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Photo of the Day: August 17, 2012 – Pussy Riot protests around the world


LGBTQ rights: President Putin at the crossroads

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History, I think, will remember President François Hollande of France, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain and President Barack Obama of the United States as three of the greatest leaders of our time for standing up to bigotry and homophobia in their efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in their countries.

And while President Vladimir Putin of Russia may be one of the most important leaders on the world stage today, his place in history is not quite as clear on the same-sex marriage issue or LGBTQ rights. Mr. Putin now stands at a crossroads: he could reject the bill passed Tuesday by the lower house that stigmatizes gay people and punishes them or he can sign it into law if/when it is approved by the upper house.  If he chooses the former — rejects it –  he may well join the ranks of great leaders. If he chooses the latter, he may well be remembered as the world’s biggest homophobe and tyrant to LGBTQ people — which, in my heart, I don’t think he really is at all.

Mr. Putin has reportedly said that he does not discriminate against gay people, according to a Reuters article Wednesday in which Germany expressed concerns about the Russian bill. Now Mr. Putin has a chance to prove that.

Let’s pray that he puts human rights and equality ahead of homophobia and bigotry.

Jillian


Bombardier won’t confirm talks with ex-KGB spy

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All the information – or chatter, at least – is one-sided.

Bombardier, Russian sources say, has been in talks with Russian firm Rostec – or is it Rosoboronexport, or is it Russian Technologies? – since last year on producing jointly Bombardier’s Q400 70-seat turboprops in Russia.

q400 Bombardier wont confirm talks with ex KGB spy

The Montreal aircraft maker would not cut production in Downsview, Ont., where the aircraft are currently assembled. But it would reportedly add the joint venture in Russia to facilitate selling the turboprop there.

But talks have apparently broken down and “the Canadians have notified us that they are withdrawing from negotiations,” Russian agency Interfax quoted an unnamed official as saying. The dispute seems to centre on whether or not the Russians had agreed to buy 150 Q400s.

So Sergei Chemezov, head of Rostec – or whatever – promptly turned around and said at the Paris air show last week that his firm is now also talking to Bombardier’s only competitor worldwide in turboprops, Europe’s ATR.

All this is according to various media, mostly in Russia. But not a peep out of Bombardier. 

“We’re not confirming anything,” Bombardier Aerospace spokesperson Marc Duchesne told me.

“In fact, we’re not saying a thing,” said Duchesne, who burst out laughing even before I could finish asking if this was true.

“I saw an alert two minutes ago and I knew it would generate questions.”

“Everyday, the phone rings and we get proposals. So sometimes we discuss and if something comes out of it, we announce it.”

One source said that “off the record, the Russian press is easily manipulated. Who knows where this all comes from?”

Perhaps truer in this case than in most.

What makes the story – or non-story – intriguing is that the person at the head of Rostec is, well, an interesting character. Chemezov is ex-KGB, and not a garden variety lifer, either. The ex-spy turned oligarch – aren’t they all? – was a neighbour of none other than Vladimir Putin when both KGB officers operated clandestinely in East Germany – Desden, to be precise.

After his buddy’s stunning accession to power, Chemezov himself ascended to great heights, becoming a board director of fighter jet maker Sukhoi.

He now commands a sprawling industrial-military complex known as Russian Technologies State Corp.

Hope Bombardier did not antagonize the guy too much.


LGBT rights: Should the U.S. (and Canada) boycott Winter Olympics in Russia?

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The Guardian has a poll asking if the United States should boycott the Winter Olympics in Russia in 2014 because of the law — signed by Vladimir Putin on Sunday — that stigmatizes gay people and bans “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations,” fining those who talk to children about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities or hold gay pride rallies etc.trans LGBT rights: Should the U.S. (and Canada) boycott Winter Olympics in Russia?

So far, the poll — which closes in one day — is showing a majority voting to boycott the Games.

One would have to assume that if the United States were to boycott the Winter Olympics in Russia, Canada would follow suit. So, Canadians might vote in the poll keeping our own country in mind.

As well, it wouldn’t surprise me if someone starts (or has already started) a White House Petition asking the United States to boycott the Russian Winter Olympics.

Yes, this could, umm, snowball . . .

Jillian


Pussy Riot returns

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Hurray for Pussy Riot! They are back in action with a new video, performing a protest song against a system they see as corrupt. We in the West take free speech for granted, but the brave young people in Pussy Riot are standing up to a system that too often seeks to stamp out free speech. They have many supporters around the world, including me. — Jillian

Here is an Associated Press report:

Pussy Riot returns in new music video taking on Putin

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MOSCOW — Russian provocateurs Pussy Riot are back in action, releasing a new music video nearly a year after three members went to prison for a prank denouncing Vladimir Putin.

The video shows band members in trademark bright-colored ski masks and short skirts, cavorting and shrieking atop an oil rig. Backed by hectic guitar and a drum fusillade, they liken the Russian president to an Iranian ayatollah.

As they pour oil on a large photo of Igor Sechin, chairman of state oil giant Rosneft, they shout “Homophobic reptile — get out of history.”

One member of the collective, who gave only her stage name of Grelka, said after the video’s Tuesday release that “the main message is that Putin has spread the country’s wealth among his friends.”

Three members were sentenced to two years for an anti-Putin “punk prayer” in Moscow’s main cathedral. One was later released on probation.

The convictions, on the charge of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, sparked widespread criticism of Russia as suppressing free speech and opposition.


Montreal Aug 13 demo outside Russian consulate to protest Russia’s anti-gay laws

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Gay Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir and POP TART blogger Bugs Burnett (both pictured here at a Tourisme Montreal video shoot earlier this summer) both oppose an athletes boycott of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics (Photo courtesy Richard Burnett)

Gay Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir and POP TART blogger Bugs Burnett (both pictured here at a Tourisme Montreal video shoot earlier this summer) both oppose an athletes boycott of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics (Photo courtesy Richard Burnett)

Activists are boycotting everything from Russian vodka to the upcoming 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics to protest recently enacted anti-gay laws in Russia. Russian president Vladimir Putin has also signed a law that threatens to arrest openly-gay tourists on holiday in Russia..

Calls to boycott the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics have been spreading on social media while many gay bars across Canada, the USA, UK and Europe are now boycotting Russian vodka.

In solidarity, Montreal’s Gay Pride organization Fierté Montréal has chosen to organize a “peaceful vigil” in front of the Russian Consulate in Montreal on August 13. Hundreds of protestors are expected to attend, as per the protest’s Facebook event page.

“Our gesture is to specifically denounce the law on ‘gay propaganda’ that went into effect on June 30,” Fierté Montréal communications director Lynn Habel told POP TART. “We want this demonstration to be peaceful and ask everyone to be respectful of the private property in the neighbourhood.”

The protest’s Facebook page states, “Bring your candles, your rainbow flags and join us as we sing anthems of peace so that our message will be heard loud and clear, both here and around the world. SOLIDARITY AND PRIDE!”

Meanwhile, there is some debate within LGBT communities about the value of the boycotts.

While I personally support a boycott of Russian vodka, I do not support an athletes boycott of the Sochi Olympics.

As gay Olympian figure skater Johnny Weir wrote in his column last week, “The fact that Russia is arresting my people, and openly hating a minority and violating Human Rights all over the place is heartbreaking and a travesty of international proportions, but I still will compete. There isn’t a police officer or a government that, should I qualify, could keep me from competing at the Olympics. I respect the LGBT community full heartedly, but I implore the world not to boycott the Olympic Games because of Russia’s stance on LGBT rights or lack thereof. I beg the gay athletes not to forget their missions and fight for a chance to dazzle the world. I pray that people will believe in the Olympic movement no matter where the event is being held, because the Olympics are history, and they do not represent their host, they represent the world entire.”

Instead, I hope both gay AND straight athletes at the Sochi Olympics will support LGBT Russians by wearing Rainbow pins and raising Rainbow flags on the podium, much like the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute by African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their medal ceremony at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.

As for calls to move the Sochi Olympics to Vancouver, or to cancel them outright, that will never happen: There is no time, there is too much money involved, not to mention the threat of retaliation, such as lawsuits.

While I do not support an athletes boycott, I do support tourists boycotting the Sochi Olympics. Foreign nationals could also ally themselves with LGBT activists in Russia, and stand beside them, such as at the proposed Winter Pride march in Sochi’s city centre that will take place hours before the start of the Olympic opening ceremonies Feb 7.

The 2014 Winter Olympics, officially called the 22nd Winter Olympics, will be held in Sochi, Russia, from February 7-23, 2014.

Fierté Montréal will hold their vigil in front of the Russian Consulate in Montreal (3655 rue du Musée) on August 13 from 8:30 – 9:30 pm.  Click here for the demo’s official Facebookpage.

Fierté Montréal’s Gay Pride festival runs from August 12-18, culminating with Montreal’s Pride parade that kicks off  at 1 pm on August 18. Click here for Fierté Montréal’s official website.

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

 


Gazette Midday: Air Canada revenues soar, Obama snubs Putin

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Hello and welcome to montrealgazette.com and welcome to Midday. here’s the rundown on some of the stories we’re following for you today.

Air Canada reported its best second-quarter revenue in the airline’s history and dramatically improved its adjusted net income to $115 million, beating analyst forecasts by a wide margin and giving a boost to the company’s stock price. On the Toronto Stock Exchange, Air Canada’s B shares soared 20 per cent in heavy trading Wednesday. The stock gained 43 cents to $2.55 within minutes of the open but remained short of the 52-week high of $3.40. Trading volume was higher than average, with more than 2 million shares traded on the TSX within the first five minutes of Wednesday’s session. Air Canada’s adjusted profit amounted to 41 cents per share, an improvement from a year-earlier adjusted net loss of $7 million, or 2 cents per share, the airline announced early Wednesday in its most recent quarterly report. Analysts had estimated Air Canada would have 10 cents per share of adjusted net income and $3.02 billion of revenue, according to data compiled by Thomson Reuters.

President Barack Obama is cancelling plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next month — a rare diplomatic snub. The move is retribution for Russia’s decision to grant temporary asylum to Edward Snowden, who is accused of leaking highly secretive details about National Security Agency surveillance programs. It also reflects growing U.S. frustration with Russia on several issues, including missile defence and human rights. A top White House official says Obama still attends to plan the Group of 20 economic summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, but has no plans to meet with Putin there one-on-one.

And Russia faces more pressure on another front: British actor and writer Stephen Fry has called for the 2014 Winter Olympics to be taken away from Sochi due to Russia’s new anti-gay laws. The openly-gay activist released a letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron and International Olympic Committee executives on Wednesday in which he asks them not to give Russian President Vladimir Putin “the approval of the civilized world.” Russia introduced a law that bans so-called “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” and imposes fines on those holding gay pride rallies. With Russia’s sports minister saying last week that the law would be enforced during the Sochi Games, Fry wrote that “an absolute ban” on the Olympics being staged in Russia is “simply essential.”

And finally, a law in Nova Scotia that allows people to sue or seek a protection order from the courts if they or their children are being cyberbullied has taken effect. Justice Minister Ross Landry introduced the Cyber-Safety Act in April following the death of 17-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons, who was taken off life-support following a suicide attempt at her home in Halifax. Her family says she was bullied for months after a digital photo of her allegedly being sexually assaulted was passed around her school. The law allows victims of cyberbullying to apply for a protection order that could place restrictions or help identify the cyberbully, and in the case of a lawsuit, parents of cyberbullies could be held liable for damages if the aggressor is a minor.

Stay with us for more on these stories and breaking news as it happens at montrealgazette.com


Gazette Midday: Alleged killer posts crime photos on FB, Oprah gets an apology

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Hello and welcome to montrealgazette.com and welcome to Midday. Here’s the rundown on some of the stories we’re following for you today.

A South Florida man who apparently posted a photo of his 26-year-old wife’s body slumped on the floor and turned himself in to police has been charged with first-degree murder. Miami-Dade police said 31-year-old Derek Medina turned himself in to police after Jennifer Alfonso was fatally shot inside the couple’s home in South Miami, a suburb of Miami. When officers responded to the home, they found Alfonso’s body, as well as her 10-year-old daughter, who was unharmed.

Oprah Winfrey says she had a racist encounter while shopping in Switzerland — and the national tourist office and the shop owner have apologized. The billionaire media mogul told the U.S. program “Entertainment Tonight” that a shop assistant in Zurich refused to show her a black handbag priced at $38,000 because “you will not be able to afford that.” Forbes magazine estimates that Winfrey earned $77 million in the year ending in June. Winfrey was in town to attend last month’s wedding of her longtime pal Tina Turner, who lives in a chateau along Lake Zurich.

Closer to home, Aeroplan members are anxiously awaiting a decision about which credit card they’ll be using next year to accumulate miles. With a deadline looming today, CIBC is running out of time to decide whether to match an offer by TD to become the new credit card rewards partner for Aimia, owner of Aeroplan. If CIBC declines to do so, then current Aeroplan members accustomed to using their CIBC credit cards to accumulate points will have to decide whether to get a new credit card to continue to adding miles to their existing accounts.

And finally, the International Olympic Committee is waiting for more clarifications from the Russian government on the anti-gay law that is overshadowing preparations for the Winter Games in Sochi, IOC President Jacques Rogge said Friday. The law, signed by President Vladimir Putin in June, bans “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” and imposes fines on those holding gay pride rallies. It has caused a major international outcry and spawned calls for protests ahead of the Feb. 7-23 Olympics in the Black Sea resort. Rogge said the Russian government provided written re-assurances about the law on Thursday, but that some elements are still too unclear to pass judgment.

Stay with us for more on these stories and breaking news as it happens at montrealgazette.com



The Story So Far: One arrest in double murder attempt, Canada has no plans for Olympic boycott

LGBT rights: Petition urges Metropolitan Opera to show support

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There is a good piece on the New York Times site about a petition — in response to the anti-gay-propaganda law in Russia — calling on the Metropolitan Opera to dedicate its opening-night performance of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin  to the support of LGBT people.

Reports the New York Times:

The long-planned new production of Eugene Onegin, which will open the Met season on Sept. 23, is to be conducted by Valery Gergiev, the artistic director of the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg and one of the foremost interpreters of the Russian repertory, and to star Anna Netrebko, the popular Russian diva, who will be opening the Met’s season for the third year in a row. Both were vocal supporters of the 2012 campaign of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, who in June signed the law banning “propaganda on nontraditional sexual relationships.”

An online petition, referring to what the organizer calls “Putin’s recent laws against homosexual people and those who support them” and to Tchaikovsky’s suffering because of his homosexuality, is calling on the Met to dedicate its Russian-theme opening night to the support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people. “I’m not asking them to be against anybody,” said Andrew Rudin, the composer who started the petition. “I’m asking them to be for somebody.”

Check out the New York Times piece, and sign the petition on change.org if so inspired.

Jillian


The Story So Far: Bain says he’s broke, Obama to meet with LGBT group at G20

LGBT rights: Putin unclear on the concepts?

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So, Russian president Vladimir Putin is assuring everyone that there will be no discrimination against gay people and their supporters at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. And he says gays are not discriminated against in his country, that the law banning disseminating “gay propaganda to young people” is all about reversing Russia’s demographic decline — because, you know, gay marriages can’t produce children. (See AFP report.)

Everybody feel better now?

Mr. Putin is no doubt sincere with his assurances that “during the Olympics or any other major sports events, Russia will strictly stick to the Olympic principles which forbid any kind of discrimination of people on any basis.”

But what about gay people outside of Sochi during the Games? What about gay people in, say, Moscow?

As for the law itself, which may very well have been passed in a somewhat misguided effort to promote traditional relationships and produce more babies, it is still restricting the rights of people who live in non-traditional relationships. It is still making them hide their love away.

And we all know how things can get out of control when politicians pass laws — or even hint at passing laws — restricting people’s rights, yes? (See preceding post.) Can Mr. Putin control all of his country’s zealous, holier-than-thou law-enforcement officials? How about the bigoted citizens who have taken it upon themselves to assault members of the LGBT communities there, all in the name of Mother Russia, of course.

In the reports about Mr. Putin’s statements, I didn’t see him address the issue of vigilante anti-gay justice that is on the rise in that country. I didn’t see him condemn the homophobic acts of violence. Maybe the media forgot to ask him to comment on it. But it would have been nice to see him speak out against it.

But, yes, we can be assured Russian officials — if not the citizens — will be on their best behaviour in Sochi during the Winter Olympics, and will turn a blind eye to any acts of support for LGBT people there.

Let the Games begin?

Jillian


Montreal Sept 8 “kiss-in” outside Russian Consulate to protest Russia’s anti-gay laws

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Montreal Sep 8  Kiss-In organizer Christian S. Généreux (Photo by Photo by Paul A. Larocque, courtesy Christian S. Généreux)

Montreal Sept 8 Kiss-In organizer Christian S. Généreux (Photo by Paul A. Larocque, courtesy Christian S. Généreux)

Over 50 cities will participate in a Global Kiss-In on Sept 8 to protest Russia’s anti-gay laws in the lead-up to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games. Montreal will take part in the global protest along with such cities as Athens, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Dublin, Geneva, Istanbul, London, Paris, Rome, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Tokyo and Vienna.

Local organizers hope their Montreal kiss-in at the Russian Consulate on Rue de Musee will draw as many as the Aug. 13 candlelight vigil organized by Fierte Montreal Pride,  which drew over 1,000 peaceful protestors.

“After seeing the organization of the Global Kiss-In on the Internet, I decided to organize one in Montreal as I truly believe we have to be part of this worldwide mobilization,” says local kiss-in organizer Christian S. Généreux. “In Montreal particularly, we are really lucky and the vigil during the city’s Gay Pride festivities was a huge success. But we must continue to pressure the International Olympic Committee and our governments to demand that Vladimir Putin stop the violations of human rights of gay people in Russia.”

U.K. news outlet Gay Star News is reporting this week that 24-year-old gay rights activist Dmitry Isakov is set to become the first person convicted under Russia’s new anti-gay “propaganda law” after Isakov was attacked and arrested by his own parents at a solo protest in July. A week before Isakov’s arrest, four Dutch tourists became the first foreigners to be charged under the ‘gay propaganda’ law.

Activists fear what could happen to pro-gay protestors in Russia during and after the Sochi Olympics.

“The Olympic Charter has several articles concerning the respect of human rights but unfortunately,” Généreux says, “the IOC have decided instead to hide behind article 50 of this charter to avoid this question.”

Fierté Montréal Pride president Eric Pineault says, “We salute and support this [Kiss-In] initiative, because we must continue to put pressure on the Russian government in support of our Russian brothers and sisters so that they may one day be able to live as they are without fear of persecution.”

Click here for photos and video footage of Fierté Montréal Pride’s Aug 13 candlelight vigil in front of the Russian Consulate in Montreal.

As for the upcoming Global Kiss-In on Sept 8, it too is open to all participants regardless of sexual orientation.

“I was thinking of a few comments friends made about being shy to come – you know, just in case they don’t have someone to kiss,” says Montreal PR consultant and activist Kat Coric. “I see the Kiss-In as a symbolic thing, less sexual even. You can even kiss your friend on the cheek or a Mom can bring her kid and kiss him or her on the cheek. I think some of us will end up giving each other the traditional ‘Montreal two-kisses-on-the-cheek’ too ! I’m really looking forward to it and I hope we get a lot more people to come, in addition to Montreal’s huge LGBT network.”

The Global Kiss-In will take place in front of the Russian Consulate in Montreal (3655 Avenue du Musée) on Sept 8 at 3 p.m.

Click here for the Montreal Kiss-In Facebook event page, and here for Global Kiss-In “To Russia With Love” Facebook page.

Follow me on Twitter and Facebook.


LGBT rights: Global Kiss-In targets Russia (photos)

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‘Kiss-in’ rallies were staged in more than 50 cities around the world today (Sunday) to denounce Russia’s new anti-gay legislation. In Montreal, several dozen people gathered downtown in front of the Russian consulate.

Here are some photos from today’s events in a few cities.

Nelson Desrobles, left, and Sylvain Mercier join gay rights supporters as they stage a kiss-in outside the Russian consulate  in Montreal on Sunday, September 8, 2013.  (Allen McInnis / THE GAZETTE)

Nelson Desrobles, left, and Sylvain Mercier join gay rights supporters as they stage a kiss-in outside the Russian consulate in Montreal on Sunday, September 8, 2013. (Allen McInnis / THE GAZETTE)

Demonstrators wearing masks depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin kiss as they take part in a rally in front of the Russian embassy in Paris, on September 8, 2013, to protest against an "anti-gay" Russian law.  (LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images?

Demonstrators wearing masks depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin kiss as they take part in a rally in front of the Russian embassy in Paris, on September 8, 2013, to protest against an “anti-gay” Russian law. (LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP/Getty Images)

Gay rights supporters stage a rally outside the Russian consulate  in Montreal on Sunday, September 8.  (Allen McInnis / THE GAZETTE)

Gay rights supporters stage a rally outside the Russian consulate in Montreal on Sunday, September 8. (Allen McInnis / THE GAZETTE)

Activists hug and kiss each other in front of the Russian embassy in Brussels, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013.  (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

Activists hug and kiss each other in front of the Russian embassy in Brussels, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

Straight supporters of gay rights take part in a kiss-in outside the Russian consulate in Montreal on Sunday, September 8, 2013.  (Allen McInnis / THE GAZETTE)

Straight supporters of gay rights take part in a kiss-in outside the Russian consulate in Montreal on Sunday, September 8, 2013. (Allen McInnis / THE GAZETTE)


Drawing Conclusions: Aislin on the PQ’s charter of values, Syria and how to draw a squarehead

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Hello and welcome back to Drawing Conclusions with The Gazette’s Terry Mosher, aka Aislin. This week Terry shares his thoughts on how many cartoon ideas the Parti Quebecois gave him with its controversial charter of Quebec values, why he needed to get Vladimir Putin into the paper and how he went about producing his most popular cartoon this week. You can take a look at a part of that process below.

First, there’s a sketch…

1 Sketch

Then there’s the actual cartoon…

2 Final draawing

And then there’s the process of colouring…

3 Final colour

But which came first? The drawing or the punchline? To find out the answer to that question and the rest of what Terry had to say, click on the grey icon below. And remember, you can listen to all of our podcasts at montrealgazette.com/montreal@themoment and on iTunes .

Download: dcsept13.mp3



LGBT rights: Olympians Speak Out in Support of Equality at the Olympics Through Principle 6

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Another press release from All Out:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 9, 2013

15 OLYMPIANS SPEAK OUT IN SUPPORT OF EQUALITY AT THE OLYMPICS THROUGH PRINCIPLE 6 OF THE OLYMPIC CHARTER

Olympians join Athlete Ally and All Out in launching a Principle 6 campaign upholding the Olympic Charter to protest Putin’s anti-gay and anti-human rights crackdown during Sochi

New York –  In an effort to support Olympians, fans, and Russians who want to speak out for equality, Athlete Ally and All Out are launching the Principle 6 campaign today.

Principle 6 says, “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.” The first step in this campaign is a letter to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach  from 16 Olympians [http://www.athleteally.org/action/defend-principle-6/] telling Bach that it is time for the IOC to speak boldly and proactively about this human rights issue. Signatories include Sochi bound Mike Janyk (Skiing) as well as Andy Roddick (Tennis), Steve Nash (Basketball) and Megan Rapinoe (Soccer).

“Principle 6 is a way for Olympians and fans to stand up for equality and protest the heinous Russian laws. Through Principle 6 we can mobilize and inspire mass support for the ideals set forth in the Olympic Charter. Even if the International Olympic Committee won’t act, people around the world will,” Andre Banks Executive Director and Co-Founder of All Out said.

The launch of Principle 6 comes on the heels of the IOC’s latest response to clarification of its charter. On Monday, President Thomas Bach responded to more than 70,000 All Out members who asked the IOC to clarify whether the Olympic Charter includes lesbian, gay, bi and trans people under Principle 6.

President Bach sent the following letter to All Out’s Executive Director and Co-Founder Andre Banks. [http://www.scribd.com/doc/174203622/IOC-President-Responds-to-Allout]

This latest IOC statement does not provide any actionable steps for upholding Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter or articulates whether people can be who they are at the Sochi Games. In this void, Olympic athletes are stepping forward and asking President Bach to do more.

“Helping to craft this petition to IOC President Bach is an important part of my work as an Ambassador for Athlete Ally and very much in step with being an Olympian,” said Cameron Myler, a four time Olympian who carried the US flag in in the 1994 Lillehammer Games. “Standing by idly while the values of the Olympic movement are in question is not an option for me and many others.”
“The Principle 6 campaign will take many forms because it is reflective of the diversity that the Olympic Charter has charged itself with upholding, ” said Hudson Taylor, Executive Director of Athlete Ally. “We are launching the Principle 6 campaign with Olympic athletes because their action affirms the duty and honor of Olympic Movement. They are leaders, and just like they do in their fields of play, Olympians always seem to find new ways to inspire us.”

“With the eyes of the world on Russia during the Olympics, it’s critical that athletes and fans show support for LGBT Russians who are subjected to cruel anti-gay laws violating human rights.  Defending Principle 6 affords all of us a way to demonstrate this support, and our outrage at the Putin-led government, within the very spirit of the Olympic movement.  We can’t afford to lose this opportunity to push for change,” said Brian Ellner, a leading LGBT activist and member of the Athlete Ally Board of Directors.

“With billions on the table, the IOC and Olympic sponsors are uniquely positioned to influence the Russian government and President Putin. “With billions on the table, the IOC and Olympic sponsors are uniquely positioned to influence the Russian government and President Putin, that is why Olympians speaking out in support of Principle 6 is so important,” Andre Banks said.

More information on how Principle 6 will manifest in social media and on the ground in Russia will become available as the 2014 Olympic Games approach.

To read New York Times’ Frank Bruni’s piece about the Principle 6 campaign and the Sochi games click here:

http://bruni.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/a-clever-solution-to-an-olympic-problem

To read the petition to the IOC signed by Olympians and fans defending Principle 6 click here:

http://www.athleteally.org/action/defend-principle-6/

To see the live signature totals from All Out’s petition visit:

https://www.allout.org/en/actions/email-olympics-pres

Additional background on Putin’s human rights crackdown:

Russia is in the process of eroding basic human rights for Russian citizens. LGBT people have been specifically targeted through laws which ban pride and any “homosexual propaganda.” Russia may go even further, and take children away from loving homes simply because their parent or parents are gay, despite overwhelming evidence that children raised by gays and lesbian do just as well as children raised by straight parents.

The passage of Russia’s anti-gay laws and the general crackdown on human rights which includes a four month moratorium on free speech in Sochi running up to, and following the 2014 Winter Olympics, is having a devastating effect on Russian citizens safety. Russian LGBT advocates claim violence is on the rise as a result of the anti-propaganda laws. We’re aware of at least 14 videos of young gay people being brutally beaten by vigilantes, and there has not been any arrests related to the violent attacks.

Putin, and the Russian government have not made any attempts to curtail the crackdown despite incredible pressure from around the world. Yet, Putin remains vulnerable because the success of the Sochi Olympics will have a direct impact on his reputation at home and abroad. The International Olympic Committee remains in conversations with Putin about the human rights crackdown, but claimed they were powerless and could not force Putin to change the law.

About All Out:

In 76 countries it is a crime to be gay; in 10 it can cost you your life.  All Out is mobilizing millions of people and their social networks to build a powerful global movement for love and equality. Our mission is to build a world where no person will have to sacrifice their family or freedom, safety or dignity, because of who they are or who they love. 

About Athlete Ally:

Athlete Ally is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging athletes, coaches, parents, fans and other members of the sports community to respect all individuals involved in sports, regardless of perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Athlete Ally promotes LGBT inclusion through team trainings as well as by empowering Athlete Ally Ambassadors in youth, collegiate and international sports to be advocates. Athlete Ally visits scores of colleges each year and works closely with many professional sports leagues, including the NBA.  


Winter Olympics: Will LGBT visitors feel “comfortable” in Russia?

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So, President Vladimir Putin of Russia is trying assure LGBT athletes and spectators that they will be “comfortable” during the Winter Olympics in Sochi this winter.

According to Advocate.com:

Putin appeared on Russian television Monday alongside the newly elected president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, in an effort to quiet fears that the nation’s ban on “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relationships” would threaten the safety of out athletes and spectators who travel to Sochi for the games, which begin in February.

“We will do everything to make sure that athletes, fans, and guests feel comfortable at the Olympic Games regardless of their ethnicity, race, or sexual orientation,” Putin said at a meeting of Russian winter sports ministers, according to Radio Free Europe. “On my own and on [behalf of Russian sports ministers], I have assured Mr. [Bach] that we will do our best, and our athletes and fans will do their best too, so that both participants and guests feel themselves comfortable at Sochi Olympics regardless of their ethnicity, race, or sexual orientation. I would like to underline that.”

Hmm . . . I wonder if that message will get to the Russian people, especially the bigots who have been picking on LGBT people since Putin signed into law the anti-LGBT “propaganda” law last summer, which restricts the rights of LGBT people.

As Advocate.com points out:

Since Putin signed the draconian policy into law this summer, LGBT Russians and visitors have been beaten, harassed, and arrested for attempting to peacefully assemble, carrying pro-LGBT signs, waving rainbow flags, or sometimes simply for walking down the street. A 22-year-old transgender woman in Russia committed suicide shortly after she was kicked out of her home and fired from her municipal job because her employers feared running afoul of the propaganda ban.

Personally, I don’t put a lot of stock in Mr. Putin’s assurances — perhaps he and his officials will ease up on LGBT people while the world is watching during the Games, but I’m so sure about the bigots and other minions of hate.

And how could anyone feel comfortable in a country where the government treats LGBT people with such contempt?

Just sayin . . .

Jillian


Free Pussy Riot! The Movie, at Cinema Politica

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Monday (Dec. 2, 2013) The Concordia University branch of Cinema Politica is showing the documentary Free Pussy Riot! The Movie about the imprisoned Russian musicians and activists. (Not to be confused with Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer.)

The synopsis on the Cinema Politica web page says: “Free Pussy Riot – The Movie goes beyond the trial and imprisonment of the women who sang a punk prayer in Moscow’s main cathedral calling for the removal of President Vladimir Putin from power.

Current through July 2013, the film explains why a female rock band asked ‘Mary, Mother of God’ to rid Russia of President Vladimir Putin’s increasingly harsh and repressive regime.

The film . . . includes extensive interviews with members of Pussy Riot, their families, numerous dissidents and coverage of the huge anti-government protests that took place this past year. Footage also includes a trip to the labor camp where one of the women is being held. A portion of the proceeds will support the legal fund for the imprisoned young women.”

Free Pussy Riot! The Movie, directed by Natasha Fissiak, 82 minutes long.
7 p.m. in the D.B. Clarke Theatre of Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Montreal, QC H3G 1M8 ‎

Visit the web page of Free Pussy Riot! The Movie

Further information:

An article in The Guardian indicates that the “punk prayer” was all of 40 seconds long. Two years in prison for 40 seconds of activity.

The name “Penal Colony No. 14″ sounds like something out of Dostoyevsky, (or Solzhenitsyn) but it still exists today and that’s where Pussy Riot member Nadezhda Tolokonnikova was sent in 2012. The living conditions she describes in a letter printed by The Guardian sound like they’re from another century. too. (She was explaining why she had decided to go on a hunger strike.)

My brigade in the sewing shop works 16 to 17 hours a day. From 7.30am to 12.30am. At best, we get four hours of sleep a night. We have a day off once every month and a half. We work almost every Sunday. Prisoners submit petitions to work on weekends ‘out of [their] own desire.’ In actuality, there is, of course, no desire to speak of. These petitions are written on the orders of the administration and under pressure from the prisoners that help enforce it.”

During my first few months in the work zone, I practically became a mechanic. I taught myself out of necessity. I threw myself at my machine, screwdriver in hand, desperate to fix it. Your hands are pierced with needle-marks and covered in scratches, your blood is all over the work table, but still, you keep sewing. You are a part of the assembly line, and you have to complete your task as well as the experienced sewers. Meanwhile, the damn machine keeps breaking down. Because you’re new and there’s a deficit, you end up with the worst equipment — the weakest motor on the line. And now it’s broken down again, and once again, you run to find the mechanic, who is impossible to find.”

“Eternally sleep-deprived, overwhelmed by the endless race to fulfill inhumanly large quotas, prisoners are always on the verge of breaking down, screaming at each other, fighting over the smallest things. Just recently, a young woman got stabbed in the head with a pair of scissors because she didn’t turn in a pair of pants on time. Another tried to cut her own stomach open with a hacksaw. They stopped her.”

The trailer for Free Pussy Riot! The Movie, below is 8-minutes long, more generous than most.


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