Going along with what the president of Senegal says, Islamic countries are WAAAYY behind the West on this issue. We have condemned countries like Iran and Iraq for executing gay people, and at this point maybe just having the state not kill gay people is as good as can be pushed for there.
On the other hand, Russia fancies itself a world leader and First World country on par with Japan, Australia, Western Europe, Canada and the U.S. If Russia truly wants to be a player on this stage, rather than just a rogue bad guy, it has to step up and make some changes and show that it belongs. Passing an antiquated law that takes a major step backward on basic human rights is NOT a step in the right direction, and the Russians do deserve more heat on it than, say, Iran does.
swfl_bottom, President Obama is the ONLY president to EVER fight for gay rights and he has done so in the Muslim nation of Senegal as recently as last June. Here is a report of the conversation between President Obama and the president of Senegal:
OBAMA LECTURES AFRICA ON GAY RIGHTS; EARNS REBUKE ON DEATH PENALTY
by JOEL B. POLLAK 27 Jun 2013
President Barack Obama stumbled into controversy on Thursday when he urged African leaders to accept gay marriage and was promptly rebuked by President Macky Sall of Senegal, who said that his country was "not ready to decriminalize homosexuality," never mind legalizing gay marriage. Senegal is predominantly Muslim.
Macky went further, pointing out that the U.S. is one of the few democratic nations that maintains a death penalty, which Senegal has abolished.
Gay rights are upheld in very few countries in Africa. Outside of South Africa, which Obama will visit later this week, most African countries--both predominantly Christian and Muslim--reject gay rights.
Obama's precise remarks in the press conference with Sall were as follows:
Now, this topic did not come up in the conversation that I had with President Sall in a bilateral meeting. But let me just make a general statement. The issue of gays and lesbians, and how they're treated, has come up and has been controversial in many parts of Africa. So I want the African people just to hear what I believe, and that is that every country, every group of people, every religion have different customs, different traditions. And when it comes to people’s personal views and their religious faith, et cetera, I think we have to respect the diversity of views that are there.
But when it comes to how the state treats people, how the law treats people, I believe that everybody has to be treated equally. I don’t believe in discrimination of any sort. That’s my personal view. And I speak as somebody who obviously comes from a country in which there were times when people were not treated equally under the law, and we had to fight long and hard through a civil rights struggle to make sure that happens.
So my basic view is that regardless of race, regardless of religion, regardless of gender, regardless of sexual orientation, when it comes to how the law treats you, how the state treats you -- the benefits, the rights and the responsibilities under the law -- people should be treated equally. And that’s a principle that I think applies universally, and the good news is it’s an easy principle to remember.
Every world religion has this basic notion that is embodied in the Golden Rule -- treat people the way you want to be treated. And I think that applies here as well.
Sall's response, including his remarks addressing capital punishment, was as follows:
Now, on the issue of homosexuality, Mr. President, you did make a long development on this issue. But you said something very important -- general principles which all nations could share, and that is the respect for the human being and non-discrimination. But these issues are all societal issues basically, and we cannot have a standard model which is applicable to all nations, all countries -- you said it, we all have different cultures. We have different religions. We have different traditions. And even in countries where this has been decriminalized and homosexual marriage is allowed, people don't share the same views.
Senegal, as far as it is concerned, is a very tolerant country which does not discriminate in terms of inalienable rights of the human being. We don't tell anybody that he will not be recruited because he is gay or he will not access a job because his sexual orientation is different. But we are still not ready to decriminalize homosexuality. I've already said it in the past, in our Cabinet meeting it is Senegal's option, at least for the time being, while we have respect for the rights of homosexuals -- but for the time being, we are still not ready to change the law.
But of course this does not mean that we are all homophobic. But the society has to absolve these issues. It has to take time to digest them, bringing pressure to bear upon them, on such issues. It is just like the capital punishment. In our country, we have abolished it for many years. In other countries, it is still the order of the day, because the situation in the country requires it. And we do respect the choice of each country. But please be assured that Senegal is a country of freedom and homosexuals are not being prosecuted, persecuted. But we must also show respect for the values and choices of the other Senegalese people.
But you are right that our president is quite black.
Its unclear whether the Russian runners who kissed were protesting or merely celebrating. But either way it highlights the absurdity of the law by pointing out that they could be arrested for a same-sex kiss in public. The condemnation of Russia is only going to get worse. Is that what Putin wants?
I agree with the point about avoiding a boycott ("... because more can be accomplished by LGBT athletes and their allies standing atop the medal stand with pride...")
The G-20 Summit is going to be a very interesting event to watch. Lots of activities on the blogs about some of the planned protests and marches. I think this is going to blow up way before the Olympics gets here.
The president and CEO of the American Kennel Club (AKC), and the chairman of the board, have written an open letter in hopes of having the 2016 World Dog Show moved out of Russia! They want the show moved out of the country because they strongly disagree with Russia's ridiculous laws regarding homosexuality and transgendered individuals.
Yes!
On the other hand, Russia fancies itself a world leader and First World country on par with Japan, Australia, Western Europe, Canada and the U.S. If Russia truly wants to be a player on this stage, rather than just a rogue bad guy, it has to step up and make some changes and show that it belongs. Passing an antiquated law that takes a major step backward on basic human rights is NOT a step in the right direction, and the Russians do deserve more heat on it than, say, Iran does.
OBAMA LECTURES AFRICA ON GAY RIGHTS; EARNS REBUKE ON DEATH PENALTY
by JOEL B. POLLAK 27 Jun 2013
President Barack Obama stumbled into controversy on Thursday when he urged African leaders to accept gay marriage and was promptly rebuked by President Macky Sall of Senegal, who said that his country was "not ready to decriminalize homosexuality," never mind legalizing gay marriage. Senegal is predominantly Muslim.
Macky went further, pointing out that the U.S. is one of the few democratic nations that maintains a death penalty, which Senegal has abolished.
Gay rights are upheld in very few countries in Africa. Outside of South Africa, which Obama will visit later this week, most African countries--both predominantly Christian and Muslim--reject gay rights.
Obama's precise remarks in the press conference with Sall were as follows:
Now, this topic did not come up in the conversation that I had with President Sall in a bilateral meeting. But let me just make a general statement. The issue of gays and lesbians, and how they're treated, has come up and has been controversial in many parts of Africa. So I want the African people just to hear what I believe, and that is that every country, every group of people, every religion have different customs, different traditions. And when it comes to people’s personal views and their religious faith, et cetera, I think we have to respect the diversity of views that are there.
But when it comes to how the state treats people, how the law treats people, I believe that everybody has to be treated equally. I don’t believe in discrimination of any sort. That’s my personal view. And I speak as somebody who obviously comes from a country in which there were times when people were not treated equally under the law, and we had to fight long and hard through a civil rights struggle to make sure that happens.
So my basic view is that regardless of race, regardless of religion, regardless of gender, regardless of sexual orientation, when it comes to how the law treats you, how the state treats you -- the benefits, the rights and the responsibilities under the law -- people should be treated equally. And that’s a principle that I think applies universally, and the good news is it’s an easy principle to remember.
Every world religion has this basic notion that is embodied in the Golden Rule -- treat people the way you want to be treated. And I think that applies here as well.
Sall's response, including his remarks addressing capital punishment, was as follows:
Now, on the issue of homosexuality, Mr. President, you did make a long development on this issue. But you said something very important -- general principles which all nations could share, and that is the respect for the human being and non-discrimination. But these issues are all societal issues basically, and we cannot have a standard model which is applicable to all nations, all countries -- you said it, we all have different cultures. We have different religions. We have different traditions. And even in countries where this has been decriminalized and homosexual marriage is allowed, people don't share the same views.
Senegal, as far as it is concerned, is a very tolerant country which does not discriminate in terms of inalienable rights of the human being. We don't tell anybody that he will not be recruited because he is gay or he will not access a job because his sexual orientation is different. But we are still not ready to decriminalize homosexuality. I've already said it in the past, in our Cabinet meeting it is Senegal's option, at least for the time being, while we have respect for the rights of homosexuals -- but for the time being, we are still not ready to change the law.
But of course this does not mean that we are all homophobic. But the society has to absolve these issues. It has to take time to digest them, bringing pressure to bear upon them, on such issues. It is just like the capital punishment. In our country, we have abolished it for many years. In other countries, it is still the order of the day, because the situation in the country requires it. And we do respect the choice of each country. But please be assured that Senegal is a country of freedom and homosexuals are not being prosecuted, persecuted. But we must also show respect for the values and choices of the other Senegalese people.
But you are right that our president is quite black.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-pla … 37366.html
I agree with the point about avoiding a boycott ("... because more can be accomplished by LGBT athletes and their allies standing atop the medal stand with pride...")
Yes!
read more: http://www.dogster.com/the-scoop/american-kennel- … d-dog-show
http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/10/world/europe/russia … ?hpt=hp_c2