http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/11/russia-law-banning-gay-propaganda
QuoteRussia passes law banning gay 'propaganda'
Law will make it illegal to equate straight and gay relationships and to distribute gay rights material
Russia's parliament has unanimously passed a federal law banning gay "propaganda" amid a Kremlin push to enshrine deeply conservative values that critics say has already led to a sharp increase in anti-gay violence.
The law passed 436-0 on Tuesday, with just one deputy abstaining from voting on the bill, which bans the spreading of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" among minors.
The law in effect makes it illegal to equate straight and gay relationships, as well as the distribution of material on gay rights. It introduces fines for individuals and media groups found guilty of breaking the law, as well as special fines for foreigners.
Minutes after passing the anti-gay legislation, the Duma also approved a new law allowing jail sentences of up to three years for "offending religious feelings", an initiative launched in the wake of the trial against the anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot.
The two laws were widely criticised by Russia's marginalised liberal and human rights communities and come amid a wider crackdown against independent civil activity in the country.
"I have sincere contempt for the Duma's deputies. All, including the so-called opposition. You have now brought fascism to my country," wrote Yelena Kostychenko, a journalist at the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper.
International rights groups have called the current situation in Russia the worst human rights climate in the post-Soviet era.
The two laws vastly boost the power of the Russian Orthodox church, a religious body that professes total allegiance to the state. Putin, who often makes a show of his faith, has increasingly called upon the church to fill his own ideological vacuum following a contested presidential election last year, accompanied by unprecedented protests against him.
The case against Pussy Riot – in which three members were found guilty of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" after performing an anti-Putin anthem inside a Moscow church – was widely seen as the launch of an ultra-conservative agenda.
Russia's anti-gay law, whose text was softened to remove explicit referrals to "homosexual propaganda", introduces fines of up to 100,000 roubles (£1,975) for individuals who have used the media or internet to promote "non-traditional relations". Organisations can be fined up to 1m roubles and closed down for up to 90 days.
The bill, which must be signed by Putin to become law, also says foreigners can be detained for up to 15 days and deported, as well as fined up to 100,000 roubles, for breaking the law.
International gay rights activists, including British campaigner Peter Tatchell and US activist Dan Choi, have regularly travelled to Russia to support the country's struggling gay rights movement.
Russian activists insisted they would not halt their work. "It was totally expected – I don't take today's decision as the end of something," said Igor Kochetkov, the head of LGBT Network, a St Petersburg-based group.
"We insist on equal rights for all and we will continue to stand up against those patriarchal values that are today being actively promoted by the church and the government. We are doing this because we think these values, these norms, don't fit into a modern society."
"The government is using these instincts – homophobia, xenophobia – to justify its policies against an independent civil society," Kochetkov said. "They are making enemies out of us – not just LGBT society, but any group in society that doesn't agree with their current politics."
Clashes broke out in front of the Russian parliament on Tuesday, as around 300 activists gathered to protest for and against the bill. Police said 20 people were detained.
German paper Zeit says according to a poll, 88% of Russians support the law. 50% would be in favor of making homosexuality a crime again.
Unrelated, but there's recently been some hubbub that Russia, per decree from a ministry, demands the complete passenger records (including credit card details etc.) from airlines that fly to or over Russia, starting 1st July. If airlines don't cooperate they may lose rights to Russian airspace.
A tricky proposition for EU airlines who are forbidden by law to share that data unless there's an international agreement like between U.S. and EU (which comes with a ton of safeguards).
I take it the protection of religious feelings doesn't work for Catholics?
Quote from: Syt on June 11, 2013, 11:47:34 AM
Quote[The law passed 436-0 on Tuesday, with just one deputy abstaining from voting on the bill, which bans the spreading of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" among minors.
:blink:
Quote from: Syt on June 11, 2013, 11:51:11 AM
Unrelated, but there's recently been some hubbub that Russia, per decree from a ministry, demands the complete passenger records (including credit card details etc.) from airlines that fly to or over Russia, starting 1st July. If airlines don't cooperate they may lose rights to Russian airspace.
A tricky proposition for EU airlines who are forbidden by law to share that data unless there's an international agreement like between U.S. and EU (which comes with a ton of safeguards).
Hmm, I'm flying with SAS to St. Petersburg on the 30th July, hopefully they won't have time to ban them. :P
Quote from: Liep on June 11, 2013, 11:57:13 AM
Quote from: Syt on June 11, 2013, 11:51:11 AM
Unrelated, but there's recently been some hubbub that Russia, per decree from a ministry, demands the complete passenger records (including credit card details etc.) from airlines that fly to or over Russia, starting 1st July. If airlines don't cooperate they may lose rights to Russian airspace.
A tricky proposition for EU airlines who are forbidden by law to share that data unless there's an international agreement like between U.S. and EU (which comes with a ton of safeguards).
Hmm, I'm flying with SAS to St. Petersburg on the 30th July, hopefully they won't have time to ban them. :P
:w00t: :cool:
Quote from: Valmy on June 11, 2013, 11:53:44 AM
:blink:
You were not expecting serious parliamentary debate in Putin's Russia?
[CC] Maybe the proposal was so thought through and awesome that the only sane response was approval? [/CC]
Quote from: The Brain on June 11, 2013, 11:58:51 AM
Quote from: Liep on June 11, 2013, 11:57:13 AM
Hmm, I'm flying with SAS to St. Petersburg on the 30th July, hopefully they won't have time to ban them. :P
:w00t: :cool:
:lol: Perhaps "it" would've been a better pronoun. :P
Quote from: Syt on June 11, 2013, 11:59:06 AM
Quote from: Valmy on June 11, 2013, 11:53:44 AM
:blink:
You were not expecting serious parliamentary debate in Putin's Russia?
It is just mind blowing to see such a controversial law go through unanimously. Most parliaments would have a hard time passing a bill declaring 'water is wet' unanimously. Russia really is effectively a dictatorship.
Quote from: Valmy on June 11, 2013, 12:22:29 PM
Russia really is effectively a dictatorship.
:o :o :o No way!!11
Granted, it's only been about a thousand years. I guess news don't travel quickly over the pond.
Quote from: The Brain on June 11, 2013, 11:59:59 AM
[CC] Maybe the proposal was so thought through and awesome that the only sane response was approval? [/CC]
In this case there is some pretty good evidence the legislative and judicial branches of government have submitted to the will of the executive. ;)
Quote from: crazy canuck on June 11, 2013, 12:30:36 PM
Quote from: The Brain on June 11, 2013, 11:59:59 AM
[CC] Maybe the proposal was so thought through and awesome that the only sane response was approval? [/CC]
In this case there is some pretty good evidence the legislative and judicial branches of government have submitted to the will of the executive. ;)
:)
Quote from: Valmy on June 11, 2013, 11:53:44 AM
Quote from: Syt on June 11, 2013, 11:47:34 AM
Quote[The law passed 436-0 on Tuesday, with just one deputy abstaining from voting on the bill, which bans the spreading of "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" among minors.
:blink:
Russians are backward barbarians. Film at 11.
Quote from: Valmy on June 11, 2013, 12:22:29 PM
It is just mind blowing to see such a controversial law go through unanimously. Most parliaments would have a hard time passing a bill declaring 'water is wet' unanimously. Russia really is effectively a dictatorship.
I'm not surprised by the almost 90% approval of such a law. Given that is it likely any MP would oppose it. Also isn't the main opposition party the Communists, I can't see them backing gay rights.
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 11, 2013, 06:53:47 PM
Quote from: Valmy on June 11, 2013, 12:22:29 PM
It is just mind blowing to see such a controversial law go through unanimously. Most parliaments would have a hard time passing a bill declaring 'water is wet' unanimously. Russia really is effectively a dictatorship.
I'm not surprised by the almost 90% approval of such a law. Given that is it likely any MP would oppose it. Also isn't the main opposition party the Communists, I can't see them backing gay rights.
Russia's opposition consists of Communists, Psuedo-Communists, and Nationalist nut-jobs.
Quote from: Syt on June 11, 2013, 11:51:11 AM
Unrelated, but there's recently been some hubbub that Russia, per decree from a ministry, demands the complete passenger records (including credit card details etc.) from airlines that fly to or over Russia, starting 1st July. If airlines don't cooperate they may lose rights to Russian airspace.
A tricky proposition for EU airlines who are forbidden by law to share that data unless there's an international agreement like between U.S. and EU (which comes with a ton of safeguards).
OVER Russia? Now that is scary. Most Europe-Far East flights take that route.
Quote from: Tyr on June 11, 2013, 08:25:49 PM
Quote from: Syt on June 11, 2013, 11:51:11 AM
Unrelated, but there's recently been some hubbub that Russia, per decree from a ministry, demands the complete passenger records (including credit card details etc.) from airlines that fly to or over Russia, starting 1st July. If airlines don't cooperate they may lose rights to Russian airspace.
A tricky proposition for EU airlines who are forbidden by law to share that data unless there's an international agreement like between U.S. and EU (which comes with a ton of safeguards).
OVER Russia? Now that is scary. Most Europe-Far East flights take that route.
http://euobserver.com/justice/120387
QuoteEU tells Russia to drop air passenger data law
05.06.13 @ 17:34
RELATED MEPs vote down air passenger data scheme Danish presidency in firing line over Schengen decision Lithuania faces record legislative load for EU presidency
BY NIKOLAJ NIELSEN
BRUSSELS - European airlines may be forced to hand over passenger details to Russian authorities in contravention of EU privacy rules or face landing and overflight bans.
Russian lawmakers are pushing through a passenger name record (PNR) law that comes into force on 1 July.
But EU officials have raised concerns over the proposal because it is being unilaterally imposed.
PNR agreements must be bilaterally agreed, says the European Commission.
"We are expecting them [Russia] to suspend the entry into force of the PNR measure," the commission's home affairs spokesperson Michele Cercone told reporters in Brussels on Wednesday (5 June).
Cercone says the commission has been kept in the dark about the details of the legislative proposal.
The Brussels executive first raised the issue with the Russians in Moscow earlier in the year and then sent a letter in mid-March, but never got a response it says.
"We are not familiar with the measures they are planning to introduce, so it is difficult for us to comment on the possible impact," said Cercone.
Commission president Manuel Barroso also brought up the issue at an EU-Russia summit in Yekaterinburg on Monday.
He said the commission is now ready to conclude a long-awaited visa facilitation deal with Russia, but only "provided technical details are clarified and that future regulations in the area of transport and mobility do not negatively affect our citizens and transport operators."
For her part, Viktoria Vajnai, a spokeswoman from the Association of European Airlines (AEA), says that without a bilateral agreement there would be no legal basis for the airlines to transfer passenger data.
"The possible consequences might include overflight and landing bans," she told this website.
Such a ban would affect 53,000 flights a year to and from Asia which transit over Russia's Siberia by EU-based carriers.
Vajnai says the airlines have yet to be officially informed of the conflicting legislative proposal.
Russia's permanent representative to the EU was unable to provide an immediate comment because he is away, his spokesperson said.
The European Parliament's civil liberties committee is set to discuss the issue on Monday in Strasbourg.
A separate PNR directive was rejected in April by MEPs in the civil liberties committee.
The latest proposal would have allowed authorities to collect EU passenger data details, such as credit card information for the purpose of investigations into serious crimes and terrorist offences.
The MEPs said proposal should, in their view, provide a better balance between security and civil rights.
The committee was initially unable to refer the PNR debacle to a plenary vote because it was among one of five legislative files blocked last year when member states stripped the parliament of its co-legislator role on the border-free Schengen related proposals.
A parliament source says they have now reconciled the differences with the council and unblocked all the dossiers.
MEPs are now set to vote on the PNR directive at next week's Strasbourg plenary, said the source.
Oh, that's why Martinus hasn't been posting lately.
Solution to Russia's problems: Trident.
Also Zest
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 11, 2013, 06:53:47 PM
I'm not surprised by the almost 90% approval of such a law. Given that is it likely any MP would oppose it. Also isn't the main opposition party the Communists, I can't see them backing gay rights.
Really? 90%?
Look, in these backward cultures, if you are standing up for gay rights, it means you are one of them. In fact, not loudly hating them means you are one of them. Of course everyone voted for this law.
Quote from: Valmy on June 12, 2013, 07:30:47 AM
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 11, 2013, 06:53:47 PM
I'm not surprised by the almost 90% approval of such a law. Given that is it likely any MP would oppose it. Also isn't the main opposition party the Communists, I can't see them backing gay rights.
Really? 90%?
we get the cool gays, they get the Marti gays. Is it really that surprising?
Quote from: Valmy on June 12, 2013, 07:30:47 AM
Really? 90%?
According to a poll someone posted up there it was 88%, so pretty much.
It roughly fits with this too:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pewglobal.org%2Ffiles%2F2013%2F06%2F2013-Homosexuality-05.png&hash=8135a321f624b28c0a061356008eaf98987e6dda)
http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/06/04/the-global-divide-on-homosexuality/
There's loads of interesting details there.
I saw this in the Independent:
QuoteAlready there have been doubts about how to define propaganda, with a group of Communists in southern Russia complaining that Elton John's stage outfits should be considered "homosexual propaganda".
Definitely homosexual propaganda :lol:
I wonder if Russia is finally going to crack down on their vast numbers of male ballet dancers.
Quote from: Valmy on June 12, 2013, 11:35:38 AM
I wonder if Russia is finally going to crack down on their vast numbers of male ballet dancers.
They're just prime examples of the great, sensitive Russian soul.
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 12, 2013, 08:51:08 AM
Quote from: Valmy on June 12, 2013, 07:30:47 AM
Really? 90%?
According to a poll someone posted up there it was 88%, so pretty much.
It roughly fits with this too:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pewglobal.org%2Ffile%2F2013-Homosexuality-05.png&hash=159ccd2b94a16285cc6e5bf660121c7d1ee2cc5d)
http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/06/04/the-global-divide-on-homosexuality/
There's loads of interesting details there.
Interesting graph.
I wonder how they phrased the question to East Asians though.
Here most people don't really believe in gay people. They just see sex with men as something some guys are into for fun before they get married/behind their wife's back after they've done their societal duty and gave her a child.
Poland is split down the middle....much better than the image Marti presents!
So what's it mean for a society to "accept homosexuality"?
Quote from: derspiess on June 12, 2013, 08:58:55 PM
So what's it mean for a society to "accept homosexuality"?
QuoteWhich one of these comes closest to your opinion, number 1 or number 2?...#1 - Homosexuality should be accepted by society or #2 - Homosexuality should not be accepted by society
I don't think that answer his question.
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 12, 2013, 08:51:08 AM
According to a poll someone posted up there it was 88%, so pretty much.
It seems to have a remarkable correlation with how messed up a country is.
Quote from: Razgovory on June 12, 2013, 09:06:11 PM
I don't think that answer his question.
No but it's the question that was asked. So the answer to DS would probably vary entirely from person to person as to what 'acceptance' meant.
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 12, 2013, 09:07:38 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on June 12, 2013, 09:06:11 PM
I don't think that answer his question.
No but it's the question that was asked. So the answer to DS would probably vary entirely from person to person as to what 'acceptance' meant.
Seems kinda vague. For instance I don't think homosexual behavior should be criminalized nor people who are homosexual should be shunned, but I still think it's sinful and probably should be classified as paraphilic disorder.
Quote from: alfred russel on June 12, 2013, 09:06:59 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 12, 2013, 08:51:08 AM
According to a poll someone posted up there it was 88%, so pretty much.
It seems to have a remarkable correlation with how messed up a country is.
Except for Latin America.
Quote from: Tyr on June 12, 2013, 07:01:11 PM
Poland is split down the middle...
Germans and Russians always try for that plan, but tend not to agree just where the middle is.
Holy shit does Russia have problems...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/26/russian-nazi-torture-gay-teens_n_3658636.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009
QuoteRussian Neo-Nazis Allegedly Lure, Torture Gay Teens With Online Dating Scam
The Huffington Post | By Cavan Sieczkowski Posted: 07/26/2013 1:14 pm EDT | Updated: 07/26/2013 2:58 pm EDT
A neo-Nazi group in Russia has apparently enacted a disturbing campaign against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth by allegedly using a popular social network to lure in victims and torture them.
The Spectrum Human Rights Alliance (SHRA), an LGBT rights group focusing on Eastern Europe, claims the campaigns -- called "Occupy Pedophilyaj" and "Occupy Gerontilyaj" -- were launched by former skinhead and Russian ultranationalist Maxim Martsinkevich to purportedly identify and report pedophiles. However, the group's method may be to target male teens who respond to same-sex personals ads on Russia's Facebook equivalent, VK.com. Group members are said to meet the boys when they show up for the supposed date; they bully the boys and even torture them, all while recording the encounters on camera.
"These self-proclaimed 'crime fighters' perform their actions under the broad day light, often outside and clearly visible to general public that indifferently passes by or even commend them," writes SHRA on its website. "Video recordings of bullying and tortures are freely distributed on the Internet in order to out LGBT teens to their respective schools, parents and friends. Many victims were driven to suicides, the rest are deeply traumatized."
SHRA points to a YouTube video showing a group of young people allegedly connected with this movement who are seen interrogating a teen boy at what appears to be a housing compound, according to a translation by The Huffington Post.
The group approaches the teen and asks him if he had come there to meet someone named "Uncle Dima." Then they bring him over to a bench and continue the interrogation. They ask why he was there to meet Dima and the boy admits he is there to have sex, possibly for money. Although the group members mock him, they are friendly at times, and the teen is willing to admit things about himself and his sexual preference. He says who he is, where he's from, what school he goes to and that he is 15 years old.
Toward the end of the video the aggression heightens. At one point, one person who stepped slightly out of frame and appeared to urinate into a bottle, attempts to pour the contents of the bottle onto the teen's head. Another kicks the teen. Then the video cuts off.
(Watch the interrogation below.)
Earlier this month, Russian online newspaper Lenta met with those who have joined the "Occupy-Pedofilyay" campaign to learn more about the movement.
"We do not like homosexuals," the leader of one local gathering explained, according to a HuffPost translation. "If it was up to me, I'd kill them but the government doesn't allow that."
"I think practically all gay men -- pedophiles," he later explained. "Once you've crossed over once, you can cross over again. Today he likes boys, and then it'll be children. They're not suitable for life in society."
Anti-gay sentiments across the nation have made headlines recently. Just weeks ago, President Vladimir Putin signed into law the so-called "homosexual propaganda" bill, which imposes fines upon people found guilty of sharing information about homosexuality to minors. This week, four Dutch tourists were jailed under this law.
They get the leadership they deserve. A lot of the headline nasty things that Putin does are widely supported by the population. It does seem to be a vicious circle, where fascist government raises people to think like fascists, and then people who think like fascists support fascist government, but now it's kinda late in the cycle to change anything.
It's not like bad shit doesn't happen in more civilized countries, Tim. Russia's got much bigger problems than a bunch of gay kids getting beaten up.
So I heard gay bars are pouring out Russian vodka in protest. TAKE THAT, PUTIN.
Quote from: derspiess on July 30, 2013, 08:03:01 AM
So I heard gay bars are pouring out Russian vodka in protest. TAKE THAT, PUTIN.
In Russia a gay bar is a long metal rod used to beat people.
Quote from: Razgovory on July 30, 2013, 08:06:15 AM
Quote from: derspiess on July 30, 2013, 08:03:01 AM
So I heard gay bars are pouring out Russian vodka in protest. TAKE THAT, PUTIN.
In Russia a gay bar is a long metal rod used to beat people.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FOuaKOEN.jpg&hash=488eca5d571068dedd23b94dfc2abd36da869649)
Quote from: derspiess on July 30, 2013, 08:03:01 AM
So I heard gay bars are pouring out Russian vodka in protest. TAKE THAT, PUTIN.
Empty vodka bottles today, empty champagne bottles tonight.
Quote from: derspiess on July 30, 2013, 08:03:01 AM
So I heard gay bars are pouring out Russian vodka in protest. TAKE THAT, PUTIN.
Poor Stoli.
Oh noes they have to order more Russian vodka.
Quote from: The Brain on July 30, 2013, 11:31:38 AM
Oh noes they have to order more Russian vodka.
And then pour it out.
Today is VDV day in Russia. VDV are Russian airborne troops. My favorite Russian dashcam video site posted numerous videos of men in VDV uniforms celebrating the holiday by attempting to lynch gays, and getting into fights with police and SWAT protecting them. You know you're a vile piece of shit when you make Russian police and Russian SWAT look good. Russia is a very, very scary place these days.
I've seen those videos and a few other videos and photos from Russia, as you say it's very scary.
Do the airborne troops know how homoerotic their uniforms look by the way? Were they designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier?
I'm avoiding viewing them. Not much good I think can come from me watching them. :(
Quote from: Sheilbh on August 02, 2013, 07:37:35 PM
I've seen those videos and a few other videos and photos from Russia, as you say it's very scary.
Do the airborne troops know how homoerotic their uniforms look by the way? Were they designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier?
When you develop as terrifying a reputation as VDV guys, you can wear only thongs and still scare everyone into not noticing the silliness of it.
Awful.
Guys, it's Russia. It has always been terrible.
Besides, the only Russian gay we know is Martinus. What if they're all like that? Would the reaction of the various awful thugs be so unreasonable if they were reacting to constantly being tackled in the street for carrying their weapons with them?
Quote from: DGuller on July 30, 2013, 01:51:06 AM
They get the leadership they deserve. A lot of the headline nasty things that Putin does are widely supported by the population. It does seem to be a vicious circle, where fascist government raises people to think like fascists, and then people who think like fascists support fascist government, but now it's kinda late in the cycle to change anything.
I think some of the support of Putin is starting to crack. The younger generation in the cities has a more european outlook.
Quote from: alfred russel on August 05, 2013, 05:44:36 PM
Quote from: DGuller on July 30, 2013, 01:51:06 AM
They get the leadership they deserve. A lot of the headline nasty things that Putin does are widely supported by the population. It does seem to be a vicious circle, where fascist government raises people to think like fascists, and then people who think like fascists support fascist government, but now it's kinda late in the cycle to change anything.
I think some of the support of Putin is starting to crack. The younger generation in the cities has a more european outlook.
The young urban dwellers may be anti-Putin, but they still have ugly mindsets. In Russia, "tolerantniy" is a sarcastic insult, and that is universal. Can't really build a democracy where the whole concept of tolerance is mocked.
About time somebody did something about the Vast Gay Conspiracy.
Well one positive is that it got Wentworth Miller to come out as gay.
During the recent track & field world championships in Moscow, an athlete painted her fingernails the colors of the rainbow (like the gay pride flag). She was chastised by her sports federation that this might be considered a political statement which is not allowed under the contest's rules.
IIRC, the IOC has warned similarly that political actions by athletes during the Sochi 2014 games might lead to their being excluded from the contests.
Fight the power.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fthumb%2Fc%2Fc8%2FCarlos-Smith.jpg%2F220px-Carlos-Smith.jpg&hash=b8a66c02e7323338abf9f60840e847fe22761e34)
Hardly a surprise. The IOC is far more corrupt than probably any government on Earth.
http://news.msn.com/world/ioc-gay-protests-wont-be-tolerated-at-olympics
QuoteIOC: Gay protests won't be tolerated at Olympics
The International Olympic Committee says it supports gays and lesbians being allowed to compete in the Olympics but won't tolerate athletes who use the Winter Games as a platform to demonstrate against Russia's anti-gay laws.
In a statement issued Wednesday to MSN News, a spokeswoman said Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter clearly spells out that the Games "are not a place for proactive protests or demonstrations."
That section of the charter, titled "Advertising, Demonstrations, Propaganda," contains a clause that states: "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."
It adds: "No form of publicity or propaganda, commercial or otherwise, may appear on persons, on sportswear, accessories or, more generally, on any article of clothing or equipment whatsoever worn or used by the athletes or other participants in the Olympic Games, except for the identification ... of the manufacturer of the article or equipment concerned."
"This rule has been in place for many years and aims to separate sport from politics, honor the context of the Olympic Games, and ensure the peaceful gathering of athletes from over 200 nations, officials and spectators from all kinds of different cultures and backgrounds," the IOC said in its statement. "By its nature, the Olympic Games cannot become a platform for any kind of demonstration and the IOC will not accept any proactive gesture that could harm their spirit and jeopardize their future."
Gay Star News earlier reported the Olympic Committee was threatening to "punish" athletes who fight for gay rights at the Winter Games in Sochi next year.
IOC spokeswoman Sandrine Tonge told MSN News that characterization was misleading.
"Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter is in place to protect the athletes and all participants and make sure the field remains neutral," Tonge said.
'SENSIBLE APPROACH'
The IOC didn't specify what action it would take against athletes, coaches and others who might skirt the rule by, as in examples cited by Gay Star News, wearing rainbow pins or holding hands during the opening and closing ceremonies.
Rule 50 states that any violation "may result in disqualification or withdrawal of the accreditation of the person concerned."
In its statement, the IOC said it would "treat each case individually and take a sensible approach depending on what was said or done."
Russia has recently implemented a law that bans "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors" and imposes fines on those holding gay-pride rallies. The move has prompted some gay-rights supporters to call for a boycott of the Sochi Olympics.
Russian lawmakers say the law doesn't outlaw homosexuality but merely discourages discussion of it among young people, according to The Associated Press.
The IOC said it has "received assurances from the highest level of government in Russia that the legislation will not affect those attending or taking part in the Games."
Glad to see they are falling into lockstep with Russia.
Quote from: Tonitrus on August 21, 2013, 10:45:03 PM
Hardly a surprise. The IOC is far more corrupt than probably any government on Earth.
:yes:
Corrupt or no, is it really surprising that an institution that has snuggled up to the Nazis, the Soviets and worst of all the Red Chinese, would really care about this sort of thing?
Only Nixon could snuggle up to China.
I'm not sure that I disagree with the IOC. I mean, if it were a type of propoganda that I disagreed with, I wouldn't want it at the games, either. As a baseline, I think that the Olympics should be as politically free as it can be made.
That being said, I don't know the history of the Olympics with political stuff, either. Has the IOC consistently come down on those pushing their politics, whichever side they came from? What previous actions have been taken?
I find the Russian laws disgusting - and Putin in particularly so - but the point of the Olympics is to give athletes an opportunity to compete regardless of their nations' political leanings. Maybe that's pie-in-the-sky optimism, but it's important to at least try to make it so.
Quote from: merithyn on August 22, 2013, 08:10:35 AM
I'm not sure that I disagree with the IOC. I mean, if it were a type of propoganda that I disagreed with, I wouldn't want it at the games, either. As a baseline, I think that the Olympics should be as politically free as it can be made.
That being said, I don't know the history of the Olympics with political stuff, either. Has the IOC consistently come down on those pushing their politics, whichever side they came from? What previous actions have been taken?
I find the Russian laws disgusting - and Putin in particularly so - but the point of the Olympics is to give athletes an opportunity to compete regardless of their nations' political leanings. Maybe that's pie-in-the-sky optimism, but it's important to at least try to make it so.
Yeah but how could the Olympics be free of propaganda? It is a competition of states and results in sports important for a given state leave a mark in public opinion which is the livelihood of politicians. It is a SOURCE of propaganda itself. Not letting people protest in stuff like this IS a form of propaganda.
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 08:18:27 AM
Yeah but how could the Olympics be free of propaganda? It is a competition of states and results in sports important for a given state leave a mark in public opinion which is the livelihood of politicians. It is a SOURCE of propaganda itself. Not letting people protest in stuff like this IS a form of propaganda.
Not if it's held across the board. If they only stop the more controversial, then yes, that's a form of propoganda. If, however, the rule is enforced for everyone, then it at least offers a more neutral setting.
There are people involved - very powerful people - so it won't be perfect. But I think striving for perfection isn't a bad thing. It is the Olympics, after all.
And I say this mostly because I remember seeing news reel footage of Jesse Owens in Berlin in 1935. Not once did he try to say or do anything political. He was the epitomy of class and decorum, and in doing so made his point far better than any amount of "show" could have.
Quote from: merithyn on August 22, 2013, 08:10:35 AM
That being said, I don't know the history of the Olympics with political stuff, either. Has the IOC consistently come down on those pushing their politics, whichever side they came from? What previous actions have been taken?
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2Fthumb%2Fc%2Fc8%2FCarlos-Smith.jpg%2F220px-Carlos-Smith.jpg&hash=b8a66c02e7323338abf9f60840e847fe22761e34)
These guys were kicked out of the olympics after this particular display of political activism in 1968.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Olympics_Black_Power_salute
Quote from: Barrister on August 22, 2013, 08:52:10 AM
Quote from: merithyn on August 22, 2013, 08:10:35 AM
That being said, I don't know the history of the Olympics with political stuff, either. Has the IOC consistently come down on those pushing their politics, whichever side they came from? What previous actions have been taken?
These guys were kicked out of the olympics after this particular display of political activism in 1968.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Olympics_Black_Power_salute
Which means that the rules were upheld then.
I think the issue for me personally, Mer, is that in this case it means that their rules align perfectly with what is causing the controversy in the first place, Russia's laws. In then gives the appearance of happy collaboration.
Also I wonder what actions they will take as examples of protesting. Would it cover everything that makes you fall afoul of Russia's laws?
They'll know it when they see it.
Quote from: garbon on August 22, 2013, 10:01:12 AM
I think the issue for me personally, Mer, is that in this case it means that their rules align perfectly with what is causing the controversy in the first place, Russia's laws. In then gives the appearance of happy collaboration.
Also I wonder what actions they will take as examples of protesting. Would it cover everything that makes you fall afoul of Russia's laws?
I agree. HOWEVER, there are arab countries participating in the Olympics who stone adulterers. Nobody protests.
Quote from: merithyn on August 22, 2013, 09:50:01 AM
Quote from: Barrister on August 22, 2013, 08:52:10 AM
Quote from: merithyn on August 22, 2013, 08:10:35 AM
That being said, I don't know the history of the Olympics with political stuff, either. Has the IOC consistently come down on those pushing their politics, whichever side they came from? What previous actions have been taken?
These guys were kicked out of the olympics after this particular display of political activism in 1968.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Olympics_Black_Power_salute
Which means that the rules were upheld then.
Indeed.
That is a case where those making the protest did so understanding the consequences, and in fact that made the protest that much more meaningful.
I have no problem with the IOC saying protests like this are not allowed. I think it is approriate for them to do their best to keep the focus of the games on the games and the athletes, rather than political activity.
And I think they should protest anyway.
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 10:10:42 AM
Quote from: garbon on August 22, 2013, 10:01:12 AM
I think the issue for me personally, Mer, is that in this case it means that their rules align perfectly with what is causing the controversy in the first place, Russia's laws. In then gives the appearance of happy collaboration.
Also I wonder what actions they will take as examples of protesting. Would it cover everything that makes you fall afoul of Russia's laws?
I agree. HOWEVER, there are arab countries participating in the Olympics who stone adulterers. Nobody protests.
Is there a sizable adulterer lobby?
Quote from: garbon on August 22, 2013, 10:29:39 AM
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 10:10:42 AM
Quote from: garbon on August 22, 2013, 10:01:12 AM
I think the issue for me personally, Mer, is that in this case it means that their rules align perfectly with what is causing the controversy in the first place, Russia's laws. In then gives the appearance of happy collaboration.
Also I wonder what actions they will take as examples of protesting. Would it cover everything that makes you fall afoul of Russia's laws?
I agree. HOWEVER, there are arab countries participating in the Olympics who stone adulterers. Nobody protests.
Is there a sizable adulterer lobby?
Ah, so it is not about defending people!s liberties in general, just about protecting stuff you actually like to do. Okay.
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 10:57:13 AM
Quote from: garbon on August 22, 2013, 10:29:39 AM
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 10:10:42 AM
Quote from: garbon on August 22, 2013, 10:01:12 AM
I think the issue for me personally, Mer, is that in this case it means that their rules align perfectly with what is causing the controversy in the first place, Russia's laws. In then gives the appearance of happy collaboration.
Also I wonder what actions they will take as examples of protesting. Would it cover everything that makes you fall afoul of Russia's laws?
I agree. HOWEVER, there are arab countries participating in the Olympics who stone adulterers. Nobody protests.
Is there a sizable adulterer lobby?
Ah, so it is not about defending people!s liberties in general, just about protecting stuff you actually like to do. Okay.
Does it look like I work for the ACLU?
Besides, T, what exactly do you do to help people that cheat on their spouses in Arab countries?
:rolleyes: All I did was hinting at the fact that as atrocious as it is, Russia`s new law is far from being the harshest treatment of gays in the world, or harshest restriction of personal liberty. Yet those are not treated as actual global issues.
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 10:10:42 AM
I agree. HOWEVER, there are arab countries participating in the Olympics who stone adulterers. Nobody protests.
Perhaps someone should. However I see a fundamental difference between banning an action, however wrong we may see that, and banning expression.
Quote from: Maximus on August 22, 2013, 11:08:46 AM
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 10:10:42 AM
I agree. HOWEVER, there are arab countries participating in the Olympics who stone adulterers. Nobody protests.
Perhaps someone should. However I see a fundamental difference between banning an action, however wrong we may see that, and banning expression.
In Russia you go to prison if the court thinks you did "gay propaganda". In Iran, you die if the court thinks you are gay.
Which is worse? Hard to decide, but there is global outrage over only one of them.
And that is of course because Russia until now managed to foul the world into thinking they are a first world country.
Quote from: Maximus on August 22, 2013, 11:08:46 AM
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 10:10:42 AM
I agree. HOWEVER, there are arab countries participating in the Olympics who stone adulterers. Nobody protests.
Perhaps someone should.
Indeed. And actually, there is a lot of outrage that goes on regarding the treatment of women in the Middle East.
Quote from: garbon on August 22, 2013, 11:17:51 AM
Quote from: Maximus on August 22, 2013, 11:08:46 AM
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 10:10:42 AM
I agree. HOWEVER, there are arab countries participating in the Olympics who stone adulterers. Nobody protests.
Perhaps someone should.
Indeed. And actually, there is a lot of outrage that goes on regarding the treatment of women in the Middle East.
fair enough
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 11:14:42 AM
And that is of course because Russia until now managed to foul the world into thinking they are a first world country.
:lol:
I don't know personally anyone who was fooled. Do you?
Russia is the very definition of a second-world country.
http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/22-08-2013/125473-west_russia-0/
QuoteWestern criticism of Russia getting more and more ridiculous
Curiously, the reward for the victory in the Cold War, appeared in 2007, when the crisis of American foreign policy doctrines was already evident.
Nowadays, America's claims to our country focus on several key topics - the topics that are convenient for America in terms of propaganda.
Russia does not let start a war in Syria
Washington accuses Russia in the sequential blocking of UN Security Council measures that aim to investigate the use of chemical weapons in Syria. This was stated by U.S. State Department spokesman Jennifer Psaki.
If the use of chemical weapons had been proved, the United States would have been able to launch a full-scale military campaign in Syria "in good conscience". This was stated by President Barack Obama.
Previously, there were allegations heard that U.S. Air Force was fully prepared to start bombing the country. This statement was made by chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Martin Dempsey. According to him, the committee has developed a special plan focusing on the direct intervention of the United States in the Syrian conflict.
Respect for human rights
Respect for human rights in Russia - the US authorities are obsessed with this issue. Although after the revelations from Edward Snowden it appears that US officials do not see a beam in their own eyes. One feels awkward now when American authorities raise this issue, which, of course, is unlikely to relieve us of yet another human rights report from the State Department.
Most recent claims to Russia are primarily related to alleged restrictions of civil liberties. U.S. reports cite laws about the restricted activities of NGOs and the laws that allow enforcement agencies block websites without a court order.
However, the tarnished reputation of the United States in the field of human rights has stripped the country of moral, legal or political grounds to act as a 'tribunal on human rights." "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrations have said a lot about it.
As for freedom of information on the Internet in the United States, the situation leaves much to be desired. The government and law enforcement authorities can block online content that they deem "dangerous to national security" at any moment.
Russia was accused of taking advantage of the Arab revolutions
The West accuses Russia of benefiting from revolutions in Africa and even the natural disaster in Japan. Western officials said that Russia managed to strengthen its position as an fuel supplier.
Europe earlier planned to reduce its dependence on the Russian gas and oil, but most recent events in the Arab world made the country change its mind. Against the background of the continuing unrest in the Middle East, the Russian Gazprom is now the most reliable partner.
However, it should be recalled that the Arab revolutions were organized and supervised by U.S. intelligence agencies. All that was planned to topple local regimes and have pro-American puppets established there. However, the long-term effects have not been calculated, as it appears.
However, chaos in the Middle East, as an option, is quite acceptable, and arguments about "Russia's profit" are nothing more than red herring.
Of course, the West is not interested in the internal affairs of Russia; they do not care about Russian problems. The USA is poisoned with its position of the only superpower, so America wants to impose its will on everyone. Washington has quite an experience when it comes to interference in the affairs of other states.
Basically, it doesn't answer any of the criticisms but instead goes to say, "You of all people shouldn't be talking."
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 11:08:26 AM
:rolleyes: All I did was hinting at the fact that as atrocious as it is, Russia`s new law is far from being the harshest treatment of gays in the world, or harshest restriction of personal liberty. Yet those are not treated as actual global issues.
So?
Quote from: Syt on August 26, 2013, 06:03:40 AM
Basically, it doesn't answer any of the criticisms but instead goes to say, "You of all people shouldn't be talking."
But of course - it's the age-old method to defend the indefensible. Attack the messenger.
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 11:19:46 AM
Quote from: garbon on August 22, 2013, 11:17:51 AM
Quote from: Maximus on August 22, 2013, 11:08:46 AM
Quote from: Tamas on August 22, 2013, 10:10:42 AM
I agree. HOWEVER, there are arab countries participating in the Olympics who stone adulterers. Nobody protests.
Perhaps someone should.
Indeed. And actually, there is a lot of outrage that goes on regarding the treatment of women in the Middle East.
fair enough
Tamas, think back to the Olympics in London and the pressure that was put in Saudi Arabia to allow women to compete.
QuoteParody Painting of Putin in Women's Underwear Seized in Russian Raid
The off-beat gallery, known as the Museum of Authority, opened on August 15 with an inaugural exhibit called "The Rulers" that featured paintings by artist Konstantin Altunin of public figures such as President Barack Obama, former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and Mr. Putin. The idea of the museum had been to put on exhibits relating to various authorities, said founder Alexander Donskoi.
Much of the inaugural exhibit was raunchy or politically-charged. One painting depicted St. Petersburg politician Vitaly Milonov – who spearheaded a local "gay propaganda" law that became inspiration for similar national legislation – against a rainbow background. The law bans people from expressing support for "non-traditional" lifestyles in front of minors. A national version of it was signed into law in June.
Mr. Milonov accompanied police at the gallery, according to Mr. Donskoi. The officers confiscated the portrait of Mr. Milonov – which was hanging on the wall between two sexually-explicit paintings, according to photos – as well as the painting depicting Messrs. Putin and Medvedev in women's underwear.
Authorities also took two other works of art. One was a painting of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill with criminal-style tattoos mixing Soviet and religious iconography. The other was one of Yelena Mizulina, the Kremlin-allied Duma deputy and morality crusader who led the drive to pass Russia's "gay propaganda" law nationally. That painting was entitled "The Erotic Dreams of Deputy Mizulina."
Mr. Milonov couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
In a statement on its website, the St. Petersburg branch of Russia's Interior Ministry said it had dispatched officers to the museum on Monday after someone complained that the gallery's contents may be illegal. "Following an initial inspection, police seized four paintings that have been sent off for analysis, on the basis of which a procedural decision will be made," the statement said.
The Interior Ministry statement did not say anything about closing the museum, but Mr. Donskoi says it has been closed down and won't reopen. A video on the museum's Russian social-networking page shows a police officer sealing shut the door to the gallery.
Last weekend, the museum offered free entry "in solidarity with Russia's LGBT community." The "password" to gain free admission was for people to say they were gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered at the door. The issue has come to the fore amid calls by some Western activists for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi due to the new "gay propaganda" law.
Mr. Donskoi said there were warnings on the exhibition so that minors wouldn't enter. He also said there were messages warning people whose religious beliefs might be offended not to come inside. In addition to passing the gay-propaganda law earlier this year, Russia's parliament also passed a law criminalizing public actions that "insult the religious feelings of the faithful."
Mr. Donskoi isn't new to controversy. He was the mayor of Russia's northern city of Arkhangelsk from 2005 to 2007 but faced criminal charges after announcing plans to run in the 2008 presidential election. He was found guilty of abuse of office and given a suspended sentence. He says the charges were a trumped-up attempt to remove him from politics.
The former politician then went on to open a so-called museum of erotica in Moscow, as well as a USSR Museum with a fake corpse of Vladimir Lenin that looks like it is breathing. The Museum of Authority was his newest project—but he fears it may have gone too far.
Under new laws authorities could convict a person even for what he or she writes on a social networking website, Mr. Donskoi said. "I'm very afraid in this situation," he said. "Because today the authorities can do whatever they want."
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs.wsj.net%2Fpublic%2Fresources%2Fimages%2FOB-YR457_putina_EV_20130827122520.jpg&hash=1fb20816736709e8524f0d0c92fc3697917c91bf)
http://news.yahoo.com/ioc-fully-satisfied-over-russias-anti-gay-law-122927217--spt.html
QuoteIOC 'fully satisfied' over Russia's anti-gay law
The International Olympic Committee has dismissed concerns over Russia's law banning gay propaganda, saying it doesn't violate the Olympic charter's anti-discrimination clause, and pronounced Russia ready to host the 2014 Winter Games.
Jean-Claude Killy, chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission, gave his stamp of approval during a news conference Thursday at the conclusion of the commission's 10th and final visit to Sochi before the games, which begin on Feb. 7.
Russia has come under scrutiny as the next host of the Olympics because of the law passed this summer outlawing "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations among minors," which many worry may apply to gay athletes and visitors to the games.
Killy said the commission deliberated for several days and concluded "the IOC doesn't have the right to discuss the laws that are in place in the country hosting the games, so unless the charter is violated we are fully satisfied."
Russian officials insist the law is designed to protect children and doesn't infringe on the rights of gays.
"Regarding this law, if people of traditional sexual orientation spread propaganda of non-traditional sex to children, then they will also be held accountable," said Dmitry Kozak, a deputy prime minister in charge of overseeing preparations for the Sochi Olympics. "So there is simply no need to talk about discrimination."
The Human Rights Campaign, the largest gay rights organization in the U.S., condemned the IOC's assessment of the Russian law.
"If this law doesn't violate the IOC's charter, then the charter is completely meaningless," HRC president Chad Griffin said in a statement. "The safety of millions of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Russians and international travelers is at risk, and by all accounts the IOC has completed neglected its responsibility to Olympic athletes, sponsors and fans from around the world."
He noted that Killy spoke a day after gay rights activists were arrested outside the Moscow headquarters of the Sochi Olympics organizing committee for protesting the law.
President Vladimir Putin signed the ban on propaganda into law in late June. In August, he signed an additional decree banning all demonstrations and rallies in Sochi for two and a half months around the time of the games, a measure seen as intended to thwart protests by gay rights activists.
Killy said the IOC commission was pleased with the ongoing construction ahead of the games, which with a total cost of $51 billion will be the most expensive Olympics in history.
Much of the city still looks like an enormous building site, with unfinished hotels and debris from construction scattered across the Black Sea coast, but the Olympic venues are impressive.
The coastal venues, where the skating events will take place, are sprawled like beached metallic whales across what used to be a residential coastline. The structures themselves are both sleekly elegant and intimate, providing for a close proximity between athletes and spectators.
The mountain venues, about an hour by car or train from the coast, are similarly spectacular. A network of gondolas, like pulsing veins up the mountainside, whisk visitors up to 2,320 meters (7,650 feet), while the smooth wood of the bobsleigh track zigzags across the lush forest. A blizzard on Wednesday coated the mountain peaks in snow, helping to ease worries of a repeat of last year's warm winter.
The IOC visit coincided with major storms, unusual for Sochi in September. Down the mountain, heavy rain caused flooding and mudslides, leading authorities to introduce a state of emergency.
Killy said that despite the rainfall there had been "no damage anywhere whatsoever" and he was confident that any weather problems "would not stop the games."
He recalled the IOC commission's first visit in September 2011 and the "unprecedented challenge" Russia faced to put in the necessary infrastructure and build most of the venues from scratch.
"In Europe you would probably spend 15 years on that, and here they did it in seven," Killy said. Russia was awarded the 2014 Olympics in 2007.
Kozak asserted that only $7 billion had been spent on the venues themselves, whereas the remaining sum went toward "developing the city and the region" along the Black Sea.
So will watching the Olympics be like going to Chick-fil-A now?
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 12:25:22 PM
So will watching the Olympics be like going to Chick-fil-A now?
Not as delicious.
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 12:25:22 PM
So will watching the Olympics be like going to Chick-fil-A now?
Pretty sure gay people will still go to both.
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 12:25:22 PM
So will watching the Olympics be like going to Chick-fil-A now?
Does anyone really watch the Winter Olympics (curling aside)?
Quote from: Sheilbh on September 26, 2013, 12:54:43 PM
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 12:25:22 PM
So will watching the Olympics be like going to Chick-fil-A now?
Does anyone really watch the Winter Olympics (curling aside)?
:unsure: I do. In fact, I find them much more interesting than Summer Olympics.
I like the racing events where competitors are racing each other and not the clock.
Quote from: garbon on September 26, 2013, 12:33:30 PM
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 12:25:22 PM
So will watching the Olympics be like going to Chick-fil-A now?
Pretty sure gay people will still go to both.
Sure. And others will throw shit-fits at people who do. Like my friend's brother who unfriended her on Facebook for posting that she was there with the kids during summer last year :lol:
Quote from: Sheilbh on September 26, 2013, 12:54:43 PM
Does anyone really watch the Winter Olympics (curling aside)?
Women's biathalon is like a porno.
Quote from: Sheilbh on September 26, 2013, 12:54:43 PM
Does anyone really watch the Winter Olympics (curling aside)?
I thought figure skating was one of the Olympic's glamour events. I mean without it Brian Boitano would never have inspired the South Park kids.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on September 26, 2013, 02:44:35 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on September 26, 2013, 12:54:43 PM
Does anyone really watch the Winter Olympics (curling aside)?
Women's biathalon is like a porno.
Women buddled up on snow gear sking around?
Quote from: Valmy on September 26, 2013, 02:45:49 PM
Women buddled up on snow gear sking around?
Super fit women in painted on latex huffing and puffing.
Compresses their jugs too much. But I still watch.
Quote from: Sheilbh on September 26, 2013, 12:54:43 PM
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 12:25:22 PM
So will watching the Olympics be like going to Chick-fil-A now?
Does anyone really watch the Winter Olympics (curling aside)?
:yes:
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 02:48:51 PM
Compresses their jugs too much. But I still watch.
That's not compression. Chicks with 5% body fat don't have much juggage.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on September 26, 2013, 03:16:15 PM
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 02:48:51 PM
Compresses their jugs too much. But I still watch.
That's not compression. Chicks with 5% body fat don't have much juggage.
But they're not totally flat.
Quote from: Sheilbh on September 26, 2013, 12:54:43 PM
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 12:25:22 PM
So will watching the Olympics be like going to Chick-fil-A now?
Does anyone really watch the Winter Olympics (curling aside)?
Olympic curling is indeed awesome. I look forward to this Quadrennial event to be able to show off my curling knowledge on languish. -_-
But the 2010 gold medal hockey game drew ridiculous ratings. GOing back, over 80% of Canadians saw some portion of that game, and in the US it beat any sporting event that wasnt the NFL.
Beeb's curling bullshit...... :zzz
Quote from: Admiral Yi on September 26, 2013, 03:16:15 PM
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 02:48:51 PM
Compresses their jugs too much. But I still watch.
That's not compression. Chicks with 5% body fat don't have much juggage.
There are some babes in the alpine skiing too. Same skintight clothing, and more juggage (gravity helps in that event).
Quote from: Tonitrus on September 26, 2013, 08:15:53 PM
There are some babes in the alpine skiing too. Same skintight clothing, and more juggage (gravity helps in that event).
Downhill chicks can have great looking poopers, but they don't have the shrink wrapped pubic bones like biathalon chicks do.
Quote from: Ed Anger on September 26, 2013, 08:12:35 PM
Beeb's curling bullshit...... :zzz
it's the closest you'll get to Olympic themed porn on national television. Hurry hard!
Quote from: Sheilbh on September 26, 2013, 12:54:43 PM
Quote from: derspiess on September 26, 2013, 12:25:22 PM
So will watching the Olympics be like going to Chick-fil-A now?
Does anyone really watch the Winter Olympics (curling aside)?
Curling more popular than ice hockey, even for BB? :lol:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20131217/obama-olympics-sochi-gay-delegation.ap/index.html?section=si_latest
QuotePresident Obama selects gay athletes for Sochi Olympic delegation
President Barack Obama named openly gay athletes to the delegation that will represent the U.S. next year at opening and closing ceremonies for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, sending a clear signal to Russia about its treatment of gays and lesbians.
Tennis champion Billie Jean King will join the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremony, while Caitlin Cahow, a women's ice hockey player and Olympic medalist, will represent the U.S. at the closing ceremony. Both athletes have identified publicly as part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
White House spokesman Shin Inouye said that the delegation "represents the diversity that is the United States" and that Obama was proud to cheer America's athletes on at the 2014 Olympic Games.
"He knows they will showcase to the world the best of America - diversity, determination and teamwork," Inouye said.
The decision follows a public campaign by gay rights groups to urge the White House to include gays, lesbians and their supporters in the delegation in hopes of drawing attention to Russia's national laws banning "gay propaganda." Those laws and the broader issue of discrimination against the LGBT community in Russia have become a flash point as the world looks to next year's Olympic Games in Sochi.
The Human Rights Campaign, one of the groups that wrote the White House last month asking Obama to include gays and lesbians in the delegation, applauded the unveiling of the delegation Tuesday.
"It's a positive sign to see openly gay representatives in the delegation," said spokesman Michael Cole-Schwartz. "Hopefully it sends a message to the Russian people and the rest of the world that the United States values the civil and human rights of LGBT people."
On other fronts, the 2014 delegation appears to be a step back from previous years, when the U.S. sent top-level administration officials to represent the U.S. at the Olympic ceremonies. First lady Michelle Obama led the delegation to the London Games in 2012, while Vice President Joe Biden headed the effort in 2010 in Vancouver.
Obama's schedule will not permit him to attend the games in Sochi in February, the White House said.
In Sochi, former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will lead the delegation to the opening ceremony. A former Arizona governor, Napolitano left the Obama administration earlier this year to take over as president of the University of California system. U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, figure skater Brian Boitano and presidential adviser Rob Nabors will round out the delegation.
At the closing ceremony, Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns will lead the delegation, joined by McFaul, Cahow and speed skaters Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden. Cahow, Blair, Heiden and Boitano are Olympic medal-winners, while King has coached U.S. Olympic teams.
As long as they don't propagandize everything should be fine :)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25675957
QuoteThe mayor of Sochi, host of the Winter Olympics, has said there are no gay people in the city.
Anatoly Pakhomov said homosexuals were welcome at the Games - as long as they "respect Russian law" and "don't impose their habits on others".
Opposition leader Boris Nemtsov said there were several gay bars in Sochi.
In June 2013, Russia passed a law banning the promotion of "non-traditional" sexuality to under-18s - widely seen as an attack on gay rights.
The controversial new law made providing information on homosexuality to under-18s a crime, punishable by a fine.
Critics say its loose interpretation effectively stops gay rights protests in Russia.
Anatoly Pakhomov, a member of President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party, told Panorama that gay people would be welcome at the Games.
"Our hospitality will be extended to everyone who respects the laws of the Russian Federation and doesn't impose their habits on others", he said.
But when asked whether gay people had to hide their sexuality in Sochi, the Mayor said: "No, we just say that it is your business, it's your life. But it's not accepted here in the Caucasus where we live. We do not have them in our city."
When challenged, the mayor admitted that he was not certain there were no gay people in Sochi: "I am not sure, but I don't bloody know them."
BBC Panorama reporter John Sweeney visited a gay bar in Sochi the night before he interviewed the mayor.
Most people did not want to be filmed and those that did were cautious about what they said.
Drag queen Madame Zhu-Zha said there was a gay community in the city and in other areas of Russia.
"There are very many clubs for gay people in Moscow - in Sochi we have two gay clubs as well. In some places there's serious prejudice against gay people. In other places it's not as bad."
The Sochi 2014 organising committee told BBC Panorama it was working hard to ensure the Games will be remembered for their diversity.
Boris Nemtsov, former Deputy Prime Minister and now a leader of the opposition, said the mayor's claim was laughable.
"As far as I know there are several gay clubs in Sochi.
"How do they survive? Why they are not bankrupt?"
Last week, President Vladimir Putin said homosexuals would be welcome in Sochi for the Olympics but said, "just leave the children alone".
"We don't have a ban on non-traditional sexual relations," he said. "We have a ban on the propaganda of homosexuality and paedophilia."
Well, Iran doesn't have gays either.
Quote from: garbon on December 18, 2013, 01:07:34 PM
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/more/news/20131217/obama-olympics-sochi-gay-delegation.ap/index.html?section=si_latest
QuotePresident Obama selects gay athletes for Sochi Olympic delegation
President Barack Obama named openly gay athletes to the delegation that will represent the U.S. next year at opening and closing ceremonies for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, sending a clear signal to Russia about its treatment of gays and lesbians.
Tennis champion Billie Jean King will join the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremony, while Caitlin Cahow, a women's ice hockey player and Olympic medalist, will represent the U.S. at the closing ceremony. Both athletes have identified publicly as part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
White House spokesman Shin Inouye said that the delegation "represents the diversity that is the United States" and that Obama was proud to cheer America's athletes on at the 2014 Olympic Games.
"He knows they will showcase to the world the best of America - diversity, determination and teamwork," Inouye said.
The decision follows a public campaign by gay rights groups to urge the White House to include gays, lesbians and their supporters in the delegation in hopes of drawing attention to Russia's national laws banning "gay propaganda." Those laws and the broader issue of discrimination against the LGBT community in Russia have become a flash point as the world looks to next year's Olympic Games in Sochi.
The Human Rights Campaign, one of the groups that wrote the White House last month asking Obama to include gays and lesbians in the delegation, applauded the unveiling of the delegation Tuesday.
"It's a positive sign to see openly gay representatives in the delegation," said spokesman Michael Cole-Schwartz. "Hopefully it sends a message to the Russian people and the rest of the world that the United States values the civil and human rights of LGBT people."
On other fronts, the 2014 delegation appears to be a step back from previous years, when the U.S. sent top-level administration officials to represent the U.S. at the Olympic ceremonies. First lady Michelle Obama led the delegation to the London Games in 2012, while Vice President Joe Biden headed the effort in 2010 in Vancouver.
See, the homophobe Obama is sending lesbians to get killed by terrorists, instead of his wife or Vice-President.
;)