The good news is Nikolai Alekseev not willing to talk to U.S. Press

Alekseev refuses to talk to Washington Post in his bid to control western media by=ut still wants to come to the US as a guest Of Human Rights First

By Melanie Nathan, August 21, 2013.

MEDIA NON GRATA

I wrote an article this past weekend about the outrageous social media antics of Russian activist Nikolai Alekseev.  As I pointed out,  I wrote the piece in the hope that mainstream media in the U.S.A. and other Western Countries would stop using Nikolai Alekseev as the ‘go to’ person for comments in articles about the current anti-gay laws and related fallout in Russia. It seems that Nikolai Alekseev has now done the job of alienating the press by refusing to talk to the western press with accusations of distortions.

A wise decision by Nikolai, although I have not seen proof of any distortions only proof of his own unhinging and what some friends have termed “crazed” behavior. He asserts the Western press “distorts the facts” while others assert that he is apt to irrational behavior. Nonetheless whatever it may be, it is clear that the would be Czar of Russian Gays is  behaving badly and and as such has destroyed any perception of a mandate worthy of leadership or mainstream comment.

It was a tough decision to write that initial piece and if you read it you will note that I wrote from the perspective of my personal contact with Alekseev on social media. His Facebook posts were so outrageous that many thought he had been hacked or kidnapped. Proof is now in that in fact the posts were directly from Alekseev and he was not hacked and nor kidnapped.

The unhinging of Alekseev came when he accused his own Russian community of gay people of lying when seeking asylum. http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2013/08/18/did-russian-activist-nikolai-alekseev-fall-off-his-throne/ 

The nature of his posts were slanderous and accusatory and so disgusting that Facebook took him down. He was slandering activists in the west with unjustified accusations.

It was my hope that when he is Googled the press would see that he can no longer represent himself as the voice for LGBT Russians, when seeking comments on issues in Russia.  Alekseev was not behaving rationally and many of us LGBT activists and bloggers were concerned about his mental well being.  Now we are no longer using him as a worthy source for what is going on with regard to the Anti-gay laws in Russia.  We realize that his vitriol is being directed against activists who are trying to assist other Russians who are asking for help.

Alekseev  ranted on Facebook (I have the screen shots) that he was in control of the media in the West and that he would maintain such control. It would be he who would determine who got what piece of information.  He has been known to usurp the voice of all Russia’s LGBT community and that he is not in fact considered a viable voice by LGBT Russia. Nothing new on that front.  Yet he continues to think he is asserting his control. But now with this latest rant about Washington Post I doubt he has an ounce of leftover credibility.

And so perhaps the Washington Post did not read about the controversy going on around Alekseev when apparently asking him for an interview. This request for an interview remains unverified. According to a Tweet put out by Alekseev they contacted him for comment and he refused based in this assertion: ( written 7 hours prior to 9 a PST 8/21/2013.)

“Nikolai Alexeyev ‏@n_alexeyev 7h A call just now. -Nikolay, its Washington Post. Could you comment on LGBT situation in Russia? -No, you distort all facts in the West. -Sorry”

So it seems indeed Nikolai has has done the job himself – of removing himself from commenting in Western media. Yet he continues to rant his insults on Twitter.

Hopefully the  press will find a better source. Alekseev is not the go to person for comment anymore and hopefully the Western press will stop seeking him out. There are others who can do a better job. Russia’s worthy LGBT leadership will still emerge; Alekseev has no mandate.

Alekseev is also tweeting that he has been invited to the U.S.A. under sponsorship of the U.S. based group Human Rights First. I have reached out to them for comment to verify the invitation and to ask whether or not they have read about the recent public slander  of American activists by Alekseev,  as well as the  anti-American comments made by Alekseev. They have ot yet returned my phone call.

Related articles

• Russia’s Most Prominent Gay Rights Activist Feared Kidnapped Or Crazy (queerty.com)
• Did Russian Activist Nikolai Alekseev fall off his throne (oblogdeeoblogda.me)
• Questions Swirl Around Prominent Russian LGBT Activist (bilerico.com)
• Russian Gay Rights Activist Feared Abducted Or Insane After Bizarre Facebook Posts (towleroad.com)