Russia: On Sense & Nonsense

"I live in New Jersey, so I'm not even still considered an equal human. I wasn't considered an equal in this country, so why should I stay away from another country that doesn't consider me equal, and why should I not show the world what I worked hard for?"

Ice-skater Johnny Weir on a US chat show yesterday.
A quite reasonable statement that sends the host and the good ole American patriots in the gay media predictably mentalist!
Hang the traitor!

If you want a thoroughly depressing reminder of how thought-control works in democratic societies, read any of the readers' comments sections on stories about Russia on gay blogs and websites.
See, for example, the utterly odious, threatening ones about Johnny on Queerty and lose a little more hope for queer humanity.
(Update: Or witness this confederacy of dunces on Pink News).
Little parlour game; try asking a question as obvious as "Do you think we should consider what Russian LGBT campaigners think?" and see where that gets you.
AMERICAblog - "A great nation deserves equality" (!) - now has a dedicated Gay Russia section; a wonderful round-up of misinformation and madness.
As ever, it's instructive how this issue so animates the gay right.
And anyone who dissents from the standard spoonfed "Worse than Hitler! Boycott 'em! Ban 'em! Bomb 'em!" line gets virtually lynched by the pink pitchfork mob.

Lib Dem President Tim Farron has tabled a motion on the "deplorable" situation in Russia.

That this House deplores the recent legislation passed in Russia banning the promotion of non-traditional relationships; notes that this is akin to the former Section 28 legislation in the UK; further notes that the new law appears to be part of a wider crackdown on the freedoms of the LGBT community in Russia; believes that we must listen to those Russian LGBT groups and activists who urge very strongly that boycotts in any form or nature, from sporting, like the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, to drinking vodka, are not supported by them and only increase the likelihood of harm towards LGBT Russians; and calls on the Government to work through international and diplomatic channels, like the G20, the Council of Europe and the International Olympic Committee and commercial and business interests already involved in sponsoring the 2014 Winter Olympics, alongside indigenous LGBT campaign groups based in Russia itself, to stand up for the human rights of the Russian LGBT community.

Heaven forfend we might consider what gay people in Russia think best.
Surprisingly sensible stuff from an MP - though it's an early day motion, so no more than the parliamentary equivalent of sending out a press release.

And, just for fun, here's a short BBC TV News item on why the vodka boycott was pointless bollocks. 

In the interests of balance here's some of the usual gay hysterics over on Huffington Post Gay...

"It's high time to talk about asylum. The only way at this point that the US can help Russian gays and lesbians is get us the hell out of here!

"Russian gay activist" Masha Gessen, there (though she's actually an American citizen - and clearly more barking than Battersea Dogs' Home).
Let's organise a mass exodus of LGBT Russians to the 100% homophobia-free American holy state!!
Yay, you've clearly really thought that one through.
It's a sign of how completely debased this "debate" has become that such a laughable and ludicrous statement is taken seriously, and not even challenged.

And finally... Harvey Fierstein - who has already made the morally obscene comparison between Russia today and the Nazi holocaust - says what's going now on has all the hallmarks of a witch hunt.
Though the current climate of hysteria in the US and UK sounds rather like a witchhunt, don't you think, Harvey?
Just ask Johnny Weir.