47,000 people, George Takei sign petition to move Sochi Olympics to Vancouver

[SunSeeker]

Source: GlobalNews.ca

An online petition to move the upcoming Winter Olympics from Sochi, Russia to Vancouver is gathering steam. 47,000 people have signed the petition so far, a dramatic increase from 6,000 signatures on Monday.

Russia is facing growing international pressure over the country’s “gay propaganda” laws.

The Russian Sport Minister has said the country intends to enforce its laws against visiting LGBT athletes, trainers and fans.

The petition, started by the organization ‘Equality for All,’ is pitching Vancouver as the ideal place to move the Games.

It points out Vancouver successfully held the games in 2010 and the facilities are already in place.




Read more: http://globalnews.ca/news/767168/47000-people-george-takei-sign-petition-to-move-sochi-olympics-to-vancouver/

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As of the time of this post, there are now over 72,000 signatures. The link for the petition: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/international-olympic-committee-ioc-relocate-the-2014-winter-games-to-vancouver-2

[jakeXT]

1. What ?

[SunSeeker]

3. LOL

[davidpdx]

2. I will gladly sign it

But I'm doubtful a boycott will work.

The way I see it there are a few choices:

1) Russia changes their laws (and we know they will change them back right after the Olympics)

2) The Olympic Committee changes the site (doubtful)

3) The steam mounts for a full scale boycott (through the US team skipping the Olympics and/or a boycott of sponsors). Not allowing the athletes to go would be a shame and would open it up for a counter-boycott the next time the US holds the Olympics (1980 and 1984 come to mind).

Really none of the choices are perfect.

I think George needs to put his name a petition on the whitehouse.gov site as well.

[SunSeeker]

6. A boycott is cruel to the athletes. Moving it is the best option.

I think...ok...I hope that if enough pressure is put on the IOC, they will move it to Vancouver, which is ready to go. And Canadians would finally get a return on their construction investment. I notice there are a lot of Canadian signatures on the Petition.

Good suggestion about George going to Whitehouse.gov. He was on Lawrence O'Donnell tonight talking about the petition. George talked about how a boycott is cruel to the athletes, plus it would still leave the Olympics in Russia, thus legitimizing Putin. He pointed out that the 1936 Olympics in Germany helped legitimize Hitler as a world leader.

[dipsydoodle]

8. " I notice there are a lot of Canadian signatures on the Petition "

which conveys self interest in the subject.

Move it by all means but to Turin in Italy for example or anywhere suitable on the European side of the Atlantic.

If you look back the winter Olympics the venue alternates across the Atlantic anyway and Vancouver is hardly local to Europe and the European side of Asia.

[SunSeeker]

35. Turin does not have freshly built modern stadiums.

I don't know where else you could move the winter Olympics on such short notice. Of course the Canadians are self-interested. But they also genuinely welcome LGBT.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

45. How about Lillehammer?

I don't know if their facilities are still available or capable, but "Lillehammer" is just a cool name!

And, the Norwegians seem pretty laid-back about most things.

[tammywammy]

62. Turin held the winter Olympics in 2006. Do the facilities need to be more modern than that?

[SunSeeker]

63. They'd need some sprucing up and Italy is in bad financial shape. nt

[davidpdx]

9. I agree

Those people have trained for years and in some cases their entire lives for the chance to compete.

Yes, given how much Canada and Vancouver had to put out for the last Winter Olympics it would be a financial boom for the city and the country. How profitable the Olympics are is a questionable matter. If they could pull off hosting two in a row it would be a coup of sorts.

I'm sure they would have to spend some money for maintenance and repair, but it shouldn't be much after only three years.

[Ash_F]

4. Russia is regressing as the world moves forward.

Putin is a right wing leader leading a right wing party. It is leading them to ruin in every way possible. Socially, economically ect.

[jakeXT]

5. The population needs some education

What are Russians’ attitudes towards homosexuality?

According to a May survey conducted by Levada Center, only 21 percent of Russians believe that homosexuality is a sexual orientation people are born with. Forty five percent believe that it is a result of “being subjected to perversion or loose personal morals”, with 20 more believing that it is both a result of circumstances and nature. More than half of Russians believe that homosexuality should be either punished by law (13 percent) or treated medically (38 percent). According to a survey conducted shortly after the gay propaganda law was passed by Levada, 76 percent of Russians support it.

http://rt.com/news/russia-gay-law-myths-951/

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. etc.

[Myrina]

26. He'd fit right in with the majority segment of the House of Representatives, dontcha think?

Kinda hard for us to call him a right wing asshole when the US is overflowing with them, and they're hell bent on ruining this country too.

[skepticscott]

7. Has anyone even asked Vancouver if they want to do this?

It's pretty presumptuous to just assume that they'd take on such a huge job out of the blue. It's an enormous disruption to a city that may already have a lot of other things scheduled, as well as a huge investment of time and work that they may not care to make again. Even if they were willing, is it really realistic to expect them to do everything in six months?

[Earth_First]

14. I'm with you...

The impact that hosting the Olympics takes tremendous effort and financial toll on a host city.

It's not feasible.

[davidpdx]

55. Good question

It would be a very tight timeline to try to pull that off. They would need to know pretty soon, which in turn means the IOC would have to make the decision soon. Their lack of willingness to change the venue and slow response will probably mean it won't happen.

Now had they had a year, I think it would be a strong possibility.

If it were possible timewise, my guess is they would want to do it. Considering they would't have to build the venues that alone lowers the price tag. It would take a hell of a lot of organizing and hiring quickly to get things up and going.

[hughee99]

64. What does it matter, they'll never actually do it.

It's WAY too late to relocate the olympics on the fly.

[skepticscott]

65. Of course it is

But if I were from Vancouver, I'd be inclined to say "who the fuck gave you the right to even mention our name as if we might be interested?"

[hughee99]

66. Maybe, I don't know.

If I was from Vancouver, I probably wouldn't have an issue with my city being associated with the "right" side of the issue, especially knowing we won't be under any obligation to actually do anything.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. If the IOC doesn't move it, then the athletes should go and speak out if they want.

Moving the Winter Olympics is fine. Boycotting it is not. That would only punish the athletes.

Far more effective than a boycott would be athletes and spectators speaking out against the Russian thought-crime legislation.

Russians are ignorant and need to be educated on this issue. The law is designed to maintain their ignorance.

[dipsydoodle]

12. "maintain their ignorance"

Maybe easier said than done. The vote in the Duma was c. 240 for and only one against which is said to be reflection of approx. 75% Russia's pop. of 143 million being homophobic i.e the politicians wanted to keep the seats given to them by their electorate.

[another_liberal]

13. There are, of course, no homophobic people in Canada.

Everyone knows that:

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. Fail. That's British.

Yes, there are homophobes in every nation including Canada, but using British comedy doesn't prove anything.

[another_liberal]

40. OMG! And I thought the Monty Python players were all Chinese!

It is a British comedy sketch about Canadian stereotypes.

Don't you think, or don't you?

[Elmergantry]

15. If we were to boycott every Olympics

where the host country had policies we didnt like, then the only place left to have them would be Antartica.

[SunSeeker]

38. There has to be some minimum standard, don't you think?

You know, like insisting the country not make athletes subject to arrest for expressing pride in who they are. This is not some "there's two sides to this" mere disagreement.

[Posteritatis]

49. There's "policies we don't like" and there's "effectively legislating new pogroms." (nt)

[Renew Deal]

16. I support the cause but

That's never going to happen.

[no_hypocrisy]

17. GOP Dilemma

I believe that they'd be delighted to move the Olympics out of Russia, preferably to the U.S. where one of their cronies can financially benefit from the event. But they would be loathe to justify their position because of Russian gay rights persecution as they kinda agree with it. I expect someone in the House to make a statement that Obama didn't go far enough by refusing to meet with Putin. And therefore, Obama should have this country boycott the Olympics if it can't be moved solely based on Edward Snowden. Same result, "Right" reason.

[AngryAmish]

18. Just cancel the whole damn thing

It is one huge graft fest and gives royalty and autocrats a stage on which to seem legitimate.

Plus it screws up hockey season.

[Myrina]

27. ^^ this ^^

I was looking forward to a complete NHL season this year.

Olympians, IMHO, should be amateur athletes.
It's ridiculous to have millionaire NHL and NBA players acting like they give a shit about a medal.

[bluedigger]

20. Signed and over 81,000 now.

Pretty good work for the night shift.

[blackspade]

21. Definately a worthwhile attempt.

+1000

[tuvor]

22. And people are signing this petition with a straight face?

No pun intended, but it should be obvious that the idea is completely unrealistic. Some stupid people are setting themselves up for disappointment.

[bluedigger]

28. I doubt anybody expects any results.

It's sending a message. Continue sitting on your hands.

[dipsydoodle]

31. Notwithstanding this particular issue

Change.org are a profit based outfit registered in Delaware. Once you're on their database expect one or two a week.

[dbackjon]

33. So protesting LGBT discrimination is stupid?

[another_liberal]

43. Why not go to the Olympics in Russia and protest there?

That is where people need to be influenced to change. It was LGBT people getting out in the streets that caused attitudes to begin to change in the United States, right? A boycott of Russia's Olympics may only harden resentment toward the Russian gay community and set back the advance of equal rights for LGBT people there.

[arely staircase]

46. people do. and it isn't pretty

As many celebrated gay pride across the world, a peaceful protest for gay rights in Russia descended into violence as anti-gay protesters threw eggs, smoke flares and stones at the group of around 100 activists.

Police detained several people from both sides amid clashes in St Petersburg, according to a state-run news agency.

It comes two weeks after the parliament passed a bill banning what they label homosexual 'propaganda'.

[another_liberal]

50. Looks to me like the fools who attacked the gay rights demonstraters were arrested.

Perhaps the Russian authorities should have intervened more quickly, but the fact that they did intervene is fairly clear from your video.

Perhaps it's necessary to show Russian people gays want equal rights badly enough to take the abuse of those ignorant homophobes. Once they see that, most Russians will begin to understand. I really doubt if your movement carrying out a retreat to the safety of British Columbia is going to achieve very much for Russian gays.

[arely staircase]

57. I am not sure what point you are trying to make

Gays don't really have it that bad in Russia? That is what it seems like you are trying to say. You realize what these people were protesting when they were attacked, right?

[another_liberal]

58. I do realize LGBT people face discrimination . . .

I do realize LGBT people face discrimination in Russia, as they do in many other countries, including our own. What I do not believe is that such discrimination is officially orchestrated or even condoned by Russia's governing authorities. Yes, there are Duma members who have managed to pass a discriminatory law against gay people, but the Russian Duma is not as important as one might think. It is not even as powerful as the various State legislatures in this country. Russian authorities take their orders from the Kremlin, that means President Putin. I have yet to see anything from him suggesting that gay-bashing has become official policy.

The video (above) showing a confrontation between Russian homophobes and LGBT demonstrators is a case in point. When the police get involved, they can be seen separating the groups and hauling off the attackers, not those who were attacked.

As to my overall point: I am just suggesting that it may take a willingness to suffer abuse at the hands of these thugs for gay people in Russia to finally gain their rights. After all, that is what it took for Blacks and gay people to gain even a semblance of equal rights in this country.

[LanternWaste]

60. A law banning on "propaganda of nontraditional sexual orientation” is neither official nor discrimin

What I do not believe is that such discrimination is officially orchestrated or even condoned by Russia's governing authorities...."

A law banning on "propaganda of nontraditional sexual orientation” is neither official nor discrimination?

[another_liberal]

61. Such a law has to be inforced by the Russian authorities.

Those authorities take their orders from the Kremlin, which means President Putin. I would not place too much weight on that law being enforced when doing so will embarrass Putin and wreck his Olympics. In the real World of Russian politics, the Duma is largely powerless to force the Russian President to do anything he chooses not to, and sad will be any minor official who opposes him.

It's a little like the stand-off between Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall and President Andrew Jackson over the "Indian Removal Act." When Marshall found that the Cherokee people had the right, as a sovereign nation, to remain on their lands in Georgia and South Carolina, Jackson is said to have replied, "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it." What followed is know today as The Trail of Tears.

[Amonester]

23. Signed. Thanks!

But now I Wonder how much more spam I will get from signing it...

Of course nothing will come out of it, as usual.

[SunSeeker]

37. Thanks. If you uncheck the further communications boxes you should be ok.

I always uncheck them, including the one about showing your signature. All I get then is one confirming email that I signed the petition.

[CanonRay]

24. Best way to snub the Russian Winter Olympics: Don't watch

Make them the worst rated games ever. It won't hurt the athletes a bit. No way the IOC are moving those games at this late date, so what else can be done. If I was a gay athlete, I would seriously consider not attending.

[davidpdx]

52. That's probably true

To do all this on six months notice is going to be difficult.

I don't think a boycott of watching the Olympics will take on.

At this late in the game I'm not sure if there is any option that is halfway decent (besides kicking Putin in the balls).

[dgibby]

25. Signed!

Thanks for posting.

[warrior1]

29. done

[skepticscott]

30. Show of hands

How many people who signed this petition know for a fact that the city and citizens of Vancouver are willing to take this on? For those who don't know, how would you justify imposing this burden on them?

[The empressof all]

32. Nice gesture but it won't happen besides

The Russians regressive attitudes will be discussed at length in between events by the networks and bring greater attention to their bigotry in the long run. At least I hope so. Russia is going to have a PR nightmare on their hands and it will last for the entire games.

[B Stieg]

34. Just signed. Up to 87,000 now.

[Evasporque]

36. I say don't watch the opening ceremonies..pressure advertisers to pull out.

Advertisers need to pull out of ads for opening ceremonies. This will HURT Russian Government if ads and sponsors pullout broadcasters will show something else.

Then spam all of Russian online coverage with LGBT "propaganda" in the comments and other social media, sponsors etc..

But still watch our athletes compete....if they do.

[davidpdx]

53. That might be the key

But it will not be easy getting Coke, Nike, etc to give up advertising.

[Fearless]

39. 90278!

[Arkana]

41. Er, Vancouver already had the games last...how about Boston?

Yeah, that's the ticket!

[another_liberal]

42. If they do succeed in getting the Winter Olympics moved to British Columbia . . .

I suggest all of the petition signers who go to attend should be sure and also visit the vast and scenic Tar Sands mining complex in neighboring Alberta. While there they can take a refreshing dip in one of the multi-thousand acre toxic waste lakes currently being retained behind fairly stable earthen dams. Be sure to wear shoes, though, those skeletons of poisoned wildlife can have some sharp bones.

Isn't Canada just a simply wonderful place!

[Tarheel_Dem]

44. Closing in on 100k.

[underpants]

47. Sorry but the IOC responds to only 3 things- money, cocaine, and hookers - ask Mitt Romney

[davidpdx]

54. Interesting combination isn't it?

[dipsydoodle]

56. They also may have been more likely to respond

if those who requested the move had made it clear they would've actually attended the games in Russia and would also attend at an alternative venue.

Personally I think the IOC will view the request in context with those requesting the change as a % of the population of the earth and accordingly do nothing.

[big_dog]

48. heck move it to Minnesota!

they seem like really nice folks

[DeSwiss]

51. If they won't move it......

...we'll have our own.

- For the people who believe in equality: All. The. Time. And. For. Everyone.

K&R