Putin Makes Historic Statement on Gays
Things have been a little sticky over in Russia. Gay rights activists are out for judicial blood over Moscow’s banned gay pride parade and have promised to take the matter to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Moscow’s mayor, Yury Luzhkov recently equated homosexuality with satanism. Luckily, Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s keeping it all together. Or, something.
Asked about Luzkov’s statements, Putin was forced to make his first public statements on homosexuality ever. And what a resonant, powerful statement it was – by which we mean they’re really pretty worthless:
I respect – and will respect – freedom of people in all their manifestations. My attitude to sexual minorities is simple. It is connected with my fulfilling of my official obligations.
Wow! That’s real leadership right there. We can really tell Putin has the interest of his people in mind.
After making the statement, wrapped up the press conference, saying, “I’ve got some assassinations to plan, corruption to foster and shady Iranian business deals to broker, please excuse me.” What a gentleman.
Satanic Violence, or Satanic Love?
Dear Mayor of Moscow,
The Los Angeles Times, an American newspaper, reported that your response to a proposed “Gay Rights” march, was to say that homosexuality is Satanic. Also, it was reported that a small group of Gay people who approached your office with a petition of protest was assaulted by “Skinheads”, while Moscow police watched and did nothing.
My questiion is how can you determine that people who share their bodies in expressions of love (even lust, a form of transient love) for one another are Satanic, but people who commit and support unprovoked violence against peaceful and defenseless people, are not?
God is present in the temple of everyone’s body. How to acknowledge, or whether too, that presence is an individual’s free choice. Freedom demands the exercise of equality as a principle of regard for one another, that does not impose similarity, but respects difference.
America’s history suggests more lip-service than practice of this principle, but the world over, including Russia, must shed the hypocrisy engaged in the preservation of traditions of violence and inequity.
I hope this letter to be enlightening and welcome, and I am open to dialogue.
Sincerely,
Julian P. Steptoe