Thread: RT coverage on gay rights in Russia

I think that the people are being distracted from something more important, just like we are being distracted all the time in the US. The politicians and media know that gay rights is a controversial and hot-button topic in Russia right now, so they are just fanning the flames. My question, is what is really going on? Why are people being distracted?

The same issue is being used to distract people in the US too. People are so outraged at Russia right now, about gay rights, that they can not see anything good about Russia at all. It is impossible to discuss any other issue because it is immediately conflated with this one. For example, I said on Facebook recently that I support Putin's decision to grant asylum to Snowden. But people got angry with me for saying that because they don't understand how I can "support" Putin after he passed the anti-gay laws.

Unlike some people, I can separate the issues. I can support Putin about Snowden, and disagree with the anti-gay laws at the same time. Most people are unable to do that. They conflate the issues because their thinking is all or nothing, black and white, either/or. If Putin is against gays, then everything else he does must be wrong too. Same kind of thinking goes for Obama. Obama is either all good, or all bad. People are unable to discuss each issue separately it seems. As for me, I am very pleased with Obama for passing healthcare, but at the same time I think Obama acted like a spoiled child when he canceled the summit with Putin, and I think his pursuit of Snowden is obsessive and arrogant. Different issues.

I don't believe that all Russians support these new laws at all. The majority of Russians probably do. But some of my friends have privately told me that they are against these new laws, especially the law against "offending the sensibilities of religious people." That one is very disturbing, considering that a large percentage of Russians are atheists. So right now, gay people are the ones being persecuted and the majority supports that because the majority do not like gay people for various reasons, most of which are deeply rooted in Russian culture. But my question is, after the gays are "dealt with" who will be next? Jews? Atheists? Anyone who dares to disagree with the ROC?

Well, I don't live in Russia and far be it for me to tell Russians how to run their country. America has its own problems, and I spend the majority of my time focusing on that.

Originally Posted by Deborski

and disagree with the anti-gay laws at the same time.

You say about "anti-gay" laws so much, but you even don't provide the point why you think it's "anti". Have you read it? Do you know what it is really?
And, of course, I don't understand why we should bother about idiots who think they may be arrested in Russia just because they are gay. There are thousands gays in Russia. Can you call me at least one person who was arrested because he is gay?

Originally Posted by Paul G.

You say about "anti-gay" laws so much, but you don't provide the point why you think it's "anti". Have you read it? Do you know what it is really?
And, of course, I don't understand why we should bother about idiots who think they may be arrested in Russia just because they are gay. There are thousands gays in Russia. Can you call me at least one person who was arrested because he was gay?

That is exactly what I tried to ask already...

Originally Posted by Боб Уайтман

That is exactly what I tried to ask already...

Good! Then Paul can answer your "questions" satisfactorily and I assure you, his answers will please you much more than mine would.