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Comment by antimagic | Hacker News Reader

Yes, gay propaganda, like kissing your loved one in public. Or admitting that you find someone of the same sex "hot". I'm pretty sure gay athletes are not feeling like the big welcome mat has been rolled out for them at this year's Olympics, and Russia totally deserves to be publicly pilloried for it.

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I doubt that gay athletes are thinking about promoting homosexualism among kids in Russia, they have more interesting and important things to do on Olympics games. The only people who seem to be bothered so far are the media outlets looking for bold titles.

There are so many gays in Russia and I have several gays friends back there, and they live the same life as none gay people. There is NO law agains gays in Russia, the law is agains propaganda of homosexuality to kids, thats it. A lot of Russian artists and media hosts are gays and they never hide it and Russians don't really care about it as much as Western media does.

You'd be wrong, I suspect they are all deeply concerned about just what displays of public affection are considered acceptable at these Games. It's hardly fair to force them to have to face this distraction whilst they are trying to compete in a sporting event. Shame, Russia, shame.

I doubt that gay athletes are thinking about promoting homosexualism among kids in Russia,

Yeah, but we all know what this law actually involves, and it's disingenuous to claim otherwise.

The "anti-propoganda" law essentially bans gay pride events and public defence of gay rights. It was backed by a president who directly equated homosexuality and paedophillia. That's not a gay-friendly environment, by any stretch of the imagination.

This is good old-fashioned minority-hate-stirring, and it should be roundly condemned. That fact that there are no explicit laws banning homosexuality in Russia is nearly irrelevant.

your examples are pathetically absurd, what next, getting thrown in jail because you admire your next door neighbours body, because he goes to the gym while you stay inside all day?

Yes, they are pathetically absurd, we can agree on that. They are also illegal in Russia...

Cite some evidence to show that "saying someone is hot" is illegal in Russia.

Perhaps if you said it amongst some school kids...

We're talking about a country that put members of a rock group in jail for several years for "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" when they peacefully protested against Putin. I don't think it's unreasonable, bearing that in mind, to expect that a law banning "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" will be used to prosecute people engaging in public displays of same-sex affection. Unless you have some evidence that this has been specifically excluded in the law? I mean, I'd love to be wrong on this, but I'm pretty sure this is a law designed to force the gay community underground once again.

So instead of evidence, you've stated a case of a rock group who vandalised a church... Well that proves it then! Russia is obviously clearly a "baddie".

So you can't talk about homosexuality in a positive way to "minors" without being locked up. Well that sounds like quite a free society.

Should you talk to minors about S&M or pedophilia? Maybe teach them how to make bombs. Freedom of speech and everything!

Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. And the US is certainly not in a position to preach anything about freedom.

You are equating homosexuality to paedophilia and bomb making?

Should I mention I don't live in the U.S., btw? Would that negate my argument in any way?

notifying the public of atrocities committed by the military / government is also illegal, and gets you tried under espionage laws, really reeks of freedom doesn't it?...

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