For our readers interested in Russian politics - 70 people were arrested in Moscow for trying to hold the city's first gay-rights rally.
Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov said he had banned the march because he believed homosexuality was not natural and because the event would cause outrage in society - a position supported by many Christian and Muslim groups. He said that as long as he was mayor he would not allow such events to take place.
Freedom of speech and freedom of association are of course usually considered (by Americans) to be the bedrock components of democratic regimes that respect the people's liberty. Coming on the heels of several of attacks in Russia against gays, immigrants and ethnic minorities it appears obvious that some Russians have even fewer political freedoms than the average Russian does.
Posted by armand at May 27, 2006 11:29 PM | TrackBack | Posted to International AffairsYou know what would be really effing cool!? If Bush, without compromising his other positions on the issue, were to explicitly deplore this particular event, noting that gays are as free to demonstrate here as White Supremacists and others, even in light of his own personal discomfort with homosexuality. It might be a full-blown PR coup for him to do so, by showing that he values the freedom he's constantly prattling on about killing in the name of.
Posted by: moon at May 28, 2006 11:30 AM | PERMALINKRussia, I can't remember it ever being a place worthy of respect. Now I'm feeling the same disgust I felt during the Cold War.
Posted by: John at May 30, 2006 03:42 PM | PERMALINK