Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
I think it is incredibly disappointing that this is not gaining more traction. Moneyed interests though once again trump human rights.
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Well considering all the time, money and opportunity cost that was put in by our athletes, the vast majority of whom don't exactly live comfortably, to prepare for these games, I for one am happy it's not getting more traction.
As many others have pointed out, this has almost no chance of changing anything. I don't think it's worth wasting our athletes lives to try and change the minds of people who don't want to change. The idea of boycotting the Chinese games was a little different in that blame for the human rights issues were solely on the government of that country. In Russia, the majority of the population wants the law. Do you really think Canada not showing up to their Olympics is going to make hundreds of millions of Russians change their deep-rooted hate?
Lets imagine the absolute best case scenario and somehow this turns into a big movement and even countries that don't really show much of a stand on gay rights some how join (which would be needed) and this boycott makes an impact and the law is changed. Great, so you got rid of the threat of jail time for anyone supporting or demonstrating LGBT rights in Russia. Does it really make that big of difference when you still have to hide what you do cause of the constant threat of getting the s*** kicked out of you every where you go?
That's the best and most unlikely case scenario and even it is crap. You're talking about a country that has repeatedly told the world powers to go to hell and gotten away with it. Not showing up to their party isn't going to change anything for anyone but our own dedicated athletes.