As regards gay rights, I am not going to be drawn into a debate on the subject in this forum. I see no point in discussing it. I will only say that I have very close friends who are gay, and that they are not evil, or sick, or brainwashed, or whatever else people say about them. When my husband was dying in the hospital, the friend who helped me, who held me as I cried through the night, was a lesbian. She never tried to come onto me, or "turn me gay" or any of that rubbish. She was kind, compassionate and caring and she was THERE for me, which is a lot more than I can say for my own family, or for the so-called Christians, who like to sit in judgement of others but don't seem to understand that concept about "love your neighbor" as well as my gay friends do. Frankly, I do not care what other people do in their bedrooms, whether they are gay or straight, it makes no difference to me. As long as everyone is consensual and an adult, it should not be the business of the church, or the state, to intrude on their personal lives.

My primary concern about Russia's new laws, is the ambiguity of them. Simply stating that "gay propaganda" is illegal leaves things very wide open. Does it mean I can be arrested for saying something like I just said above? If so, I will not travel to Russia until things change. There are also laws now against "offending the sensibilities of religious people." I find that extremely disturbing. Sure, it's Russia's business what it does and I will not travel there to try to change things, that would never have been my purpose. But to be worried about being arrested or fined just for speaking my mind, is not a way I want to live.

And that's all I wish to say on the subject in this forum.