Pro-LGBT Anastasia Smirnova fled Russia

[Adelaide]

Russian LGBT activist Anastasia Smirnova was arrested for protesting the Sochi Olympics. Then she fled the country.

One of the most powerful moments of last year’s Olympics in Sochi took place not on the skating rink or ski slope, but in a public square in St. Petersburg, where a handful of courageous activists unfurled a banner protesting Russia’s persecution of LGBT people.

Ironically, the message the banner displayed was entirely neutral: It was an excerpt from the Olympic Charter’s Principle 6, which describes discrimination as “incompatible with the Olympic movement.” But even that was controversial enough for Russian authorities to arrest the activists.

One of those arrested was Anastasia Smirnova, who at the time was working with the Russian LGBT Network, an umbrella organization of a dozen LGBT groups across Russia. She was released, but further threats followed—and so she reluctantly made the decision to leave.

Quorum Video: Sochi's Pro-Gay Protestor Speaks Out - Daily Beast (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/25/quorum-video-anastasia-smirnova-activist-and-refugee.html)

Sometimes I think it's good to remind some that in the US and Canada we have a lot more freedom. Whether your state recognizes same-sex marriage or not, you won't be arrested or forced to flee your country to avoid persecution for your opinions on the subject. Anastasia Smirnova provides that reminder in this case for exercising what should have been her freedom to protest, and she used a relatively benign message and was arrested anyways.

[Peter1469]

She didn't go off the hook the way Pussy Riot did. Those guys did stuff that would get them locked up here.

[iustitia]

St. Petersburg, where a handful of courageous activists unfurled a banner protesting Russia’s persecution of LGBT people.


One of those arrested was Anastasia Smirnova, who at the time was working with the Russian LGBT Network, an umbrella organization of a dozen LGBT groups across Russia.

[Peter1469]

I think a lot of the anti-gay thing in Russia is frustration with their demographic death spiral. They need babies.

[Crayola Chaos]

Quorum Video: Sochi's Pro-Gay Protestor Speaks Out - Daily Beast (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/25/quorum-video-anastasia-smirnova-activist-and-refugee.html)

Sometimes I think it's good to remind some that in the US and Canada we have a lot more freedom. Whether your state recognizes same-sex marriage or not, you won't be arrested or forced to flee your country to avoid persecution for your opinions on the subject. Anastasia Smirnova provides that reminder in this case for exercising what should have been her freedom to protest, and she used a relatively benign message and was arrested anyways.

Yeah but the southern rednecks and right wing lunatics would persecute gays if they could and just as recently as the 1980's almost every state had Sodomy Laws which essentially criminalized gay sex although a Supreme Court ruling on a Texas Case Essentially struck all remaining sodomy laws down.

[Peter1469]

Yeah but the southern rednecks and right wing lunatics would persecute gays if they could and just as recently as the 1980's almost every state had Sodomy Laws which essentially criminalized gay sex although a Supreme Court ruling on a Texas Case Essentially struck all remaining sodomy laws down.

How many of those laws were enforced?

Hysterics much?

[kilgram]

I think a lot of the anti-gay thing in Russia is frustration with their demographic death spiral. They need babies.
What obsession with babies. We are not in the Mediaeval Ages.

[Howey]

How many of those laws were enforced?

Hysterics much?

If only anti gay legislation were a thing of the past...

http://m.arktimes.com/arkansas/arkansass-new-anti-gay-law-forgets-history/Content?oid=3683557



Arkansas SB 202 is part of a wave of legislation that looks to uphold discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In doing so, it is very directly engaging with legal arguments resolved over 50 years ago, but which have been under challenge since and are now being attacked more vigorously than ever. Arkansas is actively seeking to turn the civil rights law clock back to a time before the civil rights movement occurred.

[Mister D]

I think a lot of the anti-gay thing in Russia is frustration with their demographic death spiral. They need babies.

Perhaps but western lecturing also plays a role.

[Mister D]

What obsession with babies. We are not in the Mediaeval Ages.

Spain is in a death spiral as well. I understand your sensitivity on this issue.

[Peter1469]

SCOTUS measures state laws based on one of three levels of scrutiny. Rational basis, intermediate, and strict scrutiny. Strict scrutiny is only applied when a suspect classification is at issue. Currently the suspect classifications (https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/strict_scrutiny) are national origin, race, religion, and alienage.

Intermediate scrutiny (https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/intermediate_scrutiny)is used for equal protection challenges to some gender classifications and first amendment issues.

Rational basis is used for everything else.

Sexuality may be under intermediate scrutiny at this time, but it is not at strict scrutiny.

Therefore the case-law on racial discrimination is not relevant in this instance.





If only anti gay legislation were a thing of the past...

http://m.arktimes.com/arkansas/arkansass-new-anti-gay-law-forgets-history/Content?oid=3683557

[Peter1469]

What obsession with babies. We are not in the Mediaeval Ages.

Right we are not in the Middle Ages. Today many nations in Europe are dying out because they are not having enough babies to meet the replacement rate.

[Howey]

SCOTUS measures state laws based on one of three levels of scrutiny. Rational basis, intermediate, and strict scrutiny. Strict scrutiny is only applied when a suspect classification is at issue. Currently the suspect classifications (https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/strict_scrutiny) are national origin, race, religion, and alienage.

Intermediate scrutiny (https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/intermediate_scrutiny)is used for equal protection challenges to some gender classifications and first amendment issues.

Rational basis is used for everything else.

Sexuality may be under intermediate scrutiny at this time, but it is not at strict scrutiny.

Therefore the case-law on racial discrimination is not relevant in this instance.

The correlation between the two fights for equality is eerily similar. I'm confident well see a reversal of this come April.

[Peter1469]

The correlation between the two fights for equality is eerily similar. I'm confident well see a reversal of this come April.

SCOTUS can add sexuality to the list of suspect classifications. I imagine that they will at some point. Until they do, it isn't the same. It is very different.

[Crayola Chaos]

Right we are not in the Middle Ages. Today many nations in Europe are dying out because they are not having enough babies to meet the replacement rate.
America is not dying out Infact we got too many people and are becoming overcrowded in many parts of the country.

In 1979 the population was roughly 200 million people by 1990 it was 240 million and today we have 330 million people not exactly a contracting population and living on an infrastructure that is often outdated and inadequate to handle such a large population.

We don't need more people not by a long shot.

[Peter1469]

America is not dying out Infact we got too many people and are becoming overcrowded in many parts of the country.

In 1979 the population was roughly 200 million people by 1990 it was 240 million and today we have 330 million people not exactly a contracting population and living on an infrastructure that is often outdated and inadequate to handle such a large population.

We don't need more people not by a long shot.

I didn't mention America.

[Crayola Chaos]

What obsession with babies. We are not in the Mediaeval Ages.
It has nothing to do with babies so to speak the "babies" is what's called the "procreation" angle used mainly by Evangelicals to argue against gay marriage.

[Crayola Chaos]

I didn't mention America.
Maybe we could send some of our "surplus" population to live in Europe and help their economy while opening up jobs for our many unemployed.

[Peter1469]

It has nothing to do with babies so to speak the "babies" is what's called the "procreation" angle used mainly by Evangelicals to argue against gay marriage.

And arguments made by governments facing a demographic death spiral.

[Crayola Chaos]

And arguments made by governments facing a demographic death spiral.
But America is not in a Death Sprial now is it.

[Peter1469]

Maybe we could send some of our "surplus" population to live in Europe and help their economy while opening up jobs for our many unemployed.

How about Iraq? We have what 20M undocumented Mexicans? Siesta in the Fertile Crescent. Latin Kings versus ISIL.

[Peter1469]

But America is not in a Death Sprial now is it.

I didn't mention America. 2nd reminder.

[kilgram]

Spain is in a death spiral as well. I understand your sensitivity on this issue.
I never thought about that until you repeated me one time and other. The truth, I've never cared.

But, yes, for me it is absurd for me this procreation obsession of the conservatives.

If people don't want children or only 1, that is more than enough.

[Peter1469]

That is forward thinking!

[iustitia]

Spain is in a death spiral as well. I understand your sensitivity on this issue.

I love it every time you mention this to him. Secular humanism and modernism are destroying the 'advanced' nations and paving the way for the future superpowers in doing so. Not that Spain is anything close to a superpower.

[Mister D]

I love it every time you mention this to him. Secular humanism and modernism are destroying the 'advanced' nations and paving the way for the future superpowers in doing so. Not that Spain is anything close to a superpower.

I find kilgram's contempt for his roots quite disturbing. This is precisely the kind of attitude some strains of liberalism have fostered. It kills cultures. I often use the term "ethnocidal" in describing its social effects.

I find Spanish history fascinating. A course I took in college entitled Colonial Latin America was one of the few I truly enjoyed.

[Mister D]

I never thought about that until you repeated me one time and other. The truth, I've never cared.

But, yes, for me it is absurd for me this procreation obsession of the conservatives.

If people don't want children or only 1, that is more than enough.

By conservatives do you mean those expressing the will to exist as a people?

[Mister D]

That is forward thinking!

Forward to oblivion!

This is pathological.

[Peter1469]

Europe's post Christian age will destroy it.


I find kilgram's contempt for his roots quite disturbing. This is precisely the kind of attitude some strains of liberalism have fostered. It kills cultures. I often use the term "ethnocidal" in describing its social effects.

I find Spanish history fascinating. A course I took in college entitled Colonial Latin America was one of the few I truly enjoyed.

[Captain Obvious]

ok - I googled that name and found this pic among others. Not sure if this is the same one, how many folks have that name?

Anyway, if this is the same one, she's got my vote.

http://img1.bdbphotos.com/images/orig/z/u/zuuy54a7mgmxxm7.jpg?kj8as6ye

[TrueBlue]

Quorum Video: Sochi's Pro-Gay Protestor Speaks Out - Daily Beast (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/25/quorum-video-anastasia-smirnova-activist-and-refugee.html)

Sometimes I think it's good to remind some that in the US and Canada we have a lot more freedom. Whether your state recognizes same-sex marriage or not, you won't be arrested or forced to flee your country to avoid persecution for your opinions on the subject. Anastasia Smirnova provides that reminder in this case for exercising what should have been her freedom to protest, and she used a relatively benign message and was arrested anyways.
Yes, that was deemed unfortunate but many others in high places have really come down hard on Russia for their Anti-Gay stance, bigotry, and discrimination on LGBT issues.

The following shows examples of how the world chastises Russia for their bigotry.

Russia, scrap your anti-gay laws

http://us.cnn.com/2014/01/31/opinion/symmonds-olympics-gays/index.html?hpt=hp_bn7

UN urges Russia to repeal law banning 'homosexual propaganda'

http://jurist.org/paperchase/2014/02/un-urges-russia-to-repeal-law-banning-homosexual-propaganda.php

[Peter1469]

Yes, that was deemed unfortunate but many others in high places have really come down hard on Russia for their Anti-Gay stance, bigotry, and discrimination on LGBT issues.

The following shows examples of how the world chastises Russia for their bigotry.

Russia, scrap your anti-gay laws

http://us.cnn.com/2014/01/31/opinion/symmonds-olympics-gays/index.html?hpt=hp_bn7

UN urges Russia to repeal law banning 'homosexual propaganda'

http://jurist.org/paperchase/2014/02/un-urges-russia-to-repeal-law-banning-homosexual-propaganda.php

Putin has heard True Blue: all bigotry in Russia is over as of this moment.

[TrueBlue]

Putin has heard True Blue: all bigotry in Russia is over as of this moment.
As well he should! Because when I talk and make a pronouncement, world leaders listen! And I'm not done 'nyet'! ;) :)

[iustitia]

Can anyone tell me what anti-gay laws Russia actually has?

[Common]

Gays should never vilified abused or denied any rights as human beings just because they are gay.
They should enjoy being able to pursue their lives. Having said that the people that push incessantly for anything gay "MUST" accept that there are people that have views on some aspects of homosexuality that may differ from theirs. It would serve them well to discuss them like ladies and gentlemen and not vilify the person for merely disagreeing on one point or labeling them or insulting them.

There isnt one politically contraversial subject that doesnt have people that disagree. Any discussion whether its gays or anything else where one side forefully tries to stifle any opposition by labeling tactics and name calling and insulting winds up making matters much worse for their cause. Pissing people off just makes them more adamant. If you want respect for most of what you believe in. Then you have to show respect in return for those that dont see it exactly the same way you do.

[TrueBlue]

In order to better understand the Russian laws and their adverse impact on LGBT citizens in Russia as well as visitors from other countries who support Gay and Lesbian rights one needs to read the following.

The Facts on LGBT Rights in Russia

http://www.globalequality.org/newsroom/latest-news/1-in-the-news/186-the-facts-on-lgbt-rights-in-russia

However, it is the core of Russian hypocrisy to want people to believe that LGBT activists are targeting young people in Russia to try to convert them when the following website SHOWS you exactly what is going on and who is really abusing the kids in Russia.

STOP Human Rights Abuse In Russia! - Protest Homophobic Russia!

http://www.truthwinsout.org/news/2013/07/36453/

[Common]

In order to better understand the Russian laws and their adverse impact on LGBT citizens in Russia as well as visitors from other countries who support Gay and Lesbian rights one needs to read the following.

The Facts on LGBT Rights in Russia

http://www.globalequality.org/newsroom/latest-news/1-in-the-news/186-the-facts-on-lgbt-rights-in-russia

However, it is the core of Russian hypocrisy to want people to believe that LGBT activists are targeting young people in Russia to try to convert them when the following website SHOWS you exactly what is going on and who is really abusing the kids in Russia.

STOP Human Rights Abuse In Russia! - Protest Homophobic Russia!

http://www.truthwinsout.org/news/2013/07/36453/

I agree with you on this 100% they have been denying homosexuals their rights there on a base level.
There are much worse places in the world for gays than russia, but russia tries to present themselves like a civilized society then they deny gays basic rights.

I am 150% for gays having any right as anyone else, they shouldnt have to worry about being abused in any way because they are gay. I do have some gay issues with which give me pause. My issues are not based on any hatred whatsoever.

[iustitia]

Can anyone tell me what anti-gay laws Russia actually has?

[Common]

Can anyone tell me what anti-gay laws Russia actually has?

You have to read it through to get the whole meaning.

http://www.globalequality.org/newsroom/latest-news/1-in-the-news/186-the-facts-on-lgbt-rights-in-russia

[iustitia]

You have to read it through to get the whole meaning.

http://www.globalequality.org/newsroom/latest-news/1-in-the-news/186-the-facts-on-lgbt-rights-in-russia

Is that it? A law preventing the dissemination of gay propaganda to kids? Anything else?

[Common]

Is that it? A law preventing the dissemination of gay propaganda to kids? Anything else?

Yes theres more but im not going to do your work for you, when i want to know something I go find it
You can search as easily as I. :)

[iustitia]

I'll take that as a 'no' to real anti-gay laws which is not surprising considering what activists said about Uganda.

[Common]

Btw that article just wasnt about dissemination of gay propaganda to kids, which I am against by the way.
It involved the internet and corporations, you didnt read the entired thing

[iustitia]

Btw that article just wasnt about dissemination of gay propaganda to kids, which I am against by the way.
It involved the internet and corporations, you didnt read the entired thing

I did read it, and those two things are under the same law about gay propaganda and minors. The only other law mentioned is a foreign agents law that forces politically active foreign corporations to register with the government.

Come on now.

[TrueBlue]

Russia's Anti-Gay Law, Spelled Out in Plain English

http://mic.com/articles/58649/russia-s-anti-gay-law-spelled-out-in-plain-english


"The violations of fundamental, constitutionally protected rights of Russia’s gay citizens have included multiple bans on gay pride parades in Moscow and other cities, hefty fines to gay rights groups accused of acting as a “foreign agent,” denial of registration to nongovernmental organizations, and regional laws banning the propaganda of homosexuality to minors, which served as a basis for the federal law enacted by Mr. Putin and unanimously passed by the State Duma. Against this backdrop, violent attacks on gays or “suspect gays” are becoming commonplace."

[iustitia]

So basically, again, no gay propaganda. Didn't think so.