In my inbox just now from Change.org:
Right now the Winter Olympics are taking place in Sochi, Russia. This is despite criticism from around the world for Russia's new anti-gay lawsand the crackdown taking place on LGBT people in Russia.
Last year a petition highlighted the blatant infringement of both LGBTQ and human rights, and requested that the Olympics Committee relocate the games to show Vladimir Putin that his actions were reprehensible. Although in excess of 150,00 signatures were added within just a few days, sadly the International Olympic Committee was unable to act due to time limitations.
But we have four years until FIFA plan to bring the football World Cup to Russia. There is time to stop this.
Soccer fields and stadiums have long been a boiling pot of homophobic and racial tensions. Both the FA here in the UK and UEFA are beginning to tackle this problem. It is time they add full support to all of our causes and take a stand for LGBT rights around the world.
FIFA must act now. The decision of where to hold the World Cup will affect millions of people across the globe, we hope its choices are ones that will improve lives and not support oppression.
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Hugh. What about africas anti gay laws ? http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/18/nigerians-gay-hatred-s...
As Michael points out, we can all list hundreds of human rights abuses, but even if there were only one more, it doesn't excuse this one or mean that you shouldn't oppose it. Just judge the case on its merits and decide if you agree with opposing it.
Ok that'll be that then - thanks
The world cup is in Qatar in 2022, and homosexuality is illegal there. That's the one they really should be campaigning against.
I'm sure they'll get to it - one bastion at a time.
I guess the message that the campaigners could take from this thread is that they're not supported and should be focussing on other world problems or more other countries. I imagine charities like Oxfam must suffer similar criticism, do you think?
Hugh* Just because i 'question' a cause doesn't mean i don't 'support' it. If a cause fires you up because you are personally affected then your stance will be more forceful than if not. Every single person in the whole world has a different set of priorities. (polite post)
Of course, my post was a summary, not a criticism.
Okay, the original post on this thread didn't seem to go down so well with some folk. Perhaps a new related campaign might do better? This version ask the Olympics Committee to amend the rules so that the Games can’t be held in countries where laws violate international human rights standards.
A bit sweeping that, although the new campaign is obviously driven by concerns about anti-gay laws.
It would be difficult to find a country that didn't infringe " international human rights standards " in some way or other.
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