Do you think that the U.S. should boycott the Sochi Olympics (Russia) (details inside)

Well, yes, but I doubt it’s going to happen. Too much money involved and US-Russian relations are already precarious at best.

Are there any serious discussions in Canada to boycott the Olympics?

@bookish1 People are talking

Check out Canadian comments.

No. I view the Olympics as a world event that happens to take place in a different country every 2 years. It was decided many years ago that it would take place in Russia, I don’t think a current event should affect it. I know it will bring money into the country and benefit the country in other ways, but I just can’t bring myself to say that our athletes should not get their chance to compete. Possibly people can picket if they want to when they are there to bring attention to this, assuming they won’t be thrown in jail for 10 years, I don’t know their laws.

“This is not about boycotting an event because we “disagree” with their human rights policies. This is about protecting thousands of gay athletes and their families. Not to shed light on sterotypes, but how many lesbian female hockey players do you think their are? How many gay figure skaters? How many of them have children they intend to bring? As of late, Russia and Putin himself has, with brute force, stated their intolerance to Gay people and their “sympathizers” – As stated in another article by the NY times, Putin has signed a bill which states police officers have the right to arrest gay and lesbian tourists (or anyone they suspect to be) for up to 14 days. Don’t think for a minute that at least ⅓ of Olympians are gay (maybe even a higher number in the summer games)

This is about the safety and integrity of the athletes and their families – not about a political agenda.”

@Mama_Cakes So you actually think they are going to start filling up the jails with Olympic competitors with the entire world there watching? I doubt it. I am disgusted by what is going on, but you can go to towns in America and see some of the same kind of horrible. I realize the laws in Russia are on a federal level, so it is a little different. Although, having a law that if a military man says he is gay is reason for discharge isn’t much different. We just got rid of that law. If an individual athlete wants to take a stand and not go to Russia I support them, but I don’t think a country, any country, should boycott. I do think the US should take extra measures to make sure our athletes are safe.

It’s kind of ridiculous when as you point out there is probably a high percentage of athletes who are gay.

We live in such an open minded, equal world, don’t we?
Doesn’t it just warm your heart?

What a bunch of bullshit. It really makes me sad.
If I were a gay athlete I’d be downright scared that I’d be arrested for being me.

I truly hope that our athletes are well protected while they are over there.

No, I don’t.

No. Why hurt a bunch of amatuer atheletes who have spent years training and preparing for the Olympics? Snowden would not be hurt. Putin would probably score points for showing the US to be a petulant bully. We had far better reasons to boycott the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, but we decided to attend even though it was viewed as a propaganda victory at the time for Adolph Hitler.

But in the end who was vindicated by the long lens of history? Jesse Ownes won the admiration of the whole world for his mastery in track and field events, capturing an unprecedented four gold medals. His dominance of the sport did more to discredit Hitler’s bigoted claims of Aryan supremacy in all things than all the intervening years of argument against racism could have accomplished. Who does the world today remember more fondly, Jesse Owens or Adolph Hitler? The answer to that tells you who really won the propaganda war.

The boycotts of the 80 and 84 games didn’t do anything positive for anyone. I don’t see a boycott of Sochi doing anything positive either.

If an individual athlete does not want to attend that is one thing, but for any government to tell its athletes they cannot fullfil a dream is beyond description.

@ETpro raises some good points also.

The US does not have the credibility to not make such a boycott seem hypocritical.

During the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Adolf Hitler attempted to use the Games as a showcase for his Third Reich and the supposed superiority of the Aryan race. Jesse Owens turned that theory on its head right quick by winning four gold medals in the 100m sprint, the long jump, 200m sprint, and the 4×100m relay.

I suggest now is the time for all gay athletes to rise up and support Olympic participation more than ever.

I can certainly understand a gay athlete not wanting to participate; considering the recent anti-gay violence (and clear precident that laws may be used against foreigners) it may very well not be a safe place. But the Olympic Committee has come out very strong against Russia and I assume security will be ramped up, though we’ll have to see as we get closer (also, a large amount of spectators will not be Russian and thus may be more sympathetic). Along the Owens v Hitler story, I like this idea: “New Zealand out speed skater Blake Skjellerup said he still plans to partake, and he will wear a rainbow pin while he does.” For those that can do it.

Since we’re citing historical examples, I fear that a bunch of foreign queer athletes being “out” in Russia will not do much to help the queer Russians who are getting viciously beaten by police and other thugs, and who can be imprisoned for spreading “pro-homosexual propaganda.”

Even if this were something that I got fussy about, I hate to see moderately neutral things, like the Olympics, get politicized. And while it’s a massive moral issue for some of you, it’s just politics to everyone else.
I don’t think this is something that needs any attention, let alone a boycott. The gist (and correct me if I’m wrong) that I gather, is that it’s going to be illegal to be gay in public in Russia, which doesn’t bother me in the least.
But then, you knew I’d say that.

So you’re fine with gay athletes being jailed for having the temerity to want to compete then, @Nullo? Not to mention spectators, who will have far fewer protections.

@Nullo
”it’s going to be illegal to be gay in public in Russia, which doesn’t bother me in the least.”
Even now, after all these years, you manage to disappoint me, jean luc nullo

@BhacSsylan I’m fine with people staying in the closet.
@ragingloli The feeling’s mutual, but I’d given up on you. I’m surprised you ever thought I’d change.

I did not think you would change, rather, I hoped you would not be as inhuman as I thought you were.

@Nullo what about those that are already out? Public figures like, say, olympic athletes, tend to not live purely private lives. Or what if a spectator wanted to bring a partner? Just have to pretend they’re just ‘good friends’? Or what if some barbaric neo-nazis trick people into showing what they’d otherwise kept private? Just fine?

@Nullo: “it’s going to be illegal to be gay in public in Russia, which doesn’t bother me in the least.”

@Nullo: “I’m fine with people staying in the closet.”

What the fuck?

Just Nullo being Nullo.

@ragingloli All that’s happened is that public opinion has started shifting from my standards towards yours.
@BhacSsylan Maybe they ought to have thought of that. As for the link, that’s people being criminal.
@tom_g I never thought I projected the image of a gay rights activist. Sorry.
@Mama_Cakes Yeah?

”All that’s happened is that public opinion has started shifting from my standards towards yours.”
As it did regarding womens’ rights and racial equality. Conservative Christians were opposed to both.

@Nullo: ”@tom_g I never thought I projected the image of a gay rights activist. Sorry.”

Sure. But an unapologetic monster?

“Maybe they ought to have thought of that.” Thought before what, exactly? Before ‘deciding’ on their sexuality, you mean?

And it’s criminals now with protection of the law, because their victims are no longer full citizens because their right to exist has been taken away. Just like how lynching of blacks was tacitly allowed by law enforcement in the south.

A great idea. Free European countries should do the same. Putin is getting more evil every year.

But it won’t happen. We still need Russian gas until we complete the transition to a fully green economy. Then it’s good bye Russia, good bye Saudi Arabia. Unless these countries change.

This shit.

@Mama_Cakes Sickening. I think we should rename the Russian President Vladimir Pootin. He’s smelling more and more like a fart.