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Should the US Boycott the Russian Olympics?

Should the US Boycott the Russian Olympics?


  • Total voters
    98
I was vocally opposed to the Beijing olympics, for multiple reasons, but i don't think the athletes and spectators risked arrest and beatings at the mere mention of Taiwan or "looking" Taiwanese. Obviously you can't relate to having to hide yourself in such an oppressive environment. I get it. But then you have to defend why they *should* have to and that starts crossing over into prejudice.

There are plenty of countries with oppressive environments. Did you look at the list I posted earlier about homosexuality laws in other countries. The fact of the matter is that we are GUESTS in these other countries when they host the Olympics. They are under no obligations to do things according to OUR laws. And people with a political agenda should NOT get to decide to every athlete and every person whether or not they want to go to Russia to either compete or be a spectator. NOT your call or the gay people's call either.
 
Yep. If you know an athlete's sexual preference you are either that athlete's partner, or you know too much irrelevant information about the athlete.
Well it's not irrelevant in this case. Russia made it very relevant indeed.
 
There are plenty of countries with oppressive environments. Did you look at the list I posted earlier about homosexuality laws in other countries. The fact of the matter is that we are GUESTS in these other countries when they host the Olympics. They are under no obligations to do things according to OUR laws. And people with a political agenda should NOT get to decide to every athlete and every person whether or not they want to go to Russia to either compete or be a spectator. NOT your call or the gay people's call either.
Not even Hitler threatened our athletes, but Russia has. The games need to be moved, Russia needs to declare the laws not in force during the games, or we need to stay home. It is Russia who has broken the spirit of the games. They have taken their stand and now we need to take ours. Fix this or we will see you in fours years in a better time and place. I hope Snowden can ice stake and is a fast learner.
 
With all the controversy around a new Russian law against homosexual "propaganda", some are calling for the US to boycott the 2014 winter Olympics in Russia. I don't think we should because it just punishes the athletes that have been training and preparing their whole lives.

What do you think?

The whole purpose of the Olympics is to put aside political and social differences and engage in activities together.
 
Why would they be arrested and/or beaten?

I tried to find a direct reference to the law and how it is enforced.
However, I failed due to the massive amount of opinions and commentary out there when you try to search it.
So all I am left with for a response is my own impression of what I have heard in regards to these laws.

And I am under the impression that Russia will arrest anyone suspected of being gay. I am even under the impression that they can arrest you for just being supportive to homosexuals. I am under the impression that they have refused to exempt our citizens.
And I am also under the impression that many of these people are being mistreated and beaten both publicly and privately.
 
With all the controversy around a new Russian law against homosexual "propaganda", some are calling for the US to boycott the 2014 winter Olympics in Russia. I don't think we should because it just punishes the athletes that have been training and preparing their whole lives.

What do you think?
I think that we can do more to change the attitude of the Russian people who will ultimately be the one who have to get these laws changed by being there at the Olympics.

We can't change the laws - The Russian people must get this done.
 
I tried to find a direct reference to the law and how it is enforced.
However, I failed due to the massive amount of opinions and commentary out there when you try to search it.
So all I am left with for a response is my own impression of what I have heard in regards to these laws.

And I am under the impression that Russia will arrest anyone suspected of being gay. I am even under the impression that they can arrest you for just being supportive to homosexuals. I am under the impression that they have refused to exempt our citizens.
And I am also under the impression that many of these people are being mistreated and beaten both publicly and privately.
For the sake of discussion let's say this is true. I honestly doubt they would risk international embarrassment and incident by doing it to visiting athletes with the entire world watching.
 
For the sake of discussion let's say this is true. I honestly doubt they would risk international embarrassment and incident by doing it to visiting athletes with the entire world watching.

I doubt they would too. However, Putin seems to be enjoying jabbing the West lately.
To continue this "for the sake of discussion", lets say that what we both agree is unlikely, does happen. Say Russia does uphold the law and legally arrests hundreds of Americans at the Olympics for simply being in support of the rights of homosexuals.
Then we'd be in quite a pickle. With the world watching, we could not back down.

I think we should take Russia for its word and assume that our people can be arrested merely for "thinking".
I want assurances or I would have to be in favor of a boycott.

Here is another way to look at it:
If we press Russia to change their laws by holding the Olympics hostage, we will lose that battle.
But if we press them to give us assurances for our own people and only concerning the Olympics... that is a battle we would win.
 
I see this occurrence as a complete disgrace. How did a stadium full of germans doing the hitler salute contribute anything positive to anything? ]

Sorry for the temporary thread drift but when I see revisionism I have to step in.

It's not the "hitler salute" or the Nazi salut, it the Bellamy salute aka the socialist salute.

Widely practiced by socialist, nationalist and internationalist socialist. It was created in America by a socialist and became part of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Students_pledging_allegiance_to_the_American_flag_with_the_Bellamy_salute.jpg
A group of American schoolchildren performing the Bellamy salute during the Pledge to Allegiance to the American flag.


>" The Bellamy salute is the salute described by Francis Bellamy to accompany the American Pledge of Allegiance, which he had authored. During the period when it was used with the Pledge of Allegiance, it was sometimes known as the "flag salute". During the 1920s and 1930s, Italian fascists and Nazis adopted a salute which was similar in form, resulting in controversy over the use of the Bellamy salute in the United States. It was officially replaced by the hand-over-heart salute when Congress amended the Flag Code on December 22, 1942.

The inventor of the saluting gesture was James B. Upham, junior partner and editor of The Youth's Companion.[1] Bellamy recalled Upham, upon reading the pledge, came into the posture of the salute, snapped his heels together, and said "Now up there is the flag; I come to salute; as I say 'I pledge allegiance to my flag,' I stretch out my right hand and keep it raised while I say the stirring words that follow."[1]

The Bellamy salute was first demonstrated on October 12, 1892 according to Bellamy's published instructions for the "National School Celebration of Columbus Day":"< Bellamy salute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I digress:
Back to gays, Putin and boycotting the Olympics.
 

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We should definitely go to the Olympics. If some athletes don't want to go that is on them... for the others that have trained day and night to win, they should be able to go and our politicians should keep their god damn mouths shut about it.
 
Very interesting, Apacherat.
I have learned something today.
 
Lol! You're post was clearly your surrender to TD. Just like the little bruised and battered cartoon guy waving his white flag of surrender. :2razz:

you guys are turning these threads into romper rooms ... come on son ... let's grow up a tad ... "Your surrender?" Really? ... it doesn't get more juvenile than that, although you get points for not saying I have cooties ...
 
We should definitely go to the Olympics. If some athletes don't want to go that is on them... for the others that have trained day and night to win, they should be able to go and our politicians should keep their god damn mouths shut about it.

I donated $50 to Emily Scott. She BETTER go to the Olympics.
 
you guys are turning these threads into romper rooms ... come on son ... let's grow up a tad ... "Your surrender?" Really? ... it doesn't get more juvenile than that, although you get points for not saying I have cooties ...

Yes, you really should. You're probably old enough to be my father yet you act like you're my son's age. And you still have not defended your positions on this topic. Not only are your eyes weak but your arguments are as well. :)
 
I tried to find a direct reference to the law and how it is enforced.
However, I failed due to the massive amount of opinions and commentary out there when you try to search it.
So all I am left with for a response is my own impression of what I have heard in regards to these laws.

And I am under the impression that Russia will arrest anyone suspected of being gay. I am even under the impression that they can arrest you for just being supportive to homosexuals. I am under the impression that they have refused to exempt our citizens.
And I am also under the impression that many of these people are being mistreated and beaten both publicly and privately.

I'm not under any of those impressions. I think as long as there are no public showings of affection, everything will be fine. I'm also doubtful that any of our athletes will be beaten.
 
Not even Hitler threatened our athletes, but Russia has. The games need to be moved, Russia needs to declare the laws not in force during the games, or we need to stay home. It is Russia who has broken the spirit of the games. They have taken their stand and now we need to take ours. Fix this or we will see you in fours years in a better time and place. I hope Snowden can ice stake and is a fast learner.

No, when you are a guest in a host country, you go by their laws. We are not the world's police or moral authority.
 
For the sake of discussion let's say this is true.
I honestly doubt they would risk international embarrassment and incident by doing it to visiting athletes with the entire world watching.




I agree that the government probably wouldn't do this.

But some private citizens might.
 
The two things have absolutely nothing to do with each other. It's silly to boycott the olympics.
 
Yes, you really should. You're probably old enough to be my father yet you act like you're my son's age. And you still have not defended your positions on this topic. Not only are your eyes weak but your arguments are as well. :)

at some point you have to stop blaming others for your inability to understand a simple argument or position (my position couldn't have been any clearer) ... if you want to ask me a direct question, feel free to and if it's a serious question, I'll do my best to respond ... but please don't go around telling posters that they "surrendered" or "retreated" when they get off or disengage ... that gets old and it really does remind me of what kids do ...
 
No, when you are a guest in a host country, you go by their laws. We are not the world's police or moral authority.
The host country is threatening the athletes, and those who would report on and attend the games. Maybe they just don't want our gay kids to beat their straight ones but it doesn't matter, it isn't done, and when it is there is a problem, our problem now.
 
I doubt they would too. However, Putin seems to be enjoying jabbing the West lately.
To continue this "for the sake of discussion", lets say that what we both agree is unlikely, does happen. Say Russia does uphold the law and legally arrests hundreds of Americans at the Olympics for simply being in support of the rights of homosexuals.
Then we'd be in quite a pickle. With the world watching, we could not back down.

I think we should take Russia for its word and assume that our people can be arrested merely for "thinking".
I want assurances or I would have to be in favor of a boycott.

Here is another way to look at it:
If we press Russia to change their laws by holding the Olympics hostage, we will lose that battle.
But if we press them to give us assurances for our own people and only concerning the Olympics... that is a battle we would win.

You're right, we couldn't back down if that were to happen. I believe it would not take a war to resolve, though. Russia would lose in so many ways worldwide, that even Putin the thug would know better.
 
With all the controversy around a new Russian law against homosexual "propaganda", some are calling for the US to boycott the 2014 winter Olympics in Russia. I don't think we should because it just punishes the athletes that have been training and preparing their whole lives.

What do you think?

You are absolutely right. The athletes have been preparing for this and for many it may be their only shot. That is why it is so important that the games are not given to filthy countries and corruption surrounding them is abolished. Everybody knows that these people are forced to go to a horrible place and support a terrible system because the local heavy paid enough illicitly to capture the vote. We should not do this too them.
 
The host country is threatening the athletes, and those who would report on and attend the games. Maybe they just don't want our gay kids to beat their straight ones but it doesn't matter, it isn't done, and when it is there is a problem, our problem now.

No they aren't. They are asking that they not break the laws in Russia while there. It's really simple for them to not get in any trouble actually.
 
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