Hate Speech

Lithuanian Man Fined for Gaga-Related, Hitler-Invoking Homophobic Facebook Rant

A 37-year-old Lithuanian man has been fined 1590 Lithuanian litai (about $590) by the First District Court of Vilnius for an anti-gay rant on Facebook in which he called for a Hitler-style eradication of gay people.

“What we need is another Hitler to exterminate those fags, because they have multiplied too much,” wrote the man, identified only as a furniture maker. His comment appeared on a Facebook page set up in response to Lady Gaga‘s speech at Rome’s pride rally last summer, during which she denounced Lithuania (among others) for its poor record on LGBT rights.

A one-time Soviet republic, Lithuania has indeed struggled with equality. A recent poll found that only 4% of Lithuania’s 3.2 million people support gay marriage. And the Vilnius city council has thus far only allowed one pride parade in the capital, in 2010. The country’s attorney general successfully petitioned a court to stop that demonstration, but a higher court overturned the decision, and the parade went on — albeit marked by strong violence from anti-gay groups.

Section 170 of Lithuania’s Penal Code does, however, protect the LGBT community and other minorities against hate speech.

And lest it be believed that everyone in the small Baltic country is hating on Mother Monster, we give you this staunchly pro-Gaga (if horribly misogynistic) anthem from the Lithuanian pop group So So Bad. Behold, “Lady Gaga Song”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSobK7cln-c

Photo by Baddog_

 

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