GayPatriot

The Internet home for American gay conservatives.

Moscow Vetoes Gay Pride Parade

by

Perhaps I have been too harsh on Andrew Sullivan lately. While I have faulted him for appearing to join the angry left in criticizing the president’s every move, he distinguished himself yesterday by taking issue with Russian authorities for caving it to a “mainstream Muslim” leader who threatened to bash marchers “if they dared to walk the streets” as part of a gay pride parade. Moscow authorities will not allow the parade to proceed. (Via Volokh via Instapundit.)

Just over a week ago, I noted how, ever eager to fault the Bush Administration for the slightest infraction (or appeared infraction) against gays, HRC (and other gay groups) are reluctant to criticize anti-gay abuses in anti-American regimes. While I also find (that on those occasions when I read his blog) Andrew seems eager as well to fault the Administration, his post on the Russian march addresses anti-gay attitudes (& policies) of non-Republicans. It’s too bad that the gay establishment is so focused on President Bush that it barely has time to address dangerous anti-gay attitudes from those who are not their domestic ideological adversaries.

And while some of those adversaries do harbor anti-gay sentiments, Eugene Volokh (via Instapundit) offers some statistics which should offer to comfort to American gays. While one poll showed that 43% of Russians (in 2005) thought gays should be incarcerated, only 33% of Americans (in 1998) though gay sex between consenting adults should be illegal. Indeed, Talgat Tadzhuddin, the Mufti who warned that “Russia’s Muslims would stage violent protests if the march went ahead” also “criticized riots over the Mohammed cartoons.” Although this Mufti finds that “harming innocent people is banditry” he feels, according to Volokh, that “flogging homosexuals is just fine.” Even some of the more moderate Muslim leaders abroad are not favorably disposed to gay people.

That Russian authorities would cancel this gay march shows that while things are not yet as good as they can be for gays in the United States (and other Western nations) that we still have it pretty good. We can march freely in cities even in the “reddest” of states. When we make local authorities aware of threats to our parades (and protests), they send in the police, not to close down our gatherings, but to protect our First Amendment rights (of freedom of speech and association).

In his post, Andrew warns that “self-censorship is a slippery slope.” That seems to be not just a warning to authorities in nations not as free as ours, but also to gay groups who often seem unwilling to offend other “oppressed” groups — even those harboring hateful anti-gay sentiments.

-Dan (AKA GayPatriotWest): GayPatriotWest@aol.com

ADDENDUM: We saw something similar in China two months ago when police there closed down a gay cultural festival.

Comments

  1. #0 – Sorry Dan, I found your post a little hard to follow this time. Let me see if this captures the plotline:

    1) Russian gays want to have a Pride March.
    2) Muslim mufti – who incidentally is on the right side of the Cartoon issue – threatens them with violence.
    3) Russian authorities cave in, shut down Pride March.
    4) Andrew writes an article favoring gay free speech.
    5) Dan feels a pang of guilt and highlights Andrew’s article on GP.

    Is that it?

    Please note that Andrew’s article (at least the one you linked) doesn’t fault the Russian authorities for caving it to the Muslim leader, that I could see; most of its space is devoted to faulting Muslim terrorists, to arguing in favor of images trashing Jesus as also free speech, and the like.

    I guess my overall response (assuming I have understood all) is: So what?

    Andrew wrote an article trying to remind everyone that – after all his Bush-bashing and unfair REAMS devoted to the Left’s view of Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib – he (Andrew) remembers the Islamo-fascists are anti-gay and is against them, and – newsflash – free speech is nice! So what? Has Andrew apologized for believing (and trying to convince all of us) that John Kerry would defend the United States seriously for ten seconds? Has he apologized for backing Dick Durbin’s campaign to slur and malign our servicewomen and men? Has he apologized for his continuing slurs of anyone who disagrees with him (or finds him boringly self-righteous, shrill and excitable) as homophobic?

  2. Dan, I am glad you posted this article. I tend to agree with Calarato’s unwillingness to let AS off the hook for past transgressions, but think your main point about how good gays truly have it in George Bush’s America is the most important one to come from this post.

    Homosexuals are much more prevalent today in Russia than they were under Soviet rule. However, Neanderthal elements within Russia continue to look for scapegoats to blame for their society’s many ills and gays are always an easy target for such simpletons.

    When one reads of the savage oppression of gays in so many parts of the world, it is quite depressing. However, to read the “mainstream” gay media and blog sites, you would think the worlds biggest oppressor of gays and nasty homophobe was George Bush, with Dick Cheney covering his rear (with his trusty 28 gauge).

  3. Scott, in line with your point, it’s interesting to note that I learned of this via Instapundit and not via the usual sources I track for information on gay topics (The Washington Blade and a listserve to which I subscribe. Reading Andrew’s post (linked in Volokh which was linked in Instapundit), perhaps I might do well to start checking his blog again from time to time.

  4. #2 – Scott, that’s true. A very good point (from Dan and you) which I had found a bit tough to extract from the rest.

    I guess I’m saying, “How easy to please we are!” Supporting free speech, here and abroad, is the minimum I would expect from any commentator. Maybe next, Andrew can opine portentously about the goodness of apple pie “in his judgment”.

  6. There was also the gay festival planned for Jerusalem. Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders found something they could all agree upon and gathered a meeting to denounce the event. I don’t know if the event eventually happened despite that or not.

  8. Two thoughts come to mind that concerns me.
    Scott, I don’t think I buy that there are more gays in Russia than there wer in the old Soviet Union although I could be wrong. I just think with some of the freedom in Russia that has evolved over the last few years has allowed more to come out. I believe this will be short lived as I am convinced Putin is laying the groundwork to make himself a dictator and reestablish the old Soviet Union. I would not be surprised if this was simply an opportunity to continue that process and limit a bit of liberty that would not cause an uproar inside Russia. Like we say in Texas, you can take the boy out of the KGB but you can’t take the KGB out of the boy.
    Secondly, is this the behavior we can expect of some Muslims every time somthing happens they don’ like??

  9. #8 – David, my fellow Texan:

    You are correct – not only is this the behavior that we can expect from Muslim extremists, but we’re also lucky that (a) they didn’t burn anything down, (b) no gays were stoned and/or had their throats slit and (c) we have GP highlighting this stuff because the MSM is damn sure not gonna cover it.

    Islamofascists call who we are not only a “sin” but an “abomination” that must be purged. But unlike the Christian coalition in this country, they really will kill each and every gay person they find. I believe this with my heart and soul. And being the Texan that I am, they are going to have to get past my .38 if they even dare try to get to my throat.

    Lock and load, sisters, and LET’S ROLL.

    Regards,
    Peter Hughes