This has become an annual ritual - Gay Activists propose a Gay Pride march in Moscow, the Mayor opposes it, using language guaranteed to inflame 'progressives" and refuses a permit. 2010 Round 1: Mayor vows to stop 'satanic' gay parade
The cities refusal to issue permits for Gay Parades is being fought out in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg which unless I'm very much mistaken will evenually rule in favor of the activists.
The final Round for 2010 will take place on the 29th of May, when the Parade will go ahead with a handful of noisemakers, some if not most of whom will be imports there to make a splash as the inevitable clashes with the more unruly elements of Moscow society express their opinions on this event.
And the Guardian along with the BBC will sniffily report the clashes as evidence Russian Homophobia.
Its all quite boringly predictable and there will be a replay next year.
It might be fair to note that in Russia openly being gay can result in significant harassment, and the police turn a blind eye to violence committed on citizens because of it.
ReplyDeleteYou might not like a so-called "pro-gay" agenda, but in Russia homosexuals are treated as dirt by the law and there are plenty of fascist groups who will beat up gay people as readily as they beat up ethnic minorities and Jews.
Fair points. People do not deserve such persecution. When it boils down to it, I see this as a basic right to freedom of assembly.
ReplyDeleteI don't know - while it is true to say that gays in Russia don't receive the approval rating they have in San Fransisco, it is also true to say that the City Authorities should not be obliged to disrupt their city to create photo opportunities for foreign agitators
ReplyDeleteWho gets to have parades and when is an important topic, as there will be shades between freedom of assembly, peaceful protest, publicly unacceptable behaviour, shameless exploitation of public services for private gain, and violent protest (often looking to generate negative reaction) at the top of the scale.
ReplyDeleteThe Gay Rights march I'd put down near the beginning of the list, the Mardi Gras style parades up higher, the Boobs on Bikes Parade higher still (in the shameless manipulation of public resource for private gain) and the G8 style protests that often turn ugly at the top end.
Coincidentally, just read something on M and M that has relevance:
The solution to intolerance is tolerance. Tolerance of those ideas you may fervently disagree with and recognition of another’s right to freely hold and express them. Tolerance requires one to respond to disagreement with rational persuasion, not vilification. This cuts both ways.
So whilst the Gay Rights march might go ahead, and many need to tolerate their exercise of freedom, they need to tolerate any counter protest, providing it is respectful.
If the government has genuine concerns that there would be violence triggered, then it needs to work with the organisers to determine a route (or simply a place, like St Petersburg Square) where such an event can be better contained for the safety of all, and to minimise the effect of any elements that are there only to provoke.
Ironically, one day I suspect that I will be arguing exactly the same thing for an Easter Parade - as a sign of Christian Rights - with a whole generation of Dawkinists arguing that Religion is immoral, and should be banned and annoyed the Pope is going to roll in and participate.
Actually, events similar to this have already happened in many places in the world.