Religious right leader backs Russian crackdown on gay rights

[ProSense]

Religious right leader backs Russian crackdown on gay rights

By Steve Benen

The crackdown on gay rights on Russia is stunning in its scope, and offers a reminder that Russia "remains a country where discrimination and even violence against gay people are widely tolerated." But while much of the West has condemned Vladimir Putin's new efforts, the offensive is not without American backers.

Voice of Russia is the government's official international radio broadcasting service, and last week, it ran a report touting comments from the American Family Association's Bryan Fischer, a prominent leader of the religious right movement here in the U.S., who spoke to VOR at some length.

"Russia is not being homophobic, it's homorealistic -- the Russian government is trying to take the issue into consideration and establish public policy to contribute to public health, as this lifestyle is not be promoted, endorsed or granted special legal protection", the expert said, warning of high health risks linked to this lifestyle.

He cites the Center for Disease Control that has monitored the HIV epidemic since 1987 and determined that 61% of HIV-positive males had sexual contacts with other males. "Homosexual behavior is just as risky as drug abuse," Fischer said.

"I think the Russian government is right to be concerned with propaganda on teenagers who are at the age of struggling through sexual identity issue and we should help to channel these urges in productive behavior. Heterosexuality is God's design. Policies that encourage young people to think this are good ideas."

<...>

Note, Fischer's not the only one in the U.S. cheering Russia on. As we talked about a while back, the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute said it "admires" Russia's anti-gay moves; Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality lauded Russia for rejecting "America's reckless and decadent promotion of gender confusion"; and the Illinois-based World Congress of Families has scheduled its 2014 conference for the Kremlin...then, of course, there's evangelical activist Scott Lively...sounds familiar, it's probably because of his work in Uganda, where he brags he is known as the "father" of the anti-gay movements. When Uganda took up a "Kill the Gays" bill, proponents said it arose out of an anti-gay conference that Lively headlined in 2009. Earlier this year, the Washington Post reported that Lively has spent the last decade working "systematically to strip away human rights protections from LGBT people" around the world, becoming "a kind of persecution consultant, strategizing with influential leaders and cohorts in other countries about ways to further silence and remove LGBT people from basic protections of the law."

And wouldn't you know it, Lively conducted a 50-city speaking tour of Russia in 2007, where he recommended the very measures Russia is now pursuing. From an AP report last year:

"Russia could become a model pro-family society," he wrote. "If this were to occur, I believe people from the West would begin to emigrate to Russia in the same way that Russians used to emigrate to the United States and Europe." <...>

"Russians, even after glasnost, are comfortable with an authoritarian style," he said. "That wouldn't work in the United States."

- more -

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/08/12/19989091-religious-right-leader-backs-russian-crackdown-on-gay-rights

[Deep13]

1. scapegoat of the hour. nt

[ProSense]

3. What does that mean? n/t

[Deep13]

9. It means that authoritarian regimes always exploit...

...people's fear of "the other," people within society that don't quite fit the popular definition of what it means to be--in the case--a true Russia. Eventually, most people will be convinced that the minority they fear poses an immediate threat to their society. They will then become complicit in the segregation, oppression, deportation, or outright mass murder of that minority group. It the past it was Jews. Today it is gay people. An authoritarian state needs an out-group against which to define itself. In the USA the out-groups tend to be black men and Spanish-speakers. In the past, it was the native population.

[ProSense]

11. Thanks. I find it disturbing

that as this country is making progress on LGBT rights, these hateful assholes decide to export their hate.

Kerry Announces U.S. Will Treat Visa Applications From Same-Sex Spouses Equally
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023393565

[Pab Sungenis]

2. Yes, but

according to some on here, objecting to this is "playing a revolting little political game."

This also works better in the United States than the writer would like to admit.

[LostOne4Ever]

4. The religious right has always had more in common with Soviet Russia

Than they ever did with the principles this country was founded on.

Bigots of a feather.

[arely staircase]

5. the first to stand for human rights

[bunnies]

6. Fantastic.

I'd love every single one of these fucking bigots to move there right away. Emigrate away you hateful backwoods fuckwits. Good riddance.

[OneGrassRoot]

7. What are they so afraid of?!!!

I firmly believe their hate is steeped in fear, but I don't understand what they're so afraid of.

[maddezmom]

8. Hateful pigs

[ProSense]

18. You're being too kind. n/t

[damyank913]

10. Oh if only it could be so...

..."I believe people from the West would begin to emigrate to Russia...". It inspires thoughts of the John Lennon classic "Imagine" to think the fanatics would emigrate to Russia.

[justiceischeap]

12. The Christian Right is an export industry unto itself

It exports its "special" brand of homophobia to foreign countries via missionaries. They were a big influence with the "Kill the Gays" bill in Africa. If the religious right(wrong) had its way in the US, they'd institute a "kill the gays" bill right at home.

[KamaAina]

13. Does this mean Bryan Fischer is moving to Russia?

Please?

[Mojo Electro]

14. "homorealistic"

Dafuq?

[Scurrilous]

15. Kick

[DevonRex]

16. It's atrocious.

It is so very dangerous for gays, liberals and any dissenters in Russia. But LGBTs are being hunted, lured out of their homes to be beaten up, then left for the police to pick up and put in jail already in bad shape. They won't receive medical care for their injuries. In fact, they'll be lucky if they're not beaten again.

[Flo Mingo]

17. Is this a new non-profit?

Douche bags without borders.

[RedCappedBandit]

19. What a freakin' moron. nt

[hrmjustin]

20. What hateful people!!!