An Open Letter to David Cameron and the IOC By Stephen Fry

[sunandmoon]

I think a boycott is unrealistic as is moving the games elsewhere.
The IOC will do nothing - except maybe threaten athletes with fines and disqualifications should any of them decide to publicly show support for gay people.

But hopefully there will be enough public noise around the issue.

I am not buying into the argument that the interests of sportsmen should be a priority - it was not as some others mentioned when the Moscow olympics were boycotted. It was not when South African sportsmen were not allowed to participate in sports events.

Ideally sportsmen themselves should make it known that persecution of gay people is wrong. I am sure some will. But I do not hold my breath since there is still a lot of homophobia in sports

 

[gb2000ie]

Moving Olympics less then a year before they begin is the same as canceling them.

If only one athlete loses his chance to participate or set a new record in his discipline, then my point is right!

Besides, we all know that Olympics will be held in Sochi, and this arguing will make no difference.

Unfortunately.

So one athlete not getting to compete is a bigger tragedy than one gay person being beaten to death while the police turn a blind eye?

You are putting sport above LIFE, and I can't agree with that. Sport is not actually even NEARLY as important as life, and to pretend it is strikes me as shockingly dismissive of real and actual human suffering.

Compared to the millions of gays in Russia, even a thousand athletes are irrelevant.

B.

 

[MrMonkey]

So one athlete not getting to compete is a bigger tragedy than one gay person being beaten to death while the police turn a blind eye?

I never said that. So, you think if we boycott the Games beating of gay people and political opponents will stop? That's pretty childish thinking...

You are putting sport above LIFE, and I can't agree with that. Sport is not actually even NEARLY as important as life, and to pretend it is strikes me as shockingly dismissive of real and actual human suffering.

Your conclusion that I'm putting anything above life is wrong, and forgieve me for saying this, a little bit insulting and disgusting - especially since I'm a heatlh worker.

No. I'm putting sport above politics, as it should be. Any kind of politics. Besides, as I recently read IOC won't allow the Games to be a platform for making political statements of any kind.

Athletics is athletics is athletics. It shouldn't be turned into political or any kind of other rally.

Compared to the millions of gays in Russia, even a thousand athletes are irrelevant.

It's easy to say that, when you have nothing to lose.

Boycotting the Games will do ALMOST NOTHING for gay people in Russia. It could do the opposite - turn the majority more against them. People will look for someone to blame for the loss of the Games...

Some of you think it's so easy: we just come to Russia, paint a rainbow or two and everything will change over night... I'm sorry but that doesn't work that way.

I've experineced the horrors of war and I know freedom doesn't come cheap! It requires struggle and sacrifice. A lot of it. So don't be naive, this is not a bad soap where everything ends well, this is real life, and it should be dealt with pragmatically like everything else.

 

[Sinnerr]

I kinda agree with you. But telling that gay rights or human rights at all are politics it's disgustingly cynical to me (even if I'm a big cynic myself).

 

[MrMonkey]

I kinda agree with you. But telling that gay rights or human rights at all are politics it's disgustingly cynical to me (even if I'm a big cynic myself).

Unfortunately, even the food I buy in the store has been turned into politics. So, politics is almost everywhere.

Besides, "human rights" and understanding what it means by different cultures is a political agenda. Thousands and thousands of people all over the world die for that. Some as martyrs, others as "collateral damage".

It's bad enough that sport has been corrupted with money and drugs.

And yes, I'm a cynical and sarcastic one. In all things.

 

[gb2000ie]

MrMonkey - politics is life. Politics affects everyone, compared to politics, sport is an irrelevant circus. The reason Russian gays are being horribly persecuted is politics.

I think you have lost sight of the forest for the trees - boycotting the games will not achieve anything IN ISOLATION, but that is true about every political protest. You have to look at the bigger picture, and a boycott of the games AS PART OF A LARGER CAMPAIGN most certainly would be a big deal, and a big brick in a larger wall.

Many Irish supermarkets joined the boycott of South Africa to end Apartheid. You could use your argument to say that Dunnes Stores boycotting South Africa had no effect, but when you look at that one store as part of the larger campaign, suddenly their actions make a LOT of sense. When combined with everything else that was being done in parallel, Dunnes Stores helped end Apartheid.

I think it's wrong to look at any one political protest in isolation - you need to look at the bigger picture.

The simple fact is that there is not a single possible one thing that will fix Russia, the ONLY approach is to chip away at the problem with lots and lots of actions to keep the pressure on, and the issue in people's hearts and minds. In that context, a boycott of the games would be massively effective.

B.

 

[MrMonkey]

MrMonkey - politics is life. Politics affects everyone, compared to politics, sport is an irrelevant circus. The reason Russian gays are being horribly persecuted is politics.

I think you have lost sight of the forest for the trees - boycotting the games will not achieve anything IN ISOLATION, but that is true about every political protest. You have to look at the bigger picture, and a boycott of the games AS PART OF A LARGER CAMPAIGN most certainly would be a big deal, and a big brick in a larger wall.

Many Irish supermarkets joined the boycott of South Africa to end Apartheid. You could use your argument to say that Dunnes Stores boycotting South Africa had no effect, but when you look at that one store as part of the larger campaign, suddenly their actions make a LOT of sense. When combined with everything else that was being done in parallel, Dunnes Stores helped end Apartheid.

I think it's wrong to look at any one political protest in isolation - you need to look at the bigger picture.

The simple fact is that there is not a single possible one thing that will fix Russia, the ONLY approach is to chip away at the problem with lots and lots of actions to keep the pressure on, and the issue in people's hearts and minds. In that context, a boycott of the games would be massively effective.

B.

We all know that the Games will be held in Sochi, as they were held in Beijing...so this "academic" debate..no one will hear it... there are 60k+ registered users here, and only few of us wrote anything about this...

 

[tonka]

Russia seems pretty immune to economic boycotts. Natural gas, oil, coal, timber, military hardware. These are what props up the regime. Other countries will buy these if it is in their interest to do so. The EU will be buying natural gas from Russia whatever happens to Russians at home.

 

[ihno]

Human Rights are not something that differes from nation to nation like table manners. They have a history, sources, were hard to achieve and have to be protected, esp. in times, when they lose in importance like they do today.

The "Miss Universe Peagant" is already cancelled btw., at least for the moment
http://anonym.to/http://www.theatla...its-host-because-russias-anti-gay-laws/68348/

 

[Oege]

Sorry if I cross a line here but I thought this pic to be funny

 

[Oege]

Tonka said:

The EU will be buying natural gas from Russia whatever happens to Russians at home.

You are ever so right my friend, natural resourced (or lack of it) lead to many wars and also lead to many countries stay silent of they knew something horrible happened in the country of their business partner...

 

[gb2000ie]

Russia seems pretty immune to economic boycotts. Natural gas, oil, coal, timber, military hardware. These are what props up the regime. Other countries will buy these if it is in their interest to do so. The EU will be buying natural gas from Russia whatever happens to Russians at home.

You're right that the economic forces are strong, but they are not infinite, enough pressure on each EU government could change that, but it would have to be strong and sustained. People would have to REALLY connect with the issue, which would mean a long campaign with lots and lots of things happening for week after week after week.

I wouldn't bet on it happening, but it's not impossible, and I'll do my bit all the same.

B.

 

[tonka]

The track and field championships are in Moscow this week. Nick Symmonds won the silver medal. Nick is known as "the Brad Pitt of the running world" and had a date with Paris Hilton. Not a shy guy.
He dedicated his medal to all his many gay and lesbian friends.

There was also a dust up when two Swedish athletes painted their nails as rainbows, and were rebuked by Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva.

 

[Oege]

Just a reminder of the Olympic Handfest:

Item 6:

"Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement".

 

[gb2000ie]

Just a reminder of the Olympic Handfest:

Item 6:

"Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement".

Surely that means Russia should be ejected from the IOC for breach of the rules?

B.

 

[Oege]

gb2000ie, Yes it does, or put on hold like they did with South Africa some years ago...

 

[gb2000ie]

gb2000ie, Yes it does, or put on hold like they did with South Africa some years ago...

The comparison to South Africa is very appropriate I think, there you have a bunch of people being treated as sub-human simply because of an accident of their birth, and that is exactly what Russia is starting to do!

B.

 

[Oege]

Russian President Vladimir Putin has banned all meetings, protests and demonstrations during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Read more: http://anonym.to/?http://americablo...ee-bans-meetings-protests-sochi-olympics.html

There go the promisses of Vitaly Mutko (mnister of sports) and mr. Rogge (Olympic comitee)... What more clues do people need to see what is happening???