36 photos from Russia that everyone needs to see

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/photos-from-russia-everyone-needs-to-see

So happy they are hosting the Olympics, nothing says world unity like police state beatings, and hate crimes.

A lot of this crap got stirred up by Scott Lively, the same American who stirred crap in Uganda. There is a lot of American money behind this stuff.

Great, I'm skipping the World Cup because Brazil is "unsettled" (not to mention one dangerous place for gay people) and now I can see the Russian Olympics are a no go as well.

Quote by SiranNataan

A lot of this crap got stirred up by Scott Lively, the same American who stirred crap in Uganda. There is a lot of American money behind this stuff.

And a lot of that money comes from people like Orson Scott Card and that Cathy guy from Chik fil e

The oppression of glbt people in Russia is such a shame. Hopefully, the Olympics can be used as a platform to protest their treatment.

**WARNING RANT AHEAD**

I beg every one involved to not use the Olympic Games as a mode to advance an agenda for a particular group. Many of you know I work for IOC and have been working for them since 2004, just before the Games of Athens. I am one of the highest ranking openly gay IOC staffer, and the highest ranked openly gay IOC staffer in the United States. I am considered essential staff for the Games, I need to be there and damn right I'm worried and I have a vested interest in this. I am also very proud of my job and of the organization I work for.

I am intimately aware of what happens when a particular group tries to use the Olympic Games to further their own agenda. In 1968 during the Games of Mexico City, a gold medalist and a silver medalist both gave the Black Power salute and there was a backlash. There was a backlash against the athletes, a backlash against the Games and a backlash against many civil rights organization. In other words, no body won.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,900397,00.html

Take that to today the gay community is in a the same position the civil rights movement was in in 1968. Biggest different gay rights organizations have been SEVERELY antagonistic towards the IOC. GLADD, the HRC and other US based gay rights organization have slung a lot more mud and have made more personal attacks towards individuals than individual countries have. I've been called an Uncle Tom, a worthless bureaucrat and a castrated pig just to mention a few. After all that mud slinging and jabs, we still have pressured Russia over Sochi and we've gotten guarantees, and we are satisfied.

The IOC will not and SHOULD NOT be a tool for special interest organizations to further their agenda. That is a job for the United Nations, let them work with their sanctions and declarations.

I tend to agree, the Olympics aren't a political entity though politics plays a role in what they do, it's really more about diplomacy than anything else. Even without the Olympics Russia is getting plenty of international flack for what it's doing. I wanted to share this article that details why boycotting Russian vodka and pressuring the IOC to attempt to strong-arm the Russian government into changing it's policies are not the best ways to go about affecting this kind of change and offers a viable alternative:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gabe-zichermann/boycott-russia-heres-a-better-idea_b_3672466.html

If Snowden is any indication, Russia will not be cowed into doing anything they don't want to do especially by the West and especially by the US, who for generations they have viewed as corrupt, decadent, morally bankrupt hedonists.

64% of their economy is based on Oil and gase exports with the remainder being military technology and natural resources and they rely very little dependency on foreign imports.

Very little money goes to the host country or city, it would go to the IOC and sponsorship fees have already been paid. It would be logistically impossible to move the games at this point.

What is going on over there is most definitely a human rights violation and something has to be done, the problem is that particular country very politically and economically insular and I have trouble seeing them squirm underneath any sort of international pressure the West could bring to bear against them. I mean it's always been that way hasn't it? The best alternative is to put pressure where pressure is due and that's on the White House and the UN. There's a link to a petition that you can sign to have the US government streamline asylum procedures for LGBT Russian nationals.

I'm sorry to hear that you've been subjected to personal attacks because of this Tsar. That's really unnecessary.

But, unfortunately, the Olympics have been and always will be a symbol of equality and human rights. This is by far not the first time that the Olympics have been used to bring a light to oppression and it won't be the last.

While the assurances that Olympians and guests will be treated fairly is nice, it's not nearly enough. What about the Russian glbt citizens? And what about after the games end? Should we just not care what happens to them?

At the end of the day, the Olympics is a huge boon to the Russian economy. Bringing in a million some tourists who will rent hotels, buy meals and purchase souvenirs. As well as basically paying for the renovation of one of their biggest tourist destinations. It's in the Russian governments (ie. Putin) best interest to assure anyone and everyone that everything is fine so they can make as much money as possible. At the end of the day, those dollars are being used to oppress lgbt people like you and me.

I would hate to see the Olympics boycotted and sacrifice the years of work that the athletes have put into getting to this point I would like at least like to see lgbta athletes and spectators stand in solidarity with the lgbt citizens so they know they aren't alone.

The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.

I am fine with boycotting the games and bringing attention to the horrors my brothers and sisters have been going through. Let's celebrate unity and teamwork as people are being beaten and killed in the streets. The Olympics will survive.

Why not move the Olympics to a former host city? They have the facilities and housing already. Russia does not deserve to host the games.

Non starter, next topic.

Quote by WhiteOnmyoji

Non starter, next topic.

What a dick. *kisses*

Moving it, without the avid support of the IOC and the host country (maybe rabid support would be better) isn't really feasible. My fear is what's gonna happen if someone is wearing a rainbow pin. Are they going to be arrested by the Russians or are they going to be kicked out by the IOC?

Just makes me sad and angry that the IOC has not said or done anything. LGBT people are being tortured, imprisoned, publicly beaten, and killed. And Aikune seems to be more concerned about his job and the organization and being called a few names.

This becomes a very murky issue when you ask bodies like the IOC to take a stand politically outside of its clearly stated aims.
Whose politics exactly are they meant to endorse i mean different people believe different things and whilst these days yes alot of the western world is pro gay rights as i personally believe they should be.
My point is in the hypothetical situation where the IOC steps in and says no russia this is unacceptable your conduct means your not allowed to host the Olympics. Not only would they then need to move and the cost of that would be more than i dare to think about (and i dunno about you but i cant think of anyone willing to foot the bill). What happens if the Olympics is being bid for by a middle eastern country lets say Saudi or something. They dont exactly have a stellar reputation on women's rights (never mind gay rights) so should the IOC again step in and say im sorry your cant have the olympics you dont meet the standards that we have set for what a country should be as you dont cover the bases on human rights.

Whose morality would we use here i mean for example where i come from healthcare is considered a basic human right everyone can access for free. Does that mean the US should be off the list aswell?


The general gist of all this is just that it feels to me like we are using the IOC as a scapegoat here russia passed these laws and the rest of the world didn't really do much beyond go through the motions. Now suddenly we realise the Olympics are there we are getting mad at the IOC for not going out of its way to censure russia on this when nobody else was willing to.

That's a great point Gravity, however, the IOC's very mission means when things like this occur people are going to expect them to take a stand/decision. Personally, I'd prefer to see the Olympics as they were in the original games, a place where even enemies can compete in peace (relative, I mean this was classical Greece) without politics getting involved.

Having said that, I'm not a part of the IOC so I don't have to remain neutral, so Fuck Russia!!

So the Olympic games are more important than human rights? The IOC is a large organization and has access to many many countries. I just wish they would do something. They have all that power. I mean come on. Russia is threatening to arrest and publicly beat gay Olympic athletes. Does the IOC have no obligation to say or do anything? To at least protest this part of it and protect the athletes?

**WARNING: SELF RIGHTEOUS INDIGNANT RANT AHEAD**

http://www.olympic.org/Documents/olympic_charter_en.pdf

Here's a link to the full text of the Olympic Charter. Please show me where our mission compels us to take a stand.

For the record, in 2007 I signed my name to a document that said in full faith and confidence Sochi would be the best host of the XXII Winter Olympic Games. I could have chosen between Sochi, Pyeonchang and Salzburg. If I had to make the decision again today I would still have chosen Sochi. I reaffirmed that document in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and as recently as July, by signing a document that said that in my review and evaluation of Sochi they would be prepared and able to execute a GREAT games. Next month in Buenos Aires I will report that Sochi is ready and prepared to host the games.

For some one to say that I'm only out for my job is deeply insulting, to say that i'm hurt by being called a few names is juvenile when you don't know the context. (Note: When I was called a castrated pig it was in front of my aunt). The only accurate part about that is that I am concern about the Organization. The same organization that made me the person I am today. I am passionate about the IOC and all it stands for. I have gotten more support out of the IOC, the committee's members, and every one involved in the Olympic Movement than I have gotten out of the HRC, GLADD or any US Based GLBT organization.

BTW Where was all this outrage when the Vancouver announced it was building parts of it's venues on land sacred to the Aboriginals, or over Tibet and Beijing? And wheres all the noise about the Circassians, 5 million people who was displaced from the area Sochi is in now?

Safety of the athletes for these games is in question, and I'm willing to bet that the IOC knows this. Will they move the venue? Most likely not. Should they address public concerns circulating through the media? Absolutely.