think we need a John Carlos moment," referring to the sprinter who gave a black power salute on the medal stand at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. "I think there's watershed moments, benchmarks, I would hope the majority of the athletes would speak out. It's a great platform…. I wish I was 21 again and in the Olympics."

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_world_/2013/12/17/america_s_sochi_delegation_no_obamas_no_bidens_no_cabinet_officialshttp.html

[anon8]

Pres Obama and 1st lady not attending opening ceremony and not visiting the host country is very clear snub. I like!!

Alltho this snub may have less to do with Russian anti gay laws, more likely this in responce to Snowden affair.

[Jingthing]

Pres Obama and 1st lady not attending opening ceremony and not visiting the host country is very clear snub. I like!!

Alltho this snub may have less to do with Russian anti gay laws, more likely this in responce to Snowden affair.

Yes, and also some other issues as well. However, sending the high profile lesbians is a clear signal the anti-gay thing is part of the message.

[anon8]

I would say they are the participant's games. Germany boycotted the Olympic Games in Moscow sometime in the 1970s, and the only ones who got hurt were the German would-be participants who lost their chance.

The Olympic Games are non-political and should be about sports. The current discussion about one aspect of politics in the host country is great, but when the games begin, it's about sports.

Boycotting Moscow 1980 games was cold war politics. Most Western nations didn't send their athletes, and athlets who were not allowed by their goverments to attend were the only losers in 1980.

Talking about boycotting Sochi 2014 games is different. Russia should never been chosen to host the Olimpics. Olimpic games should only be hosted by countries that observe and support basic human rights.

The host country of 2014 games was chosen about 6 years ago. Russia was more or less a democratic country then, and there was no reason at time to not choose Russia.

It is a different country now. In just few years it has become a totalitarian regime, State backed persecution of gay people is just one of many issues of the regime.

[Jingthing]

Indeed. Yes these games really have turned into the Putin PROPAGANDA games. He'll probably pull it off for the most part, but hopefully not perfectly.

[LeCharivari]

Not quite sure how President Obama's lack of attendance at the Sochi Winter Olympics can be seen as much of a snub.

Was Canada snubbed when he decided not to attend the last (2010) Winter Olympics in Vancouver?

... or Australia, when there was no US president, vice-president, first lady or even an ex-president in attendance for the Sydney Olympics in 2000?

[Jingthing]

Not quite sure how President Obama's lack of attendance at the Sochi Winter Olympics can be seen as much of a snub.

Was Canada snubbed when he decided not to attend the last (2010) Winter Olympics in Vancouver?

... or Australia, when there was no US president, vice-president, first lady or even an ex-president in attendance for the Sydney Olympics in 2000?

Sounds like you are cherry picking some details here. It's a snub. He's sending lesbians. If you don't think it's a snub, fine, but it's a snub. Americans know it. Russians know it. Maybe you don't approve of this snub. Too bad. I think most gay activists would approve of AT LEAST doing this much and at least Obama is doing SOMETHING. With this snub. Which is a snub.

President Obama, Vice President Biden, and their families will skip the opening or closing ceremonies of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, breaking with recent tradition that has seen very senior White House officials in attendance when athletes from around the world arrive for competition.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2525542/Obamas-Bidens-SKIP-Sochi-olympics-opening-ceremonies.html#ixzz2nqdtOOYD

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

[anon8]

Heads of states always attend opening ceremony of Olimpic games.

Not attending opening ceremony is not just a clear snub, it is pretty much an insult to host country.

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[LeCharivari]

Heads of states always attend opening ceremony of Olimpic games. Not attending opening ceremony is not just a clear snub, it is pretty much an insult to host country. Sent from my C6802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

So Obama wasn't the head of state in 2012, when he didn't attend the Olympic Games in London?

..... or in 2010, when he didn't attend the Winter Olympics in Vancouver?

..... or George W Bush head of state in 2006, when he didn't attend the Winter Olympics in Turin?

..... or in 2004, when he didn't attend the Olympic Games in Athens?

..... or Bill Clinton head of state in 2000, when he didn't attend the Olympic Games in Sydney?

Fathers, wives and daughters and vice-presidents and their wives really don't cut it as "heads of state".

[anon8]

Michelle Obama, the first lady attended London games. First lady is closest thing to head of state, her presence was enough to represent the USA at opening in London. First lady and her presence is more prestigeous than VP's.

If no Obamas and no Bidens will attend Sochi opening, it is a huge snub, and well deserved.

Im not gonna go down the list who attended or didnt at various openings, but if Pres, prsidents spouse and VP did not attend, there were serious reasons, and the host countries were snubbed.

But you dont need to listen to me. Media is covering the announcement of Obamas not attending, and media outlets universally agree that it is a snub.

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[Jingthing]

Definitely a snub. The Washington Post says it's a snub.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obamas-biden-to-skip-the-winter-olympics-in-russia/2013/12/17/f7fbb148-676b-11e3-a0b9-249bbb34602c_story.html

The White House announced Tuesday that President Obama, Vice President Biden and the first lady will not attend the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in February, a pointed snub by an administration that is feuding with Russian leaders on a range of foreign policy and human rights issues.

The U.S. delegation will be led by a former Cabinet secretary and a deputy secretary of state, and it will include two openly gay athletes — tennis legend Billie Jean King and ice hockey player Caitlin Cahow — in an apparent bid to highlight opposition to Russia’s anti-gay laws.

This will mark the first time since the Summer Games in Sydney in 2000 that a U.S. Olympic delegation did not include a president, first lady or vice president. The White House made the announcement in a news release late Tuesday.

[anon8]

WaPo: 'The U.S. delegation will be led by a former Cabinet secretary and a deputy secretary of state'

Who? No name!

LOL

WaPo did not even print the name of the head of US delegation, cos the post he/she holds in US goverment is so insignificant.

I love it!

And including the openly gay famous superstar tennis player is a nice touch.

Only thing better would have been naming Billie Jean King or any other openly gay athlete the head of US delegation!

[isanbirder]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/dec/18/ioc-sochi-protest-rules-anti-gay-winter-olympics

IOC rules for protests at Sochi.

[ToddWeston]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/dec/18/ioc-sochi-protest-rules-anti-gay-winter-olympics

IOC rules for protests at Sochi.

Fair enough for those who want to protest, but keep them well enough away as to not disrupt the event.

As for Bama going or not, I don't really care which political leaders attend it's all about sport and nothing more.

[anon8]

Olympics is not just about sports.

High school hockey game is just about sports.

Olimpic games are much bigger than just sporting event.

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[Naam]

Michelle Obama, the first lady attended London games. First lady is closest thing to head of state, her presence was enough to represent the USA at opening in London. First lady and her presence is more prestigeous than VP's. If no Obamas and no Bidens will attend Sochi opening, it is a huge snub, and well deserved. Im not gonna go down the list who attended or didnt at various openings, but if Pres, prsidents spouse and VP did not attend, there were serious reasons, and the host countries were snubbed. But you dont need to listen to me. Media is covering the announcement of Obamas not attending, and media outlets universally agree that it is a snub. Sent from my C6802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

German head of state Joachim Gauck announced some days ago he will not attend.

[anon8]

Not to belittle high school hockey game, its just that nothing comes close to scale of Olimpics, sport event or any other event. For 2 weeks nations come together, everybody is equal, no matter what race, age, orientation.

And that is exactly why undemocratic, totalitarian regimes should have no business hosting this event.

China should never have been chosen by IOC. Chinese unelcted rulers were happy, finally they were recognized as nation good enough, where something as prestgeous as Olimpics are hosted. World mass media had headlines 'China has arrived'.

Arrived where!? It is a sad police state, with no democratic elections, human rights violentions are a norm.

The only reason the corrupt commite gave go ahead allowing China to host, is that it had become economic super power. But hosting Olimpics there goes against this event stands for.. Equality being one.

And now Olimpics are held in Russia. Same kind of totalitarian regime as China.

The Guardian article says demonstrators are allowed, but in State designated areas only. That means they are allowed to speak out at some parking lot, in the outskirts of the city, the same tactic used in Peking.

Berlin in 1936, Bejing in 2008 and Sochi 2014 are embarrasment, IOC not honouring their own Olimpic Games Charter, that describes what Olimpics stand for.

It is puzzling that some people support Putin banning the protests near game events, especially the protests against awful anti gay laws there. The whole world is watchibg the games, and that is exactly when protestsers should draw attention to Russias human rights record, anti gay laws.

[isanbirder]

I can't say I've really noticed the Winter Olympics much before, except for reading occasional articles in the Press while they were on. I think the same applies to most people unless they have some particular interest in one or other of the sports included. The Olympics to me were basically the Games which take place every four years.

Sochi has changed this... but is it just because I'm seeing news about gay protests? I can't say I've noticed anything about actual sports. Meanwhile I still see news about athletes like Usain Bolt, Mo Farah etc.

Are we actually doing Putin's job for him by publicising the Winter Games?

[Jingthing]

The ice skating events are good fun!

[anon8]

Winter games are nowhere near as popular as summer games, but winter games are huge in Nordic countries. In Norway, Sweden, Finland cross country skiing is a national sport. People wait for the first snow, to go skiing.

Also very popular in Russia too, for decades in both mens and womens skiing there is rivalry between Russian and Scandinavian countries teams.

In Estonia it is national sport, every winter there is skiing marathon, very big event, our Prime Minister participares and compeats, he is avid skier.

And in the Alps regions downhill skiing is national sport, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany.

Canada always wins womens curling, ladies wearing full make up, wearing ear rings, pushing a heavy stone looking thingy on ice. CBC covers curling live for hours.

Snowboarding is huge in BC. One year a Canadian guy won a gold medal, but tested later positive for marijuana, they stripped him, his gold medal

And hockey, rivalry between Canada, Russia and Swedish teams are always one of the hi lights.

Figure skating is the only event, US payes attention to, figure skating never fails to entertain

But I think in US and Australia winter games are hardly noticed at all.

[LeCharivari]

Michelle Obama, the first lady attended London games. First lady is closest thing to head of state, her presence was enough to represent the USA at opening in London. First lady and her presence is more prestigeous than VP's. If no Obamas and no Bidens will attend Sochi opening, it is a huge snub, and well deserved. Im not gonna go down the list who attended or didnt at various openings, but if Pres, prsidents spouse and VP did not attend, there were serious reasons, and the host countries were snubbed. But you dont need to listen to me. Media is covering the announcement of Obamas not attending, and media outlets universally agree that it is a snub. Sent from my C6802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

". But you dont need to listen to me."

Thank you.

[Jingthing]

Michelle Obama, the first lady attended London games. First lady is closest thing to head of state, her presence was enough to represent the USA at opening in London. First lady and her presence is more prestigeous than VP's. If no Obamas and no Bidens will attend Sochi opening, it is a huge snub, and well deserved. Im not gonna go down the list who attended or didnt at various openings, but if Pres, prsidents spouse and VP did not attend, there were serious reasons, and the host countries were snubbed. But you dont need to listen to me. Media is covering the announcement of Obamas not attending, and media outlets universally agree that it is a snub. Sent from my C6802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

". But you dont need to listen to me."

Thank you.

I doubt you'll find one credible press publication on the planet that asserts the Obama chosen party for the Olympics is not a snub and is also a pro gay rights political statement. Basically, it's a FACT.

[anon8]

You are welcome, LeCharivari

[anon8]

". But you dont need to listen to me."

Thank You!

Oh, I just realized that was not a friendly Thank You at all! I am slow sometimes.

Do you still think Obamas and VP not attending the opening ceremony is not a snub?

Every news outlate says it is.

I know that I could never convince you, that is why I added the line about all media calling it a snub.

So you lost the argument, and for some reason I get a sarcastic Thank You from you.

How come? Why?

[StasD]

Russian law forbids gay-propaganda between teenagers until 18 years. that is all. I think it is good law

[anon8]

Russian law forbids gay-propaganda between teenagers until 18 years. that is all. I think it is good law

Gay propaganda? LOL

[StasD]

Russian law forbids gay-propaganda between teenagers until 18 years. that is all. I think it is good law

Gay propaganda? LOL

English is not my mothertonque. gay- Propaganda means if you invite teenagers to gay-clubs you will be got in prison

[anon8]

English is not my mothertonque. gay- Propaganda means if you invite teenagers to gay-clubs you will be got in prison

Really? In Russia a person can be inprisoned, if he/she invites teenager to a gay club?

Do you think this is appropriate punishment?

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[anon8]

Yes I support it. Pedophile can be inprisoned, why gay cannot?

Interesting point of view!

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