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Newsjock

(11,733 posts)
Wed Aug 14, 2013, 04:56 PM Aug 2013

Russia's anti-gay law gives 'licence to thugs and hooligans,' says Star Trek's George Takei

Source: Canadian Press

Former "Star Trek" actor George Takei has reasserted his stance that next year's Winter Olympics should be moved from Sochi to Vancouver due to Russia's "horrific" and "homophobic" anti-gay laws.

... Takei says the law has given "licence to the thugs and the hooligans, who then felt free to attack anyone that they deemed to look gay or lesbian." And Takei warns that giving Putin an Olympic platform will only increase his support and lead to "other horrific, oppressive things."

"We've gotta learn from history," Takei said this week in a telephone interview from his California home. "In 1936, the Olympics committee granted the rights to stage the Summer Olympics in Berlin. Three years before that, Hitler came to power and he got a law passed which seemed innocuous at that time: Jewish professors could not get tenure.

... "Putin is a former KGB guy, and now he's president of Russia, and he got this — some people say it's innocuous, I think it's horrific — propaganda law passed, homophobic propaganda law passed. And now we're offering him that same international stage, that same international spotlight.... I think we need to take the Winter Olympics away from Russia."

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Russia+anti+gives+licence+thugs+hooligans+says+Star+Trek+George/8788673/story.html

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Russia's anti-gay law gives 'licence to thugs and hooligans,' says Star Trek's George Takei (Original Post) Newsjock Aug 2013 OP
George is correct, of course. Again. Scuba Aug 2013 #1
Chances of it being moved are pretty close to nil. dipsydoodle Aug 2013 #2
Although I wish they would take it to Vancouver, they probably don't have enough time. shenmue Aug 2013 #3
Would be years before it reoccured in Russia dipsydoodle Aug 2013 #4
Any 'athlete' who'd want to compete there is a piece of dung on toast who deserves a lifetime Bluenorthwest Aug 2013 #5
Did you miss the thread on Johnny Weir a couple of days ago? TexasTowelie Aug 2013 #10
K&R Tarheel_Dem Aug 2013 #6
Perhaps he could get Walter Koenig (who played his Russian colleague Chekov in Star Trek) to join... cascadiance Aug 2013 #7
There might not be a chance in hell of them being moved.. but, Cha Aug 2013 #8
P.S. Cha Aug 2013 #9
Snowden's country of choice michigandem58 Aug 2013 #11
Kick & recommended. William769 Aug 2013 #12
Kick! sheshe2 Feb 2014 #13

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
2. Chances of it being moved are pretty close to nil.
Wed Aug 14, 2013, 05:10 PM
Aug 2013

That's especially given that the US and the UK have both said they won't boycott it.

shenmue

(38,503 posts)
3. Although I wish they would take it to Vancouver, they probably don't have enough time.
Wed Aug 14, 2013, 05:17 PM
Aug 2013

I'm sure the setup is a logistical mess. It's probably too late to change everything to Canada right now. I hope the IOC will deny future games sites to Russia instead.

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
4. Would be years before it reoccured in Russia
Wed Aug 14, 2013, 05:24 PM
Aug 2013

although FIFA are looking into 2018 as well. Football is easy to move anyway.

If changed I sincerely doubt it would be to Canada anyway - wrong side of the Atlantic.

 

Bluenorthwest

(45,319 posts)
5. Any 'athlete' who'd want to compete there is a piece of dung on toast who deserves a lifetime
Wed Aug 14, 2013, 05:28 PM
Aug 2013

of recrimination for going to kiss Putin's bigoted ass for hopes of getting a cereal commercial. Sports culture is a bigot culture.

TexasTowelie

(111,313 posts)
10. Did you miss the thread on Johnny Weir a couple of days ago?
Wed Aug 14, 2013, 07:29 PM
Aug 2013

He said that he was willing take the risk of being arrested. That doesn't sound like he is kissing anyone's ass (except for his husband?).

 

cascadiance

(19,537 posts)
7. Perhaps he could get Walter Koenig (who played his Russian colleague Chekov in Star Trek) to join...
Wed Aug 14, 2013, 06:03 PM
Aug 2013

... forces and speak out as well towards Russia's mess! Say that if we want a future depicted in Star Trek of a united population of earth to be a part of the galaxy in the future, that these laws need to change!

Cha

(295,926 posts)
8. There might not be a chance in hell of them being moved.. but,
Wed Aug 14, 2013, 06:03 PM
Aug 2013

the important thing is that people are getting out there voicing their opinions on "Russia's "horrific" and "homophobic" anti-gay laws."!

... "Putin is a former KGB guy, and now he's president of Russia, and he got this — some people say it's innocuous, I think it's horrific — propaganda law passed, homophobic propaganda law passed. And now we're offering him that same international stage, that same international spotlight.... I think we need to take the Winter Olympics away from Russia."

Thank you, Newsjock

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