Should players, sports organizations, or the whole COC boycott the Sochi Olympics?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

nice comparison...

in Sharia law countries you'd probably be legally executed for being gay.

Ah, the good old 'they're worse than us' argument. An always reliable stand by.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

I don't know, I'm just trying to gain more knowledge on the actual law...

Well that's the point though. With being so vague, they could attribute almost anything from holding hands to a full blown pride parade as "propaganda". And so it essentially has become illegal to be gay.

Ok so it only in public. What if you were outlawed by showing your hetero partner affection in public? Everything about this law is backwards.

[Senator Clay Davis]

The actual law is remarkably vague. Thats the point. What exactly constitutes propaganda? If I see a gay couple out in public kissing, I don't consider that propaganda for being gay, I consider that propaganda for love. But in Russia its definitely going to be considered gay propaganda. So is hetero propaganda acceptable? Even as hetero people cheat on their spouses, divorce at over a 50% rate and generally speaking aren't that much different than gay people?

And the comparison withh Sharia Law has more to do with not having any freedom. Whether its death or jail and a fine, you cannot freely behave in Russia or Saudi Arabia. Not giving rights or restricting rights shouldn't be judged based on the punishment. Its disgraceful regardless of punishment.

[Phaneufenstein]

Originally Posted by valo403

And you find this acceptable?

Let's be clear, this isn't a case of holding a parade without a permit being illegal, this is a case of any open display of homosexuality being met with state condoned, delivered and sanctioned violence.

No I don't.
LBGT should have their parades, I don't have an issue with that.

However, if an activity is illegal, the authority may resort to force to stop that action if they need to.
I don't agree with it, but that's the law there now. Props to the LBGT that still go out there and face it, but I'm not sure how you can dispute any means of stopping an activity that is deemed illegal in that country. I personally don't know how fast these things escalate? Do you? Do you think the police just go in there immediately and start beating on the participants?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

No I don't.
LBGT should have their parades, I don't have an issue with that.

However, if an activity is illegal, the authority may resort to force to stop that action if they need to.
I don't agree with it, but that's the law there now. Props to the LBGT that still go out there and face it, but I'm not sure how you can dispute any means of stopping an activity that is deemed illegal in that country. I personally don't know how fast these things escalate? Do you? Do you think the police just go in there immediately and start beating on the participants?

So if the law said that any Flames fans are to be beaten on sight that's okay because it's the law?

The issue is that the law exists at all.

[Phaneufenstein]

Originally Posted by valo403

So if the law said that any Flames fans are to be beaten on sight that's okay because it's the law?

The issue is that the law exists at all.

If it was the law, then yes.

The law itself is a different issue which has flaws no doubt

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

Pride parades are illegal there, hence police involvement.

I don't think I've seen one openly gay couple holding hands in Canada, unless you go to a place like Twisted Element or a function like a parade.

17th Ave
Chinook Centre
Anywhere in the Core
Vancouver
Montreal

Bowness.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

If it was the law, then yes.

The law itself is a different issue which has flaws no doubt

You mean like the fact that it was even considered?

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by valo403

So if the law said that any Flames fans are to be beaten on sight that's okay because it's the law?

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

If it was the law, then yes.

Wait what? Really?

EDIT: I don't want to Godwin the thread yet.

[Devils'Advocate]

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/08/08...russia-so-far/

The law being vague allows people to say "Well, that's not so bad" while allowing Russia to use/abuse the law to its full extent. What really matters is how the law is actually applied, and if the above article is accurate, then I fear the worst.

Would an athlete winning a medal and kissing their same sex partner be considered "activism" by the IOC? And if someone was stripped of their medal for running with a rainbow flag, I'd chip in to replace the medal. But I agree that boycotting would only play into Putins hand by increasing the Russian medal count.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

If it was the law, then yes.

The law itself is a different issue which has flaws no doubt

Well that's sort of the crux of the entire thing, it being a law doesn't make it right. People shouldn't just accept discrimination because the Duma is a gongshow.

[GrrlGoalie33]

Originally Posted by Phaneufenstein

Pride parades are illegal there, hence police involvement.

I don't think I've seen one openly gay couple holding hands in Canada, unless you go to a place like Twisted Element or a function like a parade.

I hold hands with my gf in public all the time. Clearly we don't run frequent the same areas of the city! And no, twisted is not a place I go

[Coach]

Whoa whoa whoa. I knew we had MRCbiocgy, but CP has lesbians?!

Nice...

[Erick Estrada]

Glad the majority here are voting the right way. Most Olympic athletes don't make a lot of money and most of their time and resources go into years of training and preparation and wasting all that to boycott the Olympics for a dumb law in a country the athletes don't even live in is simply silly. Leave the politics to the politicians.

If some athletes feel strong enough about this that they choose to boycott that is fine but no athletes should be under external pressure to do the same.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Glad the majority here are voting the right way. Most Olympic athletes don't make a lot of money and most of their time and resources go into years of training and preparation and wasting all that to boycott the Olympics for a dumb law in a country the athletes don't even live in is simply silly. Leave the politics to the politicians.

Yes. Leaving politics to politicians always works out for the best. It makes sure things get done efficiently and effectively.

Personally, I think human rights trumps sports a thousand times over. And I don't give a crap whether it is here or in another country. We should be standing up for human rights AROUND THE WORLD.

So we seem to agree about whether people are voting the right way but COMPLETELY differ on the reason.

[GrrlGoalie33]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Whoa whoa whoa. I knew we had MRCbiocgy, but CP has lesbians?!

Nice...

Yup Been here for awhile...lol Perhaps I should lobby the mods for a custom user title!

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Frankster

Yup Been here for awhile...lol Perhaps I should lobby the mods for a custom user title!

They tend to have two modes on here when it comes to getting custom user titles.

A) No one gets custom user titles

B) Someone starts a thread asking about custom user titles; Everyone gets custom user title

[GrrlGoalie33]

Originally Posted by flameswin

They tend to have two modes on here when it comes to getting custom user titles.

A) No one gets custom user titles

B) Someone starts a thread asking about custom user titles; Everyone gets custom user title

I don't want to make my custom user title up either, it's kinda like a nickname imo. Has to be given - however dangerous that is.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

Personally, I think human rights trumps sports a thousand times over.

Come on man. Athletes didn't boycott Beijing and IMO this law while kind of stupid doesn't remotely compare to the oppression in China. The fines for this law can be as small as $150 compared to China where you can get the death penalty for committing simple fraud.

[Devils'Advocate]

Yup. And the Olympics had no place in China either.