Riga President Praises Gays After Peaceful Pride
 


While Russians were furtively showing their pride in Moscow, activists in Riga were facing very vocal anti-gay activists. And Amnesty International was there to film all the homo action.

Official reports estimate that about 300 pro-gay folk were outnumbered by about 400 right wing loonies, who were held off by security forces.

As the anti-gay activists were screaming their heads off, Latvia president Valdis Zatlers was taking a stand for the nation's same-sex lovers:

I think that the main thing for people is not only to stop being intolerant, but also to understand others. One thing of which I am certainly proud, and of which I am proud whenever I meet with foreigners, is that ours is a democratic country. We have a truly free country in which every citizen has the right to express himself, and that opportunity is respected. I think that these are values from which we must not retreat.

Zatlers' remarks put him in direct conflict with Catholic Cardinal Jânis Pujâts, who last week penned a letter demanding the government cancel the gay pride march. Obviously Pujâts doesn't have as much power as he imagined.

Comments (4)

No. 1 · fredo777

Fuck you, Pujats!

And the horse you rode in on.

Posted: Jun 2, 2008 at 10:43 am · @Reply · [Flag?]
No. 2 · Ivars

While it is true that there is much homophobia in Latvia, there are exceptions. When my partner and I went to visit my homeland, all of my relatives welcomed him with open arms. That included my 85 year old great uncle and his 82 year old wife.

Posted: Jun 2, 2008 at 1:10 pm · @Reply · [Flag?]
No. 3 · KB

"Riga President?" Don't you mean Latvia President? (Riga is the capital).

Posted: Jun 2, 2008 at 5:03 pm · @Reply · [Flag?]
No. 4 · chuck

That's lovely, Ivars. Very heartwarming, indeed.

Posted: Jun 9, 2008 at 11:47 pm · @Reply · [Flag?]
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