That is all that is the case.
The West does not own Russia - and I'm sure they're bored of being told what to do by you by now.
All those who call for our glorious leader David Cameron to speak out are mere servants of power.
It is morally facile to say; "We must do something".
Sometimes to do nothing is the better course of action.
The Hippocratic oath begins; "First do no harm".
One never should "act" without thinking about its possible consequences.
Do you really think Putin gives a fuck if he can't see some queens figure-skating?
Could Section 28 have been stopped if Russian gayers stopped drinking Beefeater gin - or its Latvian equivalent? (Must research this).
Neo-Nazi thuggery in Russia has a long history - calls by gay men to boycott or protest the Olympics only risks these sick fucks dying of laughter.
To suggest a "state-funded" TV presenter's stupid and offensive remarks are somehow emblematic of Russia is as stupid and offensive as saying the BBC's "state-funded" TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson represents Britain.
To highlight homophobia in Russia is hypocritical; the new Russian law about "propaganda" is based on our own Section 28 - ask why are so many Tory MPs queuing up to denounce it?
Relatively - internationally - speaking Russia's "clampdown on gays" is quite mild - so why are we picking on Russia?
Homosexuality is not illegal in Russia, it is in 70 other countries - sadly these are ignored, presumably as many of them are our obedient colonies, and not our old Cold War enemies.
For the UK or US to lecture a country about "human rights abuses" is beyond a joke.
Or maybe we should send a few gay-friendly drones to Moscow?
And yet Stephen Fry says our country is "civilised"...
Dear Stephen, Russia has not knowingly bombed, invaded or occupied Serbia, Afghanistan or Iraq. [Edit: It has been pointed out that Russia did rather obviously "intervene" in Afghanistan. I apologise for this monumental act of fuckwittery. What a schmuck I am].
Bradley Manning?
Why has there been a vomitorium of articles about Russia in the gay and straight media recently? Like that's the only bad thing that's happening in the world right now.
From Bosnia to Iran, Peter Tatchell has continually been shown to tell lies in service of empire.
Gay men are still being arrested in the US under "sodomy laws".
US military - 1.4million.
US prison population - 2.4million.
Shall we boycott AmeriKKKa?
We must ask our LGBT comrades in Russia what to do - they overwhelmingly do not support an Olympics ban or silly vodka boycott/PR stunts.
The "campaign" about Russian homophobia can only - rationally - be seen as an outbreak of mass hysteria - of collective insanity - akin to people buying Elton John's Candle In The Wind after Princess Diana died, or the do-nothingness "inspired" by the Kony 2012 video.
This is not a political act, but a sign of the wholescale depoliticisation of our culture.
That some are advancing the idea that a boycott of the 1936 Berlin Olympics could have stopped Hitler's Holocaust shows the sheer moronification of this "debate".
Any comparisons between what is happening in Russia today and Nazi Germany or apartheid South Africa are disgusting insults to all who suffered and died under them.
Let's face it, no-one actually gives a figure-skating fuck about the Winter Olympics.
No-one with an IQ higher than a fence-post cares what Lady Gaga or that buffoon who was in Star Trek 50 years ago "thinks" about anything.
Do not think celebrities like Fry or Gaga are some kind of moral compass - think for yourself.
Question anything that has become a cause celebs.
In a culture so debased that fame equals power, oppose fame and power.
Admittedly, complaining about celebrities making inane ill-informed comments about politics is like complaining about the rain - it happens.
The only point of Stephen Fry is he shows the arrogance that comes with privilege and a public school education.
That some people think clicking an e-petition will change anything kinda explains why the world is still fucked to buggery.
Ask why this issue is so animating the gay right and the apolitical.
Fagburn believes this thoroughly depressing partisan fools' crusade - although clearly often well-meaning - is nothing more than proof of the success of right-wing hegemony, and a service to state power.
Oh, and Orientalism and that blah blah blah...
“Every empire, however, tells itself and the world that it is unlike all other empires, that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educate and liberate" - Edward W Said.
In conclusion: If you really want to help gay people in Russia - please shut the fucking fuck up.
Posts
You're right about the Russian law being similar to Section 28, I was thinking that myself. One of the reasons other more homophobic countries are not criticised is because they are non-white and any criticism would be seen as racist. Homophobia is acceptable as long as Africa/Islam does it.
ReplyDelete"And anyway, in those countries such homophobia as there is is ALL the result of the laws and culture imposed by British colonialism on peoples who, left to themselves, would positively celebrate homosexuality."
DeleteSo it is said.
@Paul Brownsey
DeleteIndeed.
Actually Section 28 is nothing like this law. S28 applied only to schools, it didn't take Julian Clary off screens or mean that Newsnight couldn't discuss Section 28. It didn't even ban gay teachers.
I'm aware of no evidence that it 'inspired' the Russians either. There *may be a link with American Evangelical Scott Lively joemygod.blogspot.com/2013/07/scott-lively-again-takes-credit-for.html May be.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/08/12/1228471/-Understanding-Russia-s-homophobia
ReplyDelete> Dear Stephen, Russia has not knowingly bombed, invaded or occupied Serbia, Afghanistan or Iraq.
Chechnya, Georgia, Estonia cyberattack ,, oh, and Russia actually did invade Afghanistan ...
Then there's blowing up their own citizens in their own capital (Scott long thinks evidence is there, sir may be right) ...
Methinks you've fallen down a sinkhole. Is this the line on Media Lens/Socialist Unity? Just asking, I'm not going to bother to look.
Oh, that was a bit of a howler about Afghanistan, admittedly.
DeleteMight change it so I look less stupid.
http://americablog.com/2013/08/hitler-olympics-russia-sochi-2014-gay.html
ReplyDelete> That some are advancing the idea that a boycott of the 1936 Berlin Olympics could have stopped Hitler's Holocaust shows the sheer moronification of this "debate".
> Any comparisons between what is happening in Russia today and Nazi Germany or apartheid South Africa are disgusting insults to all who suffered and died under them.
Well a lot of Jews wanted a boycott in 1936. there's a book about it apparently. It may not have stopped the Holocaust but given the denial of Hitler's threat which both they and Churchill were trying to warn about then maybe it could have been, er, slowed. The Nazis tried to hide what they were doing, remember? And Kristallnacht happened two years after the Games.
Given the treatment of other minorities (Long again, sigh) and Russia's history the idea of pograms is not wrong and is being raised by Russians.
On South Africa I suggest reading Melanie Nathan, a South African Jew. She's pro-boycott. I don't agree with her but she makes a compelling argument. Maybe you should tell her she's making "disgusting insults"? I'd pay to watch that dialogue.
Many good points made
ReplyDeleteHere is my take on it:
http://www.zcommunications.org/suggestion-to-those-wanting-to-ban-russian-athletes-from-the-olympics-ban-athletes-from-29-us-states-as-well-by-joe-emersberger
They 'overwhelmingly do not support a boycot't. How do you know? Have you asked them? Perhaps the group/s? you've talked to do not represent the gay people like you say Tatchell does not?
ReplyDeleteHave you forgotten that the South Africa Apartheid boycott did help build pressure. I'm sure you'd be the first to condemn Queen for playing there or have you changed your tune? You denounce clicktivism because its not perfect but yet your answer is to just be angry, attack everyone and do nothing. It doesn't work. At all. Engaging people and trying to educate them, as imperfect as it is, is a start to trying to change things. And it IS better than nothing.