Cha

Cha's Journal

August 2, 2013

Yeah, you'll get a lot of people defending Russia over

the USA. 'Cause, you know.. Russia's so great now that snowden is bleeting his denouncement of the USA and singing the praises of Putin's Russia.

House Members to urge Secretary of State to protect LGBT people at Olympics

“We urge the State Department to determine the appropriate course of action to assure the safety and well being of LGBT and LGBT-supporting individuals involved in or attending the 2014 Sochi Olympics and Paralympics,” the letter to be sent to Kerry says. Rep. Jerry Nadler is leading the House effort."

The news about Nadler’s plans follow on Thursday’s announcement that Sen. Jeff Merkley will be leading an effort on a resolution seeking action from the International Olympic Committee regarding the Sochi Olympics — and on Friday’s announcement by Kerry that the State Department will treat same-sex married couples equally for visa purposes

h/t http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023393222

"Russia Grants Snowden Asylum, Implements SOPA on Same Day"

Edward Snowden, man of Liberty and Internet Freedom, afraid of losing access to a computer in prison, was granted asylum in Russia on the same day the country enacted it’s own version SOPA according to The Washington Post.

This is all very ironic and amusing given that, in The Guardian’s debut profile of Edward Snowden, he claimed to be a proponent of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and has denounced the United States’ supposed policing of the internet.

http://bobcesca.thedailybanter.com/blog-archives/2013/08/russia-grants-snowden-asylum-implements-sopa-on-same-day.html

August 2, 2013

This sounds crazy but it's true.. a letter needs to be sent to our SOS, John Kerry,

to make sure the safety of Gay people, who go to the Olympics in Russia, are Protected!

The news about Nadler’s plans follow on Thursday’s announcement that Sen. Jeff Merkley will be leading an effort on a resolution seeking action from the International Olympic Committee regarding the Sochi Olympics — and on Friday’s announcement by Kerry that the State Department will treat same-sex married couples equally for visa purposes.

How's that for a big freaking difference between Civil Rights/Human Rights in our country and in Russia.

As I was saying Yesterday.. the way the Russians are going after Gay people is disgusting and dangerous.

Mahalo bigtree

August 2, 2013

Krugman: 'The madness of the GOP is the central issue of our time'

Mahalo, Newsjock!

August 2, 2013

Brilliant, frazzled.. Mahalo Russia seems so wonderful

to so many people now.. it's just amazing.

Who knew Pres Obama would be such a good travel agent for .. Russia!

August 2, 2013

I doubt Russia is taking any "high road".

Putin saw an opportunity to stick it to America.. they grabbed the hacker/leaker who made himself so available.

U.S. Penalizes Russians for Human Rights Violations

April 13, 2013

"The Obama administration barred 18 Russians from traveling to the United States and froze any assets they may have here under a new law intended to punish human rights violations. A handful of other more highly placed officials, including the head of the Russian region of Chechnya, were put on a list not publicly revealed. Russian officials promised to ban a like number of Americans."

"The public sanctions targeted largely midlevel officials but the classified list included Ramzan A. Kadyrov, the president of Chechnya, a Kremlin ally known as a ruthless ruler, according to people briefed on the list. Others on the secret list were figures of such prominence in Russia that the administration feared identifying them might invite retaliation by President Vladimir V. Putin against similarly situated American officials like members of Congress."

Of the 18 Russians identified on the unclassified list, all but two are tied to the death of Sergei L. Magnitsky, the lawyer for Mr. Browder who was investigating official corruption only to be arrested and die in custody in 2009. His death became a cause célèbre for Russia critics, and the American sanctions law was named for him.

Among those targeted Friday were investigators, tax officials, judges and prison supervisors connected to Mr. Magnitsky’s case. The other two were Chechens implicated in prominent murders: Lecha Bogatirov, accused of gunning down Umar S. Israilov, a Chechen dissident, on the streets of Vienna in 2009, and Kazbek Dukuzov, accused of murdering the American journalist Paul Klebnikov in Moscow in 2004.

http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20130412.aspx

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/world/europe/us-issues-penalties-against-russians-for-rights-violations.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

"WASHINGTON -- Activists, Russian-Americans, and other concerned citizens held small demonstrations in front of Russia's missions in Washington and New York on July 31 to protest the country's rapidly deteriorating record on gay rights.

About 20 people rallied in front of Moscow's embassy in Washington, with some chanting, "Gay rights! Human rights!" over a megaphone in the direction of the imposing, gray edifice.
Others waved rainbow flags and held posters documenting the recent uptick in homophobic attacks in Russia.

One protester held a sign that read, "Russian state policy: A good gay is a dead gay."
The demonstration was organized in part by the Washington-based Spectrum Human Rights group, which recently helped publicize a spate of extreme gay bullying in Russia's Sverdlovsk region."

More..
http://www.rferl.org/content/protests-russia-gay-rights-washington-new-york-vodka-putin/25062837.html

I think Snowden needs to face what he did.. but, that's not going to happen.

August 1, 2013

I say.. mahalo for

the link, Will. I know lots of people don't want to ban the Olympics for good reason but Russia's stance on Gay Rights is disgusting and dangerous.

Fierstein's call to boycott has some support inside Russia. Twenty-three Russian LGBT activists put out a statement this week, writing, "International support is essential for the survival of Russia's LGBT community right now ... Vladimir Putin's regime will not get away with antigay violence. We speak out in favor of boycotting Russian goods and companies and the Olympic Games in Sochi."

Whoa!

Whether or not there is a boycott, connecting Putin's systematic attacks on LGBT people to the Sochi Olympics is a stroke of political genius. This isn't only because it focuses international attention on an issue largely undiscussed in the mainstream press. Sochi could very well be the all-powerful Putin's Achilles' heel. These Winter Games, to be held for reasons that still make no sense in Sochi's subtropical climate, are going to be more expensive than any other Games — summer or winter — in history. Due primarily to shady no-bid construction contracts for Putin's business allies, $30 billion in public funds have simply disappeared. This isn't an Olympics. It's more like a heist. The almighty Putin is looking more with each passing day like this guy: attacking the LGBT community in a cheap effort to turn attention away from rampant corruption and growing inequality, symbolized sharply by what's happening in Sochi.

August 1, 2013

Irony Alert..

eclecticbrotha @eclecticbrotha

Irony alert. When alleged NSA abuses aired, USA tries to assuage people's fears. When documented KGB/FSB abuses exposed, leakers killed.

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/08/01/rise-and-shine-568/#comments

Good ol Human Rights Abusers Russia.. "yay russia bad ol usa "

My money is on the USA.. "humiliation" aside. BFD. Pres Obama doesn't waste his time on such roadblocks. He and his Admin figure out how to go through them.

A law passed in June bans imposes hefty fines for providing information about the gay community to minors or holding gay pride rallies, a move that has prompted gays in the U.S. and elsewhere to call for boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

john miller @deaconmill

If Snowden had been Russian and done the same thing to them, he would be dead already, no matter where he fled to.

5:20 AM - 1 Aug 2013
18 Retweets 7 favorites

August 1, 2013

Hey Cali.. I shop at amazon.. amazon actually gives more to Dems..

I remember reading this last year and felt good about shopping there. I was pleasanly surprised!

I live on an Island and there aren't things always available that I would like.. amazon has been good to me. Even in upstate New York after I didn't have a car anymore.. I shopped at amazon.com.

2012 PAC Contribution Data
Contributions from this PAC to federal candidates (list recipients)

(52% to Democrats, 48% to Republicans) $179,500
Contributions to this PAC from individual donors of $200 or more ( list donors) $0

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00360354

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/07/31/rise-and-shine-540/

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/07/30/chattanooga/

Profile Information

Member since: 2002
Number of posts: 297,210

About Cha

Now retired and living on Kaua'i. :)

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