There’s blood on the Olympic flag. Fake blood, for now, but with Russian police now arresting LGBT organizers in multiple cities, that could change.
Queer Nation held a protest in New York yesterday, dumping fake blood on an Olympic flag outside the Russian Consulate.
According to Queer Nation spokesman Ken Kidd, “We’ve focused on NBC and major Olympic sponsors like Coke and McDonalds, who pay lip service to equality while profiting from inequality and ignoring Putin’s human rights atrocities.”
How about we take this to the next level?
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Those sponsors have made veiled kabuki references to equality without actually acknowledging any specific human rights abuses in Russia.
Previous Queer Nation actions include a protest at NBC’s Christmas party, protests around appearances by Russian officials, and “Russia Day” at the NY Stock Exchange.
Their demands are clear: overturn abusive Russian laws and ensure safety for Russian LGBTs, who are currently being persecuted by fascist gangs and corrupt police.
longpastdue
I of course like the idea of protesting in some form or fashion but this just has a wrong feel to me. I personally think that any protesters would have been arrested so a quiet dignified stance would have been better in the public eye than a strange symbolic message that even if it is not, comes across as being violent and radical. It’s like when you watch the Phelps protest, you know they don’t really want anyone to come to their side because the means they use are not persuasive in any way…just antagonistic.
Mel
The opening ceremony was impressive for a third world hell hole 😉
Stefano
@Mel : of course, it is the money from the corruption. Russia is one of the most corrupt country in the world !
See there : http://www.transparency.org/cpi2013/results
BJ McFrisky
Because blood-soaked flags are such a classy way of showing societal dissent.
I’m growing weary at the antics of such “activists”—our image is beginning to represent that of PETA’s (which is to say we get laughed at and lose credibility when idiots pull this kind of over-the-top stunt), so we really need to be more careful about such public acts that are suggestive of violence.
Stefano
BJ McFrisky : and i suppose that violence against gays in Russia is ok ? Come on ! What are they suppose to do ?
Mel
@Stefano:
Violence against gays isn’t ok – but is the real world solution? Trash talking an entire nation? How does that help gay people in places like Russia?
Mel
but what is the real world solution?
fagburn
Still waiting for the gay right wing goons behind “Queer nation NY” to protest something that’s going on in their own queer nation…
KDub
Well good thing it was fake blood or that flag would probably have AIDS now. lol
MK Ultra
Wow, the opening ceremony?
Where did $50 billion go!
The incompetence of Russia!
MK Ultra
Trash talking the Russians is so fun.
There’s so much to make fun of!
Stefano
@Mel : “but what is the real world solution?” I don’t think that there is only ONE solution, but, as for me, do nothing is NOT a solution. “Trash talking an entire nation?” No, but talking about a law that is against Human rights is something that we should do as human beings. “How does that help gay people in place like Russia ?” It does not help, but do nothing is even worst.
Stefano
There is a text i like from Martin Niemoller :
When they came to look for the communists,
I said nothing,
I was not communist.
When they came to look for the union activists,
I said nothing,
I was not union.
When they came to look for the Jews,
I did not protest,
I was not Jewish.
When they came to look for the Catholics,
I did not protest,
I was not catholic.
Then they are picked me up,
And there was nobody to protest.
Stefano
Or this version :
“First they came for the communists,
And I did not speak out
Because i was not a communist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And i did not speak out
Because i was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And i did not speak out
Because i was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left to speak for me”
BJ McFrisky
@fagburn:
Queer Nation is a faction of “gay right-wing goons”?
Please to explain.
fagburn
@BJ McFrisky: 8 US states have anti “gay propaganda” laws, why do you think they don’t protest about them?
BJ McFrisky
@fagburn: Um . . . because they’re all gay right-wing goons?
Respect4all
@BJ McFrisky: Right. It’s so much more effective to sit on your fat, comfortable ass 5000 miles away and criticize those who are actually taking action against injustice.