There’s more troubling news out of Russia this week, following Putin’s vow to ban same-sex couples from adopting and the massive shade thrown at Elton John’s wardrobe.
One hundred meters away from boarding a train from Kostroma to Moscow yesterday, Moscow Pride co-Founder Nikolai Alekseev (pictured) claims he was physically and verbally attacked by “three skinheads dressed in black, wearing white masks.” He was in the city attending a court session about the legality of Kostroma’s ban on a gay pride march.
Alekseev was one of 30 activists arrested late last month in Moscow after unfurling a rainbow flag at Moscow Pride’s inaugural march.
“At first I thought it was a simple mistake but then they started shouting ‘Fuck off to Europe you faggot,'” Alekseev told Gay Star News. “Then one threw an egg at the back of my head, while another punched me at my left ear. I still have pain in my left ear with a burning sensation.”
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Alekseev also believes the attack was orchestrated by the city’s mayor, who he has sued in the past. “I think this is an attempt to scare me,” he says. “He will not stop my fellow activists or me.”
Triple S
I would suggest that gay people just get out of Russia to a better life, but then I remember that more gay people will be born. And without people like Nikolai Alekseev to help, they would be even more worse off. The executive and Duma of Russia need to go forever and replaced with an accepting government like Western Countries tend to have.
hyhybt
@Triple S: Also, emigrating isn’t always an option, especially when the places you’d move *to* have restrictions and waiting lists. Also, very expensive, which makes it flat out impossible for many.
Dionte
Adding him to the Evil Files.
Billysees
I think it’ll take a new president of Russia before something significant happens on the Gay acceptance front.
Daniel-Reader
So government officials violate the human rights of millions of people. Count the number of officials then count the number of people experiencing human rights violations due to government officials. Very interesting when you look at the numbers. Remember the reason the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created in the first place – for average people to get rid of governments that violate human rights, right? Government officials who sacrifice the human rights of others should be willing to sacrifice their own, right? The whole reason to protect human rights is for freedom, liberty, safety, peace and justice. An official who violates human rights is not committing a minor crime; they are committing one of the greatest crimes possible against human beings.
EManhattan
The Orthodox Church is violently anti-gay – literal violence and figurative violence. It has had a firm grip on Russia for a very long time, even in the decades when it was pushed underground by the Soviets.
As long as the Orthodox Church has such power, there is little chance of advancing human rights for us in Russia. Yet another vile religious group.
hephaestion
Someone in Russia needs to expose those Russian Orthodox priests for the closeted gay men that they are. This is the only way to end their anti-gay control of Russia. Like in America, all of the most anti-gay persons in Russia are self-loathing Closet Cases.
Billysees
@EManhattan: No.6
” Yet another vile religious group. “, you say.
They are not the only vile religious group that’s operating in this world.
Look at those nasty ones in Africa.
Sadly, there are many of them and in many places.
What can explain this strange phenomenon ?
I mean, the guy they represent spoke in detail about love.
His original followers, in their better writings, wrote things like —
1. Follow after the things that make for peace.
2. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
3. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
4. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
So how can things go wrong with that kind of advice ?
One of many answers is this —
He said, “There are people who draw near to me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”