I am not a fan of Russia's new laws, which prohibit dissemination and discussion of homosexuality. However, contrary to what MSNBC or George Takei have told us, it is NOT a law that allows you to go around beating up homosexuals. There are no special protection laws for homosexuals and gay pride parades are illegal. However, assault is also illegal and assaulting someone who is gay IS a crime, just no different from assaulting someone who isn't. Gay marriages are not recognized but homosexual relations are not illegal. It is a national 'don't ask, don't tell' law. Gay men may serve in the military and even adopt children (any single person can). These are not draconian laws such as are found in Uganda. The big issue is that it is illegal to speak out about homosexuality or teach children about it. While I personally find this barbaric, if censorship was an issue then how did China, Korea, Germany or the former USSR get the Olympics? If having anti-gay legislation or attitudes bars hosting the Olympics I guess they will be held in Western continental Europe forever.
Read about Russia's laws
here.
I personally find the idea a bit outdated, but in a country where around 80% of the population are opposed to homosexual rights perhaps it is not surprising. Also, Russia's ideas are in line with how most of the world feels about homosexuality. The fact is that "the world" is not changing its views on homosexuality, just a few countries in western Europe and North America.
Now I personally support gay marriage because, well frankly, I have never heard a compelling reason not to. However, not doing so should not be cause for an international boycott. The fact is that gay rights is the hot issue of 2013 so Russia gets a lot of hate, but what if we judged a country by another, less current but equally important issue. Maybe the way it treats its minority or indigenous populations? If THAT was the hot button issue no one would suggest moving the Olympics to Canada. Look at how the Canadian government ignores, abuses and mistreats its aboriginal population (
here and
here and
here). So we can't have the games in a country that bans discussion on homosexuality but instead should have it in a country that bans UN envoys from visiting aboriginal communities who are in dire need of assistance? That seems reasonable?
So how about other nations who have hosted the Olympics recently. Australia. Amazing place unless you are a
refugee or an Aboriginal Australian. Japan, great if you are full blooded Yamato Japanese, less so if you are a Korean Japanese or Ainu. China. Tibet and Xinjiang, 'nuff said. London. The Brits are my favourite as they will tout human rights and international law (and have since the day after the Suez Crisis ended) but will set them aside whenever the US and Russia say it's okay. Ask Iraqi's how they feel about the UK as a model of human rights? How many nations at those games had athletes representing countries that won their freedom from the very queen presiding over the games? The USA. I wonder if Obama's spy network reads this blog? How many drones has he used this year? How about all those US states where there is no equality for homosexuals now?
However, these groups don't have charismatic spokesmen and aren't the hot button issue of the year so no one brings them up when the Olympics are being waved around. Granted a few native groups DID protest Vancouver, but they were simply ignored by all the same people so determined to move the Olympics from Russia.
Also, why do the Olympics get held to a higher standard than other sporting events? South Africa gets the FIFA World Cup? The UAE hosts F1 facing? Russia hosts hockey championships? China hosted the last Asian Games?
Finally, who decided the Olympics were a honour? It's a sporting locust, coming in and sucking up funds, offering little of value in return and then leaving. Yes tourism goes up, but it crashes for six months after that. Yes we now know which European can go down a mountain the fastest. If anyone actually cared they wouldn't need state funding to organize it (when was the last time the Yankees needed funds from the state of New York?).
The Olympics are kind of stupid anyway, but treat them as what they are, a sporting event. If the Superbowl was being held in Texas no one would be screaming to move it because their governor is an idiot. We accept that the NFL and women's rights/gay rights are not connected. Russia's treatment of its homosexual population may be appauling, but Canada's treatment of its native population is equally appauling. Unless you want to host every Olympic event for the rest of time in Oregon you'd better accept that you may not like everything about the host country or city of the Olympics.
