Jsin82: bubbaprog: Yeah, he didn't break the law, and not only that he openly said he wouldn't break the law (i.e. he wouldn't actually speak out against the anti-gay laws) for fear of being arrested for breaking it. That's not heroic.

Reading comprehension fail or DRTFA? He specifically said it WASN'T for fear of being arrested.

"I say this not out of fear of prosecution by the Russian government, but out of respect for the fact that I will be a guest in the host nation. Just as I would not accept a dinner invite to a friend's house and then lecture them on how to raise their kids, neither will I lecture the Russian government on how to govern their people "

Yeah, that's bullshiat.  Persecuting people for being different is less like raising your children and more like beating/abusing your children, and if I saw a host family doing that, I wouldn't stand for it (unless they were making noise in a movie or on a plane, then I'd join in).  I'd definitely speak up, and then I'd call CPS if that didn't work (I'm not a physical person, so I'd leave it to them).

In any event, however, as much as I believe his reason is BS, and he's just scared, I can't really blame him.  Sure, I'd like to say, "don't be a pussy, spit in Russia's face," except I'd never have the balls to do it myself if I was over there.  Russian jail is a scary prospect, no lie.

Confabulat: I sound fat: this is not persecuting as much as not allowing people to talk about gay rights matters around children.

But he was giving an interview to the media. Which will be shown on TV. Which will be watched by children.

The whole "children" thing is just a silly ruse to get rid of gays, but surely you know that. No one is that clueless.

I was going to say something similar, while pointing out that even if it wasn't, not being allowed to talk about being gay isn't different from persecution, it IS persecution, even if limited to the presence of children.  Moreover, I'd also point out that the law encompasses any support for gay rights or attempt to equate gay and heterosexual couples, not just discussions around children.

timujin: Jsin82: bubbaprog: Yeah, he didn't break the law, and not only that he openly said he wouldn't break the law (i.e. he wouldn't actually speak out against the anti-gay laws) for fear of being arrested for breaking it. That's not heroic.

Reading comprehension fail or DRTFA? He specifically said it WASN'T for fear of being arrested.

"I say this not out of fear of prosecution by the Russian government, but out of respect for the fact that I will be a guest in the host nation. Just as I would not accept a dinner invite to a friend's house and then lecture them on how to raise their kids, neither will I lecture the Russian government on how to govern their people "

There was also this tidbit, which does seem to indicate that fear of arrest is, at least partially, a factor:
"Whether you're gay, straight, black, white, we all deserve the same rights. If there's anything I can do to champion the cause and further it, I will, shy of getting arrested."

Not that I blame him, I wouldn't want to go to Russian jail.  I do have to wonder, though, if Russia would have the balls to send an American to jail if he or she stood on the podium and said, "I support gay rights and I think what the Russian government is doing is wrong."  Or, maybe, just stood there with their fist up in a salute of defiance while wearing pink (instead of, say, black) gloves.

You know they would. Russia is gaining huge political capital/street cred for standing up the US on various issues.  The cherry on top, of course, is the law only jails foreigners for 15 days, so Russia can get the street cred for enforcing its new toy law, while avoiding the possibility of any drawn out diplomatic conflict because the foreigner will be sent home and no one is really going to push things too far over 2 weeks when they know 100% that a (relatively) happy ending will occur anyway.