Now I'm no authority. I'm not even technically part of the community, but I'm a human that sees awful things happening to other humans and that's reason enough to chuck in my two cents. Just because something terrible isn't happening to you isn't reason to ignore it happening to anyone else. I'm reminded of the terribly moving and poignant quote by Niemoller, a German Pastor and anti-Nazi campaigner about the atrocities happening during WWII:
"First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Trade Unionist.Now these were the days long before social media; and the ability to reach huge amounts of people was much more difficult than a Tweet or a 'like'. Now that we have these tools at our disposal. Why aren't we making more of a stink? The fact that the Olympics are being held in Russia is a disgrace. It flies in the face of what the Olympics actually represent. The ability for athletes from around the globe to compete internationally with each other on an even playing field. But how even is it when people on the streets of Russia are hunted daily for their sexuality? How are the gay athletes feeling right now? Are they more fearful? Are they angry? Surely they are impacted in some way by the extreme prejudice that flows through the veins of the poisonous country. We lie to these athletes and tell them anything is possible. Anything but freedom in the city where they themselves are competing. How is that fair? And what does that tell the LGBT community of Russia? It certainly doesn't tell them that we support them.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me." (Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller)
Although this isn't the first time that the games have been held in a country with a questionable human rights record. Consider the Beijing Olympics, dubbed "The Genocide Olympics" for their support and continued armament of Sudan. I remember more noise being made about those games and I want to see at least the same fuss being raised about Russia.
I was so humbled by Google changing their doodle to the rainbow flag, and the German athletes, whether intentional or not all kitted out in a myriad of colors. Stephen Fry has made his views heard and has taken to the streets, but Clare Balding is still attending as commentator which I really can't understand. It's like the Olympics shined a big, bright terrible light on Russia's discriminatory laws and behaviors and then once we'd all examined them we've decided to ignore the problem, or at least deal with it at a later, more convenient time.
We can't feign ignorance any more. Even the UN Secretary General is skirting around the issue. He says about gay athletes participating in the Olympics: “I appreciate the assurances of President Putin that there will be no discrimination and that people with different sexual orientation are welcome to compete and enjoy this Olympic Games.” (Ban Ki-Moon)
But what happens after the Olympics? When Russia no longer needs to behave itself? What then? It's just not good enough. We have to demand that more happens, and that it happens quickly. Not when it's convenient for the international community. Russia's local community is under attack now. Watch this program on Channel 4 if you need further convincing: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/videos/all/hunted and please turn off the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Of course, it isn't just Russia but Russia's a good place to start.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Dv9uLRLJs&feature=share
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