Call to move the Winter Olympics

[Sunshine]

I think Russia can kiss my big round American heterosexual ass and the olypmics be moved elsewhere. The olympics are supposed to be for athletes to compete...with HUGE crowds from everywhere on earth...regardless of sexuality or politics, race or spiritual beliefs. Russia can go suck a big one as far as I am concerned.

As far as I know Russia doesn't plan on making their stance on Gays an issue with the Olympics, so your point about the Olympics are supposed to be for athletes is mute.

They have already announced that they will arrest any foreign gays/gay supporters and detain them for 14 days and then kick them out....during the Olympics.

Lucky them. In the middle east, they would get beheaded.

 

[mudwhistle]

One more time whether you are pro gay or anti gay the Olympics are ideally free from politics.

It is supposed to be a celebration of athletes, their beauty and their talent.

The Olympics are not held to fulfill people's political agendas. Go protest at a G8 or a G20.

The athletes are the ones that count. Or should.

The Olympics has been political for at least the last 80 years.

It's supposed to be a sporting event that temporarily suspends politics,......but you know Russia and France are notorious for inserting politics into the Olympics. Remember the judging scandals during figure-skating competition? The Koreans stealing boxing matches from Americans? Some of these countries just can't be trusted.

 

[Vox]

Guys, this law is for internal use only.

don't wave the flags on the streets of Sochi and you will be just fine.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

They have already announced that they will arrest any foreign gays/gay supporters and detain them for 14 days and then kick them out....during the Olympics.

But it's not a policy specific to the Games, right ? Isn't that pretty much what they will do now ?

Did you not read my post above. The Russian government has thrown down the gauntlet on those participating in and attending the games.

Okay, sounds like you're right, but isn't it true that they would come down on anyone today with essentially the same penalties ?

 

[Jarlaxle]

Let's think of it from a practical standpoint.

Are you aware of how much money has been spent for the 2014 Olympics there already? Do you have any idea how much money would be spent if they moved it to a new city? Do you honestly think any other city could be ready considering the Olympics are in less than 6 months? They would have to cancel the games altogether.

I bet Vancouver could manage it...they hosted the 2010 winter Olympics.

How bout Salt Lake City.

Best Olympics I've ever seen.

Honorable mention to London.

I hope to never see another Olympics in the US!

 

[Vox]

We can say that the IOC should have known better than to assign the Games to a country that has little regard for human rights or equality. But then, this is the same organization that gave its 2008 Summer Games to Beijing.

IOC has a long-standing disregard towards human rights.

or, if one wants just the plain truth - IOC had always had very, and I mean VERY deep pockets

OK that I agree with...remembering Salt Lake.

It started way before that. Moscow-80 actually was the first one to be on the big scale.

But I am sure, the precedents were set up even before that.

 

[bodecea]

Is Obama going to pull a Carter and absolutely nuke the dreams of those men and women who have trained for this moment for years?

It was disgusting what he did to those athletes. He made the Olympics political and personal and made those people sacrifice all they'd worked for.

tinydancer:

1. This is not just the U.S.

2. There isn't talk of boycotting...there is a push to the IOC to move the Olympics out of Russia......NOT a boycott.

3. What about nuking the dreams of gay athletes or their gay supporters/family?

 

[Ame®icano]

It isn't a world civil rights issue. It is a gay issue not shared by non-gays. However, it is American gays that are protesting the Olympics and want it moved.

Russia is correct. They do not want American putrid corruption spread in their country. This is their right.

It most certainly IS a world civil rights issue...not only are these draconic laws against gay people, they are against anyone who expresses support for gay people, rainbow flags, holding hands in public with someone else of the same sex, etc.

Can you imagine if they did the same against people of a certain religion and their supporters?

You mean like US government is doing to religion in US?

 

[francoHFW]

Putin and his kickbacking oligarch pals who financed this- couldn't happen to a better group LOL....

 

[Ame®icano]

Why don't ya' just have your own Gay Olympics?

The way its going, pretty soon there will be "congressional gay caucus".

 

[tinydancer]

That article I put up brings up a great point. Check this out. Because human rights violations are truly in the eye of the beholder.

It would be like putting the choice of where to hold the Olympic games into the hands of Amnesty International.

Were the IOC to only limit its Games to countries with unblemished records, it would be a very, very short list.

One could even argue that Canada, with its historic treatment of first nations, and the United States, with its drone strike policy and use of the CIA to undermine governments it doesn’t like, wouldn’t make that list.

Why Vancouver won?t get Russia?s anti-gay 2014 Olympic Games | Vancouver Sun

 

[Ame®icano]

In 1936, we had to "hide" our Jewish athletes so not to offend the Nazi hosts

Seems the same in Russia. Gays can go, but just don't advertise your presence

we have no problem abiding by the stringent laws in the middle east and even china when doing business there. why should this be any different?

While we do business in the ME...would you support an Olympics there where the host nation suddenly (after getting the bid) said women couldn't compete or else have to compete in hajibs and all guest women mustn't be allowed to drive, must be covered, must be accompanied by male family members at all times, etc.?

Get ready for it in 2022 FIFA world cup in Qatar.

 

[bodecea]

we have no problem abiding by the stringent laws in the middle east and even china when doing business there. why should this be any different?

While we do business in the ME...would you support an Olympics there where the host nation suddenly (after getting the bid) said women couldn't compete or else have to compete in hajibs and all guest women mustn't be allowed to drive, must be covered, must be accompanied by male family members at all times, etc.?

Get ready for it in 2022 FIFA world cup in Qatar.

Women's World Cup?

 

[Ame®icano]

In 1936, we had to "hide" our Jewish athletes so not to offend the Nazi hosts

Seems the same in Russia. Gays can go, but just don't advertise your presence

we have no problem abiding by the stringent laws in the middle east and even china when doing business there. why should this be any different?

Its the Olympics

There were Olympics in China five years ago. I hope you could link to some of your post where you call for boycott of their games.

 

[tinydancer]

Is Obama going to pull a Carter and absolutely nuke the dreams of those men and women who have trained for this moment for years?

It was disgusting what he did to those athletes. He made the Olympics political and personal and made those people sacrifice all they'd worked for.

tinydancer:

1. This is not just the U.S.

2. There isn't talk of boycotting...there is a push to the IOC to move the Olympics out of Russia......NOT a boycott.

3. What about nuking the dreams of gay athletes or their gay supporters/family?

Bod the Games are about being an Olympian not about one's sexuality.

It's not a matter of getting the gold, silver or bronze. It is to achieve the best you can be in your life as an athlete for one glorious moment in time.

 

[Vox]

While we do business in the ME...would you support an Olympics there where the host nation suddenly (after getting the bid) said women couldn't compete or else have to compete in hajibs and all guest women mustn't be allowed to drive, must be covered, must be accompanied by male family members at all times, etc.?

Get ready for it in 2022 FIFA world cup in Qatar.

Women's World Cup?

that is funny, but soccer is not played by women and is not a game for women.
Anywhere else except the US.
Oh, I know it exists.

But it is exactly just that - existence.

 

[Ame®icano]

Too late to move it, not enough time to make other arrangements.

A boycott punishes no one but the atheletes and would serve no purpose.

Your reply "too late to move it" sounds like Olympics would be moved if there is enough time for it. Even if there is enough time, it's not gonna happen.

 

[mudwhistle]

I bet Vancouver could manage it...they hosted the 2010 winter Olympics.

How bout Salt Lake City.

Best Olympics I've ever seen.

Honorable mention to London.

I hope to never see another Olympics in the US!

Then go jump off a very tall building.

 

[Ame®icano]

Too late to move it, not enough time to make other arrangements.

A boycott punishes no one but the atheletes and would serve no purpose.

Vancouver is available.

How many of our athletes are gay, 1-2-5-10%? Sooo, all remaining non-gay athletes should be punished by boycotting, and waste 4 years of their training, just to satisfy a few?

 

[Ame®icano]

American Communism is even better than Russian Communism. We are WAY more equal than they are. ( wait---can I say more equal ? ) WOOT We win again USA USA USA

Of course, everything American is better. Even communism.

Their communism had wrong color, red. Our is green.