Russia: Today

Gay hysterics in America protest Russian homophobia vs gay men in Russia who think it's all a bit dumb.

Hate Week (n.) week in which Oceanian citizens all attend rallies and parades to inflame hatred of Party enemies and heighten their efforts on behalf of Oceania. George Orwell, 1984.

Yes, I know Russia Today is part state-funded, so don't write in, but if you want to see propaganda at work ask yourself why American gay men are going mental over Russia, the big bogeyman, and Officially Declared Enemy of Uncle Sam, and not, say, one of the 70 countries where homosexuality is illegal.
Or protesting about their own country's 'special relationship' with so many other oppressive regimes that are down on queers?
Or demonstrating when the US keeps bombing, invading and occupying other countries?
Or why aren't we "Brits" boycotting American goods?
The most spectacular achievement of propaganda, of course, is when people can't see they live under a propaganda system.

“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.

PS First reader comment after Towleroad posted this video; "Tell that to the gay people that are tortured you stupid propaganda witch. AND most Americans feel that the USSR should have been bombed while we had the chance."
Not sure you've really thought this one through, dude.

Thanks to @Spitzenproudukte for the message from the guys at Grindr! This is madness.

Update: An Open Letter From Stephen Fry; "An absolute ban on the Russian Winter Olympics of 2014 on Sochi is simply essential. Stage them elsewhere in Utah, Lillyhammer, anywhere you like. At all costs Putin cannot be seen to have the approval of the civilised world." Emphasis added.
He also compares Putin to Hitler.
Though comparing the introduction of a law similar to our own not-so-distant Section 28 to the Holocaust seems something of an exaggeration.
And does it mean the Nazis could have been stopped by a boycott of Schnapps and the Berlin Olympics, and an e-petition?

Vodka: Gay Mass Hysteria Grips New York

Vodka has been seen being poured down the drain outside Russia’s consulate in New York this afternoon as another gay bar boycotts Russia’s national drink in protest at the country’s homophobic stance.
Bottles of Stoli were gripped with disdain and emptied by staff from Boxers, a gay sports bar in the city, outside the Russian consulate on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
Around 100 people [sic] took part in Wednesday’s protest.
The bottles of vodka were donated by Boxers, situated on 37 W 20th St, Manhattan, who earlier had confirmed they would no longer be selling Stoli.
“As the largest LGBT seller of Stoli in the region, we feel that this symbolic step is of great importance in showing our solidarity,” said Robert Fluet, co-owner of the Boxers NYC bars...

Pink News.

So someone's boss told their minimum wage slaves to put on a branded company t-shirt for a photo op he then press released to publicise his over-priced bars?
Amazing!
This is how revolutions start!
Reminds me of the CNT's streetfighting in Barcelona in 1936.
Actually, I'm being sarcastic - what this "campaign" reminds me of is the hysterical mass buying of Elton John's Candle In The Wind when Princess Diana died.
ie It's a load of silly bollocks.

PS Tomorrow I will be protesting Russian homophobia by not eating caviar while not doing that silly Cossack dance. If you care as much as I do, please join me.

• Extraordinary Popular Delusions And The Madness Of Crowds by Charles Mackay (1841). Edit: Hilarious video of gay mass hysteria in New York on the Telegraph online - whose Russophobia clearly trumps their homophobia.

Update: Here's the VK page where videos of the attacks on young Russian gay men are being posted. I can't verify them, but I find it hard to believe they're not real. Heartbreaking, terrifying stuff - but how anyone can think that not buying Russian (or Latvian) vodka is going to change anything is beyond me...