shame on you, IOC!

[dellinger63]

Ironic we boycotted the Russian Olympics in 1980 because they invaded Afghanistan and now 33 years later we're in Afghanistan and ignoring their anti-gay, draconian laws.

We need to say we're not showing unless openly gay folks are treated identical to open hetero folks, in other words fast forward socially a few decades.

Surely support of gay Americans rank above that of the Afghanis, no?

Rainbow colored nails just doesn't seem to cut it. IMO

[Danzig]

no, we shouldn't boycott unless the athletes say 'boycott'. the 1980 boycott certainly wasn't supported by many in this country, and was generally thought to be a bad move.

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by Danzig

no, we shouldn't boycott unless the athletes say 'boycott'. the 1980 boycott certainly wasn't supported by many in this country, and was generally thought to be a bad move.

Hog wash. The athletes are representing the country and the country has to decide whether it will bow its head to these draconian laws not the IOC or the athletes.

[Danzig]

you're forgetting that many parts of this country still have draconian laws regarding homosexuals.
also, the way to change things is from within. perform, show you're just as capable as 'straight' folks. it's just like when you say 'leave the church'-no, if enough people demand change, it will change. look at how civil rights have been gained in this country; certainly wasn't done by people leaving the country.

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by Danzig

look at how civil rights have been gained in this country; certainly wasn't done by people leaving the country.

Except Rosa Parks refused to leave her seat leading to a organized year long boycott by African Americans, endorsed by Martin Luther King Jr. against the Montgomery bus system. Only after a year of boycotting did they relent.

IMO an all-out boycott would/will make a far greater impact including economically than 'performing, to show you're just as capable as 'straight' folks'

[dellinger63]

"We don't have a law to ban non-traditional sexual relations," he said. "The mass media in the West have focused much more on this law more than they do in Russia."

Critics of the anti-propaganda law have said it effectively disallows all gay rights rallies and could be used to prosecute anyone voicing support for homosexuals.

Mutko said the law was intended to protect Russian children.

"We want to protect our younger generation whose physicality has not been formulated. It is a law striving to protect rights of children - and not intended to deprive anybody of their private life," he added.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/interna...3mE99ZVJHHDapO

Oh that makes it all better. The law is to protect Russian children from 'non-traditional sexual relations'. Wonder how Mr. Mutko feels about gays adopting?

BTW The female pole vault athlete who painted her nails in rainbow colors in the preliminary was warned and was wearing all red nails in the finals. What is next? Super-secret rainbow underwear?

Boycott and let the NHL run their schedule unimpeded.

[Danzig]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slate...rs_podium.html