10 ways to STOP the Russian terror of Gays
By Melanie Nathan, July 26, 2013.
Anti-gay sentiment and violence against LGBTI people has been a Russian habit for some time. However in recent months it has escalated with lack of basic law and order, exacerbated by Vladamir Putin’s legislative onslaught through various laws that criminalize and ostracize. We have covered that extensively here on Oblogdee.
There have been calls to boycott the Olympics being held at Sochi in Russia, there are calls to refuse entry into the U.S. for Russian human rights abusers, freeze assets as can be seen from the petition call linked below. (Please see Video below and bottom list of 10 ways to stop the Russian terror against Gays.)
The movement is growing worldwide to hold Russia and its politicians responsible for these abuses.
OFTEN IN SUCH ADVOCACY WE FEAR BACKLASH FOR OUR LGBTI BROTHERS AND SISTERS abroad – however the terror is so rife at this time, that it is equally criminal for us to be silent.
After you read the following piece and watch this Video below – please act on the list and comment as to what you think we in the U.S. and rest of the world should do given that we are now aware of what is going on. Not one of us should sit back silently and watch this new terror unfold before our eyes without taking at least one of the actions mentioned. And then publicizing to friends what they can do too.
This recent video expose appeared on You Tube and seems to be headed to viral infamy. It is hard to watch and a testament to Russia’s terror against gays. I have included the exact verbiage as it appears under the You Tube video.
“Published on Jul 24, 2013
Short narrative in English: Age of consent in Russia is currently 16 years old. On video one can see allegedly a 15 year old teen lured by an organized Neo Nazi gang of self-proclaimed “pedophile fighters” who posted a fake personal ad from allegedly an older man (named “Uncle Dima”). This teen was forced to give out his full name, address, school name, parents names and etc. They laughed about his sexual preferences, bullied him, poured urine on him and kicked at the end. We would never know what occurred after the camera went out. Naturally, all his personal details were released to the general public and viewed by millions in Russia. Infamous Russian ultranationalist and former skin head, Maxim Martsinkevich, known under the nickname “Cleaver” (or “Tesak” in Russian) spearheaded a country wide campaign against (primarily male) LGBT teens using a popular social network VK.com to capture, torture and ultimately out unsuspected male teen victims.
Over 500 online groups were created. As one can see, they operate under a broad day light. Bystanders either ignore or condone their actions. Police refuse to arrest them even though they are in violation of the existing criminal laws in Russia. Their excuse? They fight pedophiles … but attacking pedophiles’ victims. Certainly, they are selective and lure mostly gay male teens. Being outed in a small Russian city often equal death, torture, suicide. They track suicides publicly online and brag about those deeds. More at http://goo.gl/xh5CMy . Putin’s regime needs scapegoats. They adopted a number of anti-gay laws and started a wave of hate crimes. Recently, a 23 y.o. man was sodomized by 3 beer bottles to death: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05…. Police does not help. Actually, they often persecute the victims.”
PETITION:
Help us stop them! Sign & share this petition to deny entry to the US and freeze monetary assets of these human rights violators: http://goo.gl/fMn6KU
TEN ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE TERROR PERPETUATED ON LGBTI RUSSIANS:-
ACTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA FOR ITS TERRORISM AGAINST GAYS:
(Note: If you are going to be a good advocate for this cause you will be polite, concise and refrain from abusive and vulgar language.)
1. Boycott Sochi games – Winter Olympics in Russia for 2014:
– write to team sponsors and pass on this article – express to them how you feel: Sponsors include Coca-Cola, VISA, Aeroflot, Omega, McDonalds, P&G,
Volkswagan (VW), General Electric, Samsung and others. ( http://www.sochi2014.com/en/ )
@CocaCola @proctorgamble @omegawatches @Visa @samsung @PanasonicUSA @Panasonic (Japan)
– write to athletes and teams and express your disapproval – show them this article and the links to other articles
– ask athletes at Sochi games to risk arrest by waving rainbow flags
– write to Sochi Games Olympic Committee and express your opinion
2. Boycott travel to Russia, it is not safe anyway!
3. Report all incidents of violence and the abusers to U.S. State Department |Tell State department to put the authors of those odious laws on the black lists for entrance visas.
4. Flood the Russian desk at the U.S. State Department with calls and ask them what they are doing? Write to Secretary Kerry and ask him if he is taking action. At the very least he could insist that Putin’s regime bring the vigilante gay bashers, whose faces are shown on this video to justice for kidnapping, assault etc. Direct line to Russian Desk 202-647-9806 or Main Switchboard: 202-647-4000 TTY:1-800-877-8339 – ASK for Russian Desk. Tell them you want Russian lawmakers banned from entering the U.S.A.
5. Write to your U.S. Rep, Member of Congress and State Senators and ask if they are aware of the persecution- point them to this article and the Video, other articles, and the Petition. Tell lawmakers to support black lists for the entrance visas of lawmakers who legislate hateful legislation that persecutes gays.
6. DO NOT DRINK RUSSIAN VODKA and DO NOT BUY Russian goods
7. Target the homophobic lawmakers. LGBTI Organizations worldwide, EU, UK, USA, Canada etc. should provide lists of names of people who vote for these laws. ‘Pressure your governments to put the authors of these laws on the black lists for the entrance visas. Maybe if there are repercussions they will think twice. Place these lawmakers on visa ban list of the EU, USA, UK and several other countries . This may dissuade other Russian politicians to follow this path.
8. SIGN PETITION: Help us stop them! Sign & share this petition to deny entry to the US and freeze monetary assets of these human rights violators: http://goo.gl/fMn6KU
9. WRITE or call local U.S. LGBTI organizations and ask what they are doing or have done on this issue: HRC, should be top of your list.
10. Protests will be held at Russian Consuls in major Cities around the World, Be creative with your signs and attend a protest. We will report with links, so watch for updates and Spread the news and tell us your ideas.
#BoycottSochi2014 #DUMPSTOLI #DUMPRUSSIANVODKA
Updated: GREAT noticed from Facebook that Sister Roma has started protesting Russia per her post: ” I have withdrawn my involvement with the Search For The Stoli Guy contest in which I was scheduled to be a judge. I do not drink Stoli nor do I support them.”
7/28 Update: After much deliberation some Russian LGBT groups want the Games to go on to use it to boost the opportunity to draw attention to their plight and homophobia in Russia. However all related protests such as calling out sponsors and pitching athletes to wave rainbow flags and pins should go on.
Their statement: “It’s official! Organizing Committee of Moscow Gay Pride and founders of the banned Pride House Sochi decided today against the boycott of Winter Olympics in Sochi and instead to organize Winter Sochi Pride on the day of the opening of Olympic Games on 7 February 2014. Join us! It will be much more effective to draw attention to official homophobia in Russia all around the world and expose the hypocrisy of the International Olympic Committee which went into discriminatory agreements with Russian regime and of the European Court of Human Rights which still has not considered our complaint concerning the unlawful denial to register Pride House Sochi! Vive Sochi Pride 2014!”
Updated – 10/18/2013 – BOYCOTT DONALD TRUMPS Cattle Show Miss Universe Moscow- and reprimand Thomas Roberts for supporting Anti-equality Trump and for thinking he can take on Moscow. The only course of action is not to go. What is Thomas Roberts going to stand on the Miss Universe stage, raise his fist in the air and yell end the Anti-Gay laws and homophobia in Russia now?” Because anything short of just that means he is patronizing Putin and Trump.
UPDATED NOV 05, 2013 – and it got worse since first posting this article – http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/11/05/south-african-student-tortured-by-putins-anti-gay-thugs/
Thank you,
Melanie Nathan
[email protected]
@melanienathan1
Please like Facebook
Thanks to Cathy Kristofferson for all research and articles on this issue.
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LIST OF PETITIONS
PETITION COCA COLA at Change.org: https://www.change.org/petitions/stand-against-russia-s-brutal-crackdown-on-gay-rights-urge-winter-olympics-2014-sponsors-to-condemn-anti-gay-laws
WHITE HOUSE PETITION: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/look-russias-recent-propagandaphysical-hate-towards-lgbt-community-there-boycott-2014-olympics/vZgbZL2W
WHITE HOUSE PETITION: Grant LGBT Russians Automatic Refugee Status in the US https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/grant-lgbt-russians-automatic-refugee-status-united-states/Mln0TKtd
WHITE HOUSE PETITION: Put ELENA MIZULINA and VITALY MILONOV on the visa ban list for their role in creating Russia’s ban on “gay propaganda”
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/put-elena-mizulina-and-vitaly-milonov-visa-ban-list-their-role-creating-russias-ban-gay-propaganda/mYMFcF9W
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LIST OF PROTESTS AT EMBASSIES & CONSULATES:
Wednesday, July 31st
-NYC, Russian Consulate General, 12pm: https://www.facebook.com/events/210897965733627/
-Washington DC, Russian Embassy, 5pm: https://www.facebook.com/events/368356123290092/
-San Francisco, Russian Consulate, 2pm: https://www.facebook.com/events/485613204855184/
Saturday, August 3rd
-San Francisco, Russian Consulate, 12p: https://www.facebook.com/events/199695966861003
Sat Aug 3rd, San Francisco – 12 Noon – 2:00 PM
2790 Green Street, SF. Wear RED bring your rainbow flag and make a creative sign.
-Ontario, Church & Wellesley to Consulate, 7:30p: https://www.facebook.com/events/577129392337409/
Friday, August 9th
-Scotland, Edinburgh, Russian Consulate, -4pm: https://www.facebook.com/events/337164246417176/
Saturday, August 10th
-London, Russian Embassy,1pm: https://www.facebook.com/events/133404016869068/
More Articles not in chron order:
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Basic human rights are being denied to these young people who are already battling their own demons. RUSSIA has taken a stance that is so unforgiving and so inhuman!! How can one over here … in the other side of the world …. help?
Here are some suggestions!! We need to get involved!!
Reblog: http://hrexach.wordpress.com/
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
RUSSIA has taken a stance that is so unforgiving and so inhuman!! How can one over here … in the other side of the world …. help?
Here are some suggestions!! We need to get involved!!
Do not boycott Stoli, they are not owned by the Russian government and do not support their anti-gay stance. Stoli.com shows their very overt support of LGBT Equality. http://reason.com/blog/2013/07/26/the-terrible-bad-no-good-plan-to-boycott
Well if the are a Russian Symbol, and they do not advocate openly against the current wave of torture they may the price unless they consider coming out with a statement against what is going on. I am not suggesting boycotting them in particluar, I SUGGEST BOYCOTTING EVERYTHING RUSSIAN until this changes. Re Stoli in particular _ I displayed the note of Sister Roma. READ Jim Burroway’s article at http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/
PLEASE note that when South Africa’s apartheid regime became the subject of sanctions plenty of the good guys suffered and they suffered for the greater cause. If Yuri is pro gay he should be willing to take the knock
Stoli’s CEO came out with a statement affirming the company’s support for LGBT rights, listing previous sponsorships, and condemning the actions of the Russian government. Many of their operations are carried out in other countries. Manufacturing largely takes place in Latvia and SPI Group, which owns the Russian brand, is based in Luxembourg.
Boycotting an explicitly and consistently pro-LGBT company is probably counter-productive. However, they certainly should use their position and wealth as a market leader to put pressure on the Russian government. They have obligation to take a more active role. As Queer Nation wrote: “Mr. Mendeleev, marketing will not save LGBT lives.”
Here’s a summary article by the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/26/stoli-vodka-boycott_n_3658799.html
No it is NOT counter productive. refer to the South African model of Apartheid related sanctions. Even the good guys must suffer the boycotts. That is the ONLY way change will happen. If only the “bad” guys are boycotted, there is never going to be a change. It is most unfortunate. But no one gets a pass for any reason. It is all or nothing or it will never change. I was there in South Africa and we all had to take it. Even the victims had to suffer the boycotts to effect the change. AND anyone who believes in the cause must be willing to suffer whatever the boycotts cause.
If a true believer of the Bible uses scriptures to segregate and judge, then I’m a firm believer of, “an eye for an eye!”
Reblogged this on JerBear's Queer News, Views & Memories and commented:
I like the idea of a choice of actions. There may be individual reasons to not do one or two of the suggestions but there is NO excuse to do nothing. You can start by SIGNING THE PETITION in this post. Then follow your conscience and do more.
Has anyone even tried engaging with the companies behind popular Russian products, to get them on board as being AGAINST what Putin and the Duma are doing in terms of LGBT folks, and try to get powerful allies who are there, BEFORE we just all-out boycott their products? It’s a serious consideration.
No one is really going to launch an exact boycott against specific products until we do start engaging. However activists who use blogs as platforms such as I do make the suggestions in the hope that these articles are referenced by those who will take the time to write to these corps/people . That just adds to the pressure.
Russia really went to far , torturing people is have extremely bad reflecting to all of the world , humanity ..Some one have to stop Putin politic and put END of him. Block all product from Russia , ban the truism , ban the sport game …
I Kindly Ask Everyone & Anyone To Sign & Share Away This White House Petition To Get The Notice Out, The USA Will Not Tolerate Russia’s Way of Abusing Human Rights Issues By Targeting Young Children & Young Adults With Propaganda & Even Physical Violence Over Their Sexual Orientation. My Dream Is For 1 Million Signers, But That Is A Dream.
Dare To Think Outside The Bottle! Let’s Get To The Root Of The Issues Affecting Human Kind, Our Community At Large Including Our Brothers & Sisters In Russia. Thank You!
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/look-russias-recent-propagandaphysical-hate-towards-lgbt-community-there-boycott-2014-olympics/vZgbZL2W
Here is another Petition: https://www.change.org/petitions/stand-against-russia-s-brutal-crackdown-on-gay-rights-urge-winter-olympics-2014-sponsors-to-condemn-anti-gay-laws
And here is one to ask for the Sochi boycott. http://wh.gov/l1FNW
Just sent a twitter message out about this using the companies listed above. Thanks for the resources you listed. Any way that you can help is good. Thanks so much!!!
Here is another White House petition “Grant LGBT Russians Automatic Refugee Status in the United States”
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/grant-lgbt-russians-automatic-refugee-status-united-states/Mln0TKtd
Well, as much as i hate these obnoxious incidents, i think it is not very fair against the russian society,to blame them all. not all russians are homophobic!!! also, some of the suggested actions are making very little sense. For exemple if you suggest ” not to travel to russia , its not save anyway” than this statemate is simply not true.(ok, maybe if you would kiss openly in public, that might cause some trouble, but that is (sadly)true for many countries all over the world, including parts of the usa, or not?) i was many times in russia and had never any problems. beside, i do not see how this could have any impact on the russian lawmakers? and if you suggest not to buy any russian products that would mean not to buy oil and gas, cause this is what they selling most, aren´t they? Well, if all potential customers would suddenly stop buying oil and gas, yes , it would have an effect, but especially in the wintertime it is not really realistic.
if think theres also a big misunderstanding here: i think , the most russians do not really care about gay live and culture and what they are doing but some do. this minor group are mostly members of the orthodox church. this church is very, very conservative.kind of hard core teaparty but more ancient.
for exemple recently the top leader the patriarch kirill, was saying during a church service, that guy mariage is a dangerous sign for the apocalyps… . As a fact this church has a deep impact on these lawmakers or you could say this anti-gay-propaganda laws are a concession to the russian church.(they are many voters , and they vote what the church is telling them to vote) So, in order to change these laws again, it is necessary to get in contact with the russian orthodox church. write email to them ( but use a translate programm, there is very little english skills in russia). or you contact them personally in the staates
:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Church_in_America
and here is a little bit more about the “boss” of this church:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriarch_Kirill_I_of_Moscow
Refer to the South African model of Apartheid related sanctions. Even the good guys must suffer the boycotts. That is the ONLY way change will happen. If only the “bad” guys are boycotted, there is never going to be a change. It is most unfortunate. But no one gets a pass for any reason. It is all or nothing or it will never change. I was there in South Africa and we all had to take it. Even the victims had to suffer the boycotts to effect the change. AND anyone who believes in the cause must be willing to suffer whatever the boycotts cause.
When laws are made that CAUSE and encourage persecution – then ALL lawmakers and all society is to blame until the change happens. Just like ALL white South Africans were accountable until the apartheid regime fell. Even the anti-apartheid activists were lumped in there – with the bad guys – and we were willing to take the knock because we knew it wold end apartheid.
These are persecutory laws and no one gets a pass in Russia until it changes.
“the most russians do not really care about gay live and culture ” IT IS TIME FOR RUSSIANS to care about the Russians who are being assaulted, beaten and arrested. Maybe boycotts will wake them up./ Would it have been okay for Germans during Nazi regime to say “most Germans dont care about the lives or culture of Jews?” Would it have been okay for South Africans to say “most white South Africans dont care about the lives of black South Africans” ?????
Barbie Breakout, A German Drag Queen, has made an impressive video to get attention to the things going on in Russia.
“Open your mouth!”
I published that here on OBLOGDEE in another article –
What about holding protests outside the Russian Embassy’s in your cities? Come on people we must fight against this….
There are such protests. See the update for San Francisco Protest. I believe there are others being organized.
Boicot Olimpics
The doll of Putin is an ingenious amalgamation as it suggests that he is gay (self-hatred,he who protests too much etc.) but also with chilling Nazi overtones.
For pity’s sake, live and let live ..!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s nice that some Russian LGBT groups want the Sochi games to go on but unfortunately it’s the wrong move. There’s nothing stopping Russian LGBT groups from organizing rallies and protests at the games with a boycott in place. Additionally a boycott now would put these horrific laws and public actions at the center or the world stage where they belong. There is a growing movement to pressure President Obama to call for a boycott of the Sochi games until and unless the Russian government and President Putin change their laws and bring the recent criminals to justice. A boycott of the largest international event is in fact the most effective way to draw attention to this cause. You can sign a petition here: http://wh.gov/l1FNW
I agree. Let me say this. Russian activists should be willing to do what the South African apartheid activists successfully did. Go to the maximum degree of isolation. Short of that, no one cares enough to do anything from within. I have experienced it first hand living through the Apartheid era. Nonetheless, in this instance, we the people outside of Russia, have every right to stick up for our own principles. It is my personal principle right ow because of the anti- gay travesty in Russia to refuse to support anything Russian and to ask for Boycotts to all things Russian. We should not take a single American, UK or EU cent into that country! I feel that strongly.
Boycotting the Olympics will only hurt the athletes who spent their entire life preparing for these games. It is unfair to ask athletes to make this sacrifice, it is even worse mixing Olympics with politics – just look at the Soviet and US Olympics boycotts from the 1980s.
It is also unfair and rather dangerous to suggest that we should “ask athletes at Sochi games to risk arrest by waving rainbow flags”. This may very well put them in an unpredictable and dangerous position that could get them hurt or killed by some lunatic “Boycott travel to Russia, it is not safe anyway!” makes sense, so why ask the athletes to risk their life while the rest of us do the sane thing and stay clear. Let them enjoy their Olympic moment in piece, they are nervous enough as it is.
Best option: A boycott of Russian products at all levels from government to the public. This will eventually hurt the Russians oligarchs where it matters, their balance sheet. If anyone has the power to push Putin to change this law, that would be them.
THE POINT of the 10 points is to give people ideas and choices of their own – to make up their own minds about what to do to protest the situation. As the author of the piece my personal view is – I agree. Let me say this. Russian activists should be willing to do what the South African apartheid activists successfully did. Go to the maximum degree of isolation. Short of that, no one cares enough to do anything from within. I have experienced it first hand living through the Apartheid era. Nonetheless, in this instance, we the people outside of Russia, have every right to stick up for our own principles. It is my personal principle right ow because of the anti- gay travesty in Russia to refuse to support anything Russian and to ask for Boycotts to all things Russian. We should not take a single American, UK or EU cent into that country! I feel that strongly.
I prefer to stop the killing of millions of innocent people in Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Serbia (Kosovo), Mexico, Colombia and most of the African countries that are committed by the USA
Well duh! However this is an LGBT Equality and Human Rights Blog and the platform for related advocacy. Does not mean we feel less about anything else. ANTON while you seem to want to negate this issue, you are welcome to your preference and so maybe read BLOGS that you prefer. Thanks for commenting anyway. Your support is most welcome.