Before the 2014 Winter Olympics begin...

In February 2014 Russia will be hosting the Winter Olympics in Sochi. This year Russia has enacted anit-LGBT laws that will severely punish suspected members of our community. One reaction is a boycott of the Olympics. It was done when the games were in Russia, ‘the 1980 Moscow Olympics.‘ That disappointed many athletes who worked hard for years just for their few minutes in the spotlight. And, what did it achieve? It was a bit like GW Bush calling ‘French Fries,‘ ‘Freedom Fries.’ It was nothing more than the rich bully’s reaction when he can’t beat-up the kid who stands up to him. A better approach would be to find friends in every country who would be willing to participate in an action for equality. Athletes, trainers, managers, officials and volunteers in the games or those who are just spectators could all be involved. Begin a champagne to simply wear a patch, perhaps a rainbow patch with, again perhaps, a motto: “Whether I am LGBT or not all people are equal.“ Russia would be shaming themselves if they were threatening to anyone at an international sports event.