Kent Green Party
Councillors, Martin Whybrow and Ian Driver, added their voices to growing
demands for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics at Sochi (1), following the
Russian government’s introduction of draconian anti-LGBT legislation earlier
this year.
In a joint letter to Prime
Minster David Cameron, they said Team GB’s participation in the Games “would lend credibility to a European
country which has introduced an extremely dangerous piece of legislation,
threatening the human rights of millions of its citizens”.
Said KCC Councillor Martin
Whybrow: “Last summer Kent hosted 36 Olympic and 8 Paralympic training camps
and thousands of people from the county volunteered as Game Makers. These experiences mean that, as a community,
Kent people understand more than most the unique inclusive spirit that makes
the modern Olympic movement – a spirit which has no place for the bigotry
demonstrated by the Russian government.”
Councillor
Ian Driver added: “In 2011 I had the privilege of moving a motion which committed
Thanet Council to the support of equal marriage. Thanks to David Cameron’s championing
of this change, equal marriage is now lawful. For the government he leads to
allow Team GB to compete in a country which has legalised the persecution of
its LGBT citizens seems to me to be incompatible with our strong commitment as
a nation to inclusivity and tolerance.”
Surely the laws we make to govern British affairs are just that, but we have no right to force those on other nations. Perhaps by example we can influence, but dictating went out with imperialism.
ReplyDeleteThe estimate of millions of Russians being threatened is also perhaps a bit OTT. The LBGT community in UK have always claimed a far greater following then is the reality yet have been free of legal inhibitions for years. What likelihood is there of millions of gays in a country which has adopted a more oppressive approach.
In terms of legality, to ban British athletes from taking part could well constitute a restriction of trade and, thus, be an infringement of human rights in itself. It is also a dangerous precedent for where does one draw the line. Do we ban sports people from attending events in countries with a poor human rights record, or who have the death penalty, or have no democracy or something else we do not like. We might soon find ourselves friendless and unable to trade internationally.
Mr Epps LGBT is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender which encompasses a very large number of people, especially in country such as the Russian Federation which has an estimated population 143 million. So to claim that the new laws will threaten the human rights of millions of Russian citizens is actually being conservative. In all probability tens of millions of Russian citizens will have their human rights violated and could be subjected to persecution and perhaps even violence as a result of this law. Sitting back and doing nothing is not an attractive option to me.
ReplyDeleteYou ignore my point, Cllr Driver, that there are many countries that violate the human rights of their citizens. Many Muslim countries persecute homosexuals, others kill or imprison political opponents whilst others are dictatorships. Precisely where do you draw the line.
DeleteYou also ignore my other point about the rights of sports people to ply their trade. We are not talking about enthusiastic amateurs these days, but professional sportsmen and women who earn their living competing in events.
It creates a dangerous precedent when we start judging other nations by our standards. We did that with the Iraq dictatorship and in trying to impose our idea of democracy created an on going bloodbath.
The Russians have had enough of political subversion to last them several lifetimes, and Putin knows that behind the LGBT movement is a sinister UN agenda to destroy the strength of the family unit, to create several generations of rudderless youth though the promotion of promiscuity and same-sex adventurism, who will not bond nor form the strong, loving, heterosexual unions necessary for the natural procreation of humankind.
DeleteThe corporate-fascists want designer slaves, popping out of test-tubes rather than out of mummy and daddy.
Hi Bluenote, long time no hear or is it Rick in disguise?
DeleteWhilst I would agree with you that all the Russians have done is outlaw the propaganda of non heterosexual practices to minors, not unlike our old section 28 until repealed by Blair's government, I am not sure the LGBT agenda is sponsored by the UN or backed by corporate fascists.
Surely it is more of a case of a very vociferous minority trying to push their agenda on the more silent majority with wet politicians caving in to their demands in pursuit of votes.
"Surely it is more of a case of a very vociferous minority trying to push their agenda on the more silent majority with wet politicians caving in to their demands in pursuit of votes."
ReplyDeleteVery well said! Couldn't have put it better myself.
Driver - " Sitting back and doing nothing is not an attractive option to me"
Excellent news, perhaps there could be a collection taken in Thanet to raise the airfare for you to travel, one way of course, to the very heart of the doctrine you so blindly follow, where you may bask in the democracy of socialism, expowsing your cause in a country where of course you will be allowed the total freedom of expression and free speech, that you claim are not afforded you in the fascistic country that you are unfortunate enough to be forced to live in at the moment.