Obama sends openly LGBT representatives to Russian Olympics

Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will lead the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics next year in Sochi, Russia.
The White House says tennis champion Billie Jean King and U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul will join the opening ceremony delegation. So will figure skater Brian Boitano and presidential adviser Rob Nabors.

Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns will lead the closing ceremony delegation. He will be joined by McFaul, Olympic medal-winners Bonnie Blair, a speed skater; Caitlin Cahow, an ice hockey player; and Eric Heiden, a speed skater.

King and Cahow are both openly gay athletes. Gay rights groups have urged the Obama administration to use the delegation selection to make a point about Russia's treatment of gays and lesbians.

"The U.S. Delegation to the Olympic Games represents the diversity that is the United States. All our delegation members are distinguished by their accomplishments in government service, civic activism, and sports. We are proud of each and every one of them and think they will serve as great ambassadors of the United States to the Olympic Games," the president said in a statement.

Asked during an August press conference whether the U.S. should boycott the Sochi games in response to Russia's record on gay rights, Mr. Obama said, "One of the things I’m really looking forward to is maybe some gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze, which I think would go a long way in rejecting the kind of attitudes that we’re seeing there. And if Russia doesn’t have gay or lesbian athletes, then that would probably make their team weaker.”

Nice thumb of the nose to the land of hate!

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-includes-openly-gay-athletes-in-2014-olympic-delegation/

That'll show 'em

Hello Queenie, you don't get the significance do you?

Jessie Owens made a wonderful point for coloured people at Hitler's olympics, got right up his nose.

Sassy wrote:Hello Queenie, you don't get the significance do you?

Jessie Owens made a wonderful point for coloured people at Hitler's olympics, got right up his nose.

I do get the point.
I just hardly think it will be that much of an impact.

Why would a gay athlete winning a gold medal in a virulently anti-gay country not send a message?

Knave Of Spades wrote:

Sassy wrote:Hello Queenie, you don't get the significance do you?

Jessie Owens made a wonderful point for coloured people at Hitler's olympics, got right up his nose.

I do get the point.
I just hardly think it will be that much of an impact.

I'm sure it will, after all, America is Russia's biggest rival. If some gay athletes walk off with prizes and they have gay envoys, the point will be made to the people of Russia.

Last I checked the reason for the Russian hatred of the LGBT community wasn't to do with genetic inferiority.

No Queenie, but gay people in Russia are stopped from competing unless they hide the fact they are gay.

Knave Of Spades wrote:Last I checked the reason for the Russian hatred of the LGBT community wasn't to do with genetic inferiority.

I doubt that will matter much; it will still send a message to people all around the world.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will lead the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics next year in Sochi, Russia.
The White House says tennis champion Billie Jean King and U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul will join the opening ceremony delegation. So will figure skater Brian Boitano and presidential adviser Rob Nabors.

Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns will lead the closing ceremony delegation. He will be joined by McFaul, Olympic medal-winners Bonnie Blair, a speed skater; Caitlin Cahow, an ice hockey player; and Eric Heiden, a speed skater.

King and Cahow are both openly gay athletes. Gay rights groups have urged the Obama administration to use the delegation selection to make a point about Russia's treatment of gays and lesbians.

"The U.S. Delegation to the Olympic Games represents the diversity that is the United States.  All our delegation members are distinguished by their accomplishments in government service, civic activism, and sports. We are proud of each and every one of them and think they will serve as great ambassadors of the United States to the Olympic Games," the president said in a statement.

Asked during an August press conference whether the U.S. should boycott the Sochi games in response to Russia's record on gay rights, Mr. Obama said, "One of the things I’m really looking forward to is maybe some gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze, which I think would go a long way in rejecting the kind of attitudes that we’re seeing there. And if Russia doesn’t have gay or lesbian athletes, then that would probably make their team weaker.”

Nice thumb of the nose to the land of hate!

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-includes-openly-gay-athletes-in-2014-olympic-delegation/

Indeed!   

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will lead the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics next year in Sochi, Russia.
The White House says tennis champion Billie Jean King and U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul will join the opening ceremony delegation. So will figure skater Brian Boitano and presidential adviser Rob Nabors.

Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns will lead the closing ceremony delegation. He will be joined by McFaul, Olympic medal-winners Bonnie Blair, a speed skater; Caitlin Cahow, an ice hockey player; and Eric Heiden, a speed skater.

King and Cahow are both openly gay athletes. Gay rights groups have urged the Obama administration to use the delegation selection to make a point about Russia's treatment of gays and lesbians.

"The U.S. Delegation to the Olympic Games represents the diversity that is the United States.  All our delegation members are distinguished by their accomplishments in government service, civic activism, and sports. We are proud of each and every one of them and think they will serve as great ambassadors of the United States to the Olympic Games," the president said in a statement.

Asked during an August press conference whether the U.S. should boycott the Sochi games in response to Russia's record on gay rights, Mr. Obama said, "One of the things I’m really looking forward to is maybe some gay and lesbian athletes bringing home the gold or silver or bronze, which I think would go a long way in rejecting the kind of attitudes that we’re seeing there. And if Russia doesn’t have gay or lesbian athletes, then that would probably make their team weaker.”

Nice thumb of the nose to the land of hate!

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-includes-openly-gay-athletes-in-2014-olympic-delegation/

Obama my hero! After Mandela x     

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Knave Of Spades wrote:Last I checked the reason for the Russian hatred of the LGBT community wasn't to do with genetic inferiority.

I doubt that will matter much; it will still send a message to people all around the world.

Sassy wrote:No Queenie, but gay people in Russia are stopped from competing unless they hide the fact they are gay.

Which is fair enough, if you want to send a message then send it, however my original point was that it's not exactly going to have a massive impact, might piss off a lot of Russians but that's about it.

Blind as a bat.

Sassy wrote:Blind as a bat.

Oh right, I forgot Jessie Owens winning the gold medal stopped the holocaust.

Jesus H Christ!

Knave Of Spades wrote:Oh right, I forgot Jessie Owens winning the gold medal stopped the holocaust.

You don't think it had an impact and changed a lot of people's minds about racism?

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Knave Of Spades wrote:Oh right, I forgot Jessie Owens winning the gold medal stopped the holocaust.

You don't think it had an impact and changed a lot of people's minds about racism?

Not enough to end to Nazi regime.

So if it can't accomplish anything that dramatic, it's worthless, then? Sorry, I think there's a far bigger issue here. You know a lot of homophobes are behind Russia on their stance, from all around the world. Many people don't know what to think; and I would imagine that to a lot of people, the message that gay people are some degenerate pox on civilization will be punctured by a gay athlete medalling in the Olympics.

Ben_Reilly wrote:So if it can't accomplish anything that dramatic, it's worthless, then? Sorry, I think there's a far bigger issue here. You know a lot of homophobes are behind Russia on their stance, from all around the world. Many people don't know what to think; and I would imagine that to a lot of people, the message that gay people are some degenerate pox on civilization will be punctured by a gay athlete medalling in the Olympics.

I wouldn't think so.
Someone who hates the GAY MENACE^TM will unlikely have their opinion changed due to a homosexual winning a gold medal.
The issue a lot of people have, outside of those who just hate them blindly, is that they view it as sexual deviance. Winning a gold medal isn't going to change that opinion.

So basically what will happen when a homosexual wins the gold is that those who support the LGBT community will start patting each-other on the back and those that oppose the LGBT community will simply disregard because it proves nothing in the long run.

It's a middle finger to Russia and nothing more.

Knave Of Spades wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:So if it can't accomplish anything that dramatic, it's worthless, then? Sorry, I think there's a far bigger issue here. You know a lot of homophobes are behind Russia on their stance, from all around the world. Many people don't know what to think; and I would imagine that to a lot of people, the message that gay people are some degenerate pox on civilization will be punctured by a gay athlete medalling in the Olympics.

I wouldn't think so.
Someone who hates the GAY MENACE^TM will unlikely have their opinion changed due to a homosexual winning a gold medal.
The issue a lot of people have, outside of those who just hate them blindly, is that they view it as sexual deviance. Winning a gold medal isn't going to change that opinion.

It's not going to change the minds of those that view homosexuality as a sexual deviance, but the majority of people living in the Western world don't see homosexuality as a sexual deviance...It just brings the matter up to the wider populations that something isn't right in Russia, and pressure is being mounted on them to change their political ways.

There was a poll done a few years ago in Russia that showed that the majority of Russians at that time didn't have a problem with gay equality, it was at the time of Yeltzin...It isn't worth posting because the only reference to it that i can find is on a gay website so people would probably find fault and suggest that it was bollax.

Catman wrote:

Knave Of Spades wrote:

I wouldn't think so.
Someone who hates the GAY MENACE^TM will unlikely have their opinion changed due to a homosexual winning a gold medal.
The issue a lot of people have, outside of those who just hate them blindly, is that they view it as sexual deviance. Winning a gold medal isn't going to change that opinion.

It's not going to change the minds of those that view homosexuality as a sexual deviance, but the majority of people living in the Western world don't see homosexuality as a sexual deviance...It just brings the matter up to the wider populations that something isn't right in Russia, and pressure is being mounted on them to change their political ways.

There was a poll done a few years ago in Russia that showed that the majority of Russians at that time didn't have a problem with gay equality, it was at the time of Yeltzin...It isn't worth posting because the only reference to it that i can find is on a gay website so people would probably find fault and suggest that it was bollax.

Exactly my point.
It's just sending a message. It's not going to change anything in the long run especially considering how Russia doesn't really give a shit about what the western world thinks.

Knave Of Spades wrote:It's a middle finger to Russia and nothing more.

Do you agree with abortion for women that have been raped?

Catman wrote:

Knave Of Spades wrote:It's a middle finger to Russia and nothing more.

Do you agree with abortion for women that have been raped?

What brand of Vodka you drinking tonight, Philly?

Knave Of Spades wrote:

Catman wrote:

It's not going to change the minds of those that view homosexuality as a sexual deviance, but the majority of people living in the Western world don't see homosexuality as a sexual deviance...It just brings the matter up to the wider populations that something isn't right in Russia, and pressure is being mounted on them to change their political ways.

There was a poll done a few years ago in Russia that showed that the majority of Russians at that time didn't have a problem with gay equality, it was at the time of Yeltzin...It isn't worth posting because the only reference to it that i can find is on a gay website so people would probably find fault and suggest that it was bollax.

Exactly my point.
It's just sending a message. It's not going to change anything in the long run especially considering how Russia doesn't really give a shit about what the western world thinks.

What is wrong with sending a message?

You start with a message and then you change opinions in the long run politically.

Knave Of Spades wrote:

Catman wrote:

Do you agree with abortion for women that have been raped?

What brand of Vodka you drinking tonight, Philly?

My name isn't Philly.

It's Phil/Phillip/Catman!

 :D 

Catman wrote:

Knave Of Spades wrote:

Exactly my point.
It's just sending a message. It's not going to change anything in the long run especially considering how Russia doesn't really give a shit about what the western world thinks.

What is wrong with sending a message?

You start with a message and then you change opinions in the long run politically.

Never said there was anything wrong with sending a message.
I said that it's going to have a negligible impact considering how Russia simply does not give a fuck.

Any impact is better than no impact. If we all sat around whining 'it won't change anything' nothing would ever change.

Sassy wrote:Hello Queenie, you don't get the significance do you?

Jessie Owens made a wonderful point for coloured people at Hitler's olympics, got right up his nose.

yet the only person who snubbed him was the american president.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Knave Of Spades wrote:Last I checked the reason for the Russian hatred of the LGBT community wasn't to do with genetic inferiority.

I doubt that will matter much; it will still send a message to people all around the world.

what message will it send round the world. you aren't suggesting that because they are gay they are better athletes? What next, black men are better boxers or basketball players because they are black?
Using gay people to prove a point is a little stupid. Send the best athletes because they are best, not because of their sexuality.

Sassy wrote:Jesus H Christ!

which event is he competing in?

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Knave Of Spades wrote:Oh right, I forgot Jessie Owens winning the gold medal stopped the holocaust.

You don't think it had an impact and changed a lot of people's minds about racism?

well he did not change the mind of the american president as he is one who actually snubbed owens. hitler refused to meet any athletes.

From that same Olympics. The England football team. Wrong message

Ben_Reilly wrote:So if it can't accomplish anything that dramatic, it's worthless, then? Sorry, I think there's a far bigger issue here. You know a lot of homophobes are behind Russia on their stance, from all around the world. Many people don't know what to think; and I would imagine that to a lot of people, the message that gay people are some degenerate pox on civilization will be punctured by a gay athlete medalling in the Olympics.

so what will it say if they lose?

Catman wrote:

Knave Of Spades wrote:It's a middle finger to Russia and nothing more.

Do you agree with abortion for women that have been raped?

I am all for abortion when any woman wants one. No one else has to carry the baby.

Cantankerous wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

I doubt that will matter much; it will still send a message to people all around the world.

what message will it send round the world. you aren't suggesting that because they are gay they are better athletes? What next, black men are better boxers or basketball players because they are black?
Using gay people to prove a point is a little stupid. Send the best athletes because they are best, not because of their sexuality.

What did you fail to understand about the word "delegation"

This is not about sending athletes to compete but delegates to represents the US in the opening and closing ceremonies, showing an open stance against the Russian policy against gay people, it may help if you actually read the article first, just a tip mind.
Its called making a political point, a very good one at that as the event is a global one, being in open defiance to Russian laws

Cantankerous wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

I doubt that will matter much; it will still send a message to people all around the world.

what message will it send round the world. you aren't suggesting that because they are gay they are better athletes? What next, black men are better boxers or basketball players because they are black?
Using gay people to prove a point is a little stupid. Send the best athletes because they are best, not because of their sexuality.

Again you seem confused over this, sending people who are gay as delegates is in open defiance of the laws of Russia. Nobody is saying because someone is gay or black that they are better in fact what it states is that they are as equal to participate in events and that people should not be discriminated against of which Russia has stated openly that anyone participating could be arrested, or did that also esacpe you too on the matter?

As I say it may help to actually read what this is about, as it is delegates that have been chosen to make a point, a very strong point at that.

I mean when did it twig that sending Billy Jean King a former "Tennis" star to the winter Olympics was not about competing but about them being delegates, sports champions and who are gay ?

Cantankerous wrote:

Sassy wrote:Hello Queenie, you don't get the significance do you?

Jessie Owens made a wonderful point for coloured people at Hitler's olympics, got right up his nose.

yet the only person who snubbed him was the american president.

You fail to see the significance again here as at the time the Nazis portrayed African-Americans as inferior and ridiculed the United States for relying on "black auxiliaries." Yet this backfired on the Nazi's, as crowds of 110,000 cheered him in Berlin's glittering Olympic Stadium and his autograph or picture was sought as he walked the streets.

That is called a propaganda coup!

If you do not think that is not a powerful message for the time, which made the Nazi's look very wrong, then I guess you must have some wonderful explanation to explain otherwise, please do share.

Catman wrote:

Knave Of Spades wrote:

What brand of Vodka you drinking tonight, Philly?

My name isn't Philly.

It's Phil/Phillip/Catman!

 :D 

Or Catty.

£BILLION£ wrote:

Catman wrote:

My name isn't Philly.

It's Phil/Phillip/Catman!

 :D 

Or Catty.

No, it's not Catty, any more than yours is Billy.

Knave Of Spades wrote:

Catman wrote:

What is wrong with sending a message?

You start with a message and then you change opinions in the long run politically.

Never said there was anything wrong with sending a message.
I said that it's going to have a negligible impact considering how Russia simply does not give a fuck.

Oh darling one has simply loved reading your posts and I certainly agree with them particularly where you say that the Russians simply do not give a fuck.Which is very true as those silly old Russians do not care about western opinion.
Having said that darling there are always exceptions and yours truly is one of them and that's because I have invested hundreds of millions of pounds in Russian gas,which in turn turned me into a billionaire.Which is wonderful don't you agree? Yes.

Sassy wrote:

£BILLION£ wrote:

Or Catty.

No, it's not Catty, any more than yours is Billy.

Well that's because my name is Stephanie? Yes.

£BILLION£ wrote:

Sassy wrote:

No, it's not Catty, any more than yours is Billy.

Well that's because my name is Stephanie? Yes.

No its not LOL

An Olympic medal winning figure skater who was two days ago announced as part of the US delegation going to the Sochi Winter Olympics, has come out as gay.
Brian Boitano, 1988 gold medal-winning figure skater will join the openly gay tennis star Billie Jean King and ice hockey medal-winner Caitlin Cahow, in the delegation to the Winter Olympics in February.
US President Barack Obama on Tuesday named the gay sports stars as part of America’s delegation to the Winter Olympics in Russia – but in a significant move confirmed that he will not be attending the event himself. February will be the first time since 2000 that the US has not sent a president, former president, first lady or vice president to the Olympics.
Boitano came out on Thursday, reports the Associated Press, saying that “being gay is just one part of who I am.”
“First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance,” Boitano said in his statement.
“As an athlete, I hope we can remain focused on the Olympic spirit which celebrates achievement in sport by peoples of all nations.”
There has been an international outcry since Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the legislation into law in June, which bans the promotion of homosexuality to minors.
The Sochi Games have been the subject of a heated debate around whether other countries should boycott based on the law.
Meanwhile, former UK Foreign minister Denis MacShane has called on Prime Minister David Cameron to personally boycott the 2014 Winter Olympics in protest at President Vladimir Putin’s “rank homophobia”.
In response, Downing Street said it “doesn’t usually talk about the Prime Minister’s travel plans in advance.”
On Monday, French President Francois Hollande became the most high profile leader to snub the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia.
German President Joachim Gauck also said he was not going to the Games.
However, both President Hollande and President Gauck failed to state their official reasons for not attending.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/12/19/olympic-figure-skater-in-us-sochi-delegation-comes-out-as-gay/

  

....I wonder if Camerloon will go.

Of course he will, it's free lol

Knave Of Spades wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

I doubt that will matter much; it will still send a message to people all around the world.

Sassy wrote:No Queenie, but gay people in Russia are stopped from competing unless they hide the fact they are gay.

Which is fair enough, if you want to send a message then send it, however my original point was that it's not exactly going to have a massive impact, might piss off a lot of Russians but that's about it.

Who the fook gives a shit about the Russians? Let 'em rot in hell, the bastards.

The biggest money market for the Olympics is the US public. We get the US public to ignore televised coverage of the Olympics--known as a secondary boycott--and it will be a cold day in hell before the next Olympics are held in that god-forsaken hole.

You know, I'd argue that Putin is already starting to bend to the pressure that the world has been putting on him over his horrible stance on basic civil rights:

http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/19/5227128/putin-agrees-to-release-jailed-pussy-riot-members

Now I'm not saying that the inclusion of LGBT people on the U.S. delegation to the Olympics is anywhere close to the sole reason for this. Still, I can't help but feel that every little bit helps ...

Sassy wrote:

£BILLION£ wrote:

Well that's because my name is Stephanie? Yes.

No its not LOL

Darling Sassy I'll be honest.......I don't know how much longer I can keep this up.

What shall I do?