Thread: Sochi Olympics and the Law against Gays in Russia +

Originally Posted by maxmixiv

Yes, I do. Funny, and still shameful.

It doesn't.
"Это можно." (тов.Дынин)

If there's a lot of disgraceful things and authorities take measures to remove some of them, why is it bad idea?

Because it's not the role of the government to define what's disgraceful and what isn't. Everyone has the right to define for themselves what they consider to be a correct way to live. As long as they're not harming anyone else, the government should not intervene.

Originally Posted by John_Douglas

Because it's not the role of the government to define what's disgraceful and what isn't. Everyone has the right to define for themselves what they consider to be a correct way to live. As long as they're not harming anyone else, the government should not intervene.

A disputable statement. The key words are "As long as they're not harming anyone else". Yes, I'm inclined to agree. But what is "to harm someone"? Physically? Or morally, too?
If someone prefers walking naked, is he harming anyone else? Why does the government put restricitions on this kind of behavior?
Does saying to a child "Oh, boy! You know, being a gay is so cool! There is nothing abnormal in it. Two men can love each other, live together and make a family. Why not to try? The traditional family is outdated" harm the child's psychology?

Originally Posted by Боб Уайтман

A disputable statement. The key words are "As long as they're not harming anyone else". Yes, I'm inclined to agree. But what is "to harm someone"? Physically? Or morally, too?
If someone prefers walking naked, is he harming anyone else? Why does the government put restricitions on this kind of behavior?
Does saying to a child "Oh, boy! You know, being a gay is so cool! There is nothing abnormal in it. Two men can love each other, live together and make a family. Why not to try? The traditional family is outdated" harm the child's psychology?

You are assuming here, double guessing about children in general. But what about real victims here? Gay children it is. It's a tragedy for them.
No reply necessary, it's o.k., I do not expect you or anybody else to change their minds.

Originally Posted by Lampada

But what about real victims here? Gay children it is. It's a tragedy for them.

“Whatever else it is, homosexuality is not a contagious disease like the measles. Prevailing scientific opinion is that an individual's sexuality is determined at a very early age and that a child's teachers do not really influence this.” -- Ronald Reagan, 1978 (Opposing a California bill to ban homosexuals from teaching in schools.)

That was 35 years ago. Although the causes of homosexuality AND heterosexuality are still not known with certainty, the vast majority of scientists studying human sexuality now suspect that orientation (whether hetero or homo) is already becoming "neurologically hardwired" into the brain even before children have learned to speak their own native languages -- or even, to some degree, before a child takes its first breath of air.

But some people prefer to believe that "gay children" are as imaginary as unicorns -- and the Russian government still wants to follow the зажать уши руками principle when Russian gays try to tell their own life stories.

Originally Posted by Боб Уайтман

A disputable statement. The key words are "As long as they're not harming anyone else". Yes, I'm inclined to agree. But what is "to harm someone"? Physically? Or morally, too?
If someone prefers walking naked, is he harming anyone else? Why does the government put restricitions on this kind of behavior?
Does saying to a child "Oh, boy! You know, being a gay is so cool! There is nothing abnormal in it. Two men can love each other, live together and make a family. Why not to try? The traditional family is outdated" harm the child's psychology?

If an adult is encouraging a minor to have sex, that's a crime regardless of the gender of the people involved. Just talking about sexual matters in an appropriate way in order to educate, or giving your opinion on families and traditions does not harm anyone. It might create some kind of conflict in the mind of a child, but that's not the same as harming. Children have to learn how to live in the real world and that means dealing with people of different beliefs and traditions. Trying to shelter children from the facts of life will ultimately harm them more by making it harder for them to cope when they grow up.

Originally Posted by John_Douglas

If an adult is encouraging a minor to have sex, that's a crime regardless of the gender of the people involved. Just talking about sexual matters in an appropriate way in order to educate, or giving your opinion on families and traditions does not harm anyone. It might create some kind of conflict in the mind of a child, but that's not the same as harming. Children have to learn how to live in the real world and that means dealing with people of different beliefs and traditions. Trying to shelter children from the facts of life will ultimately harm them more by making it harder for them to cope when they grow up.

Blah, blah, blah. So, what about the Government interference of 'teaching' in schools? There's sex ed to 'teach' about this or that. If Government should stay out of it, they should stay out of it completely.

I think this issue is all about the Russian Government distracting its populace from more serious issues/matters anyway. I think people should be allowed to protest or parade or march or whatever but without Government money/funding. If Government is to stay out of issues, then there should not be funding at all. However, this doesn't happen in the West, does it?!? The thought process is, once you give an inch, you end up giving a mile. But, again, as I have said before, the Russian state shows all kinds of 'Western propaganda' but I don't see anyone discussing this. I also don't see people who are discussing this issue pushing for other countries, say, in the Middle East, to relax laws and such. It's funny how people always pick and choose which particular issue to have a strong opinion about and which country and so forth. It's very telling.