One of Russia's
Leading Anti-Gay Figures Changes his Mind (Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland)
"As was to
be expected, last week's U.S. Supreme Court decision on gay marriage enraged
those who fear that along with a right to same-sex marriage would come an end
to the White man's civilization - if not the world as such. … So the surprise
was all the greater when Dmitry Kiselyov, one of the
most zealous Russian propagandists, concluded that, 'the LGBT
community is a fact, and we should figure out ways to make life easier for
adults who want to take upon themselves - even formally on official documents -
the duty of caring for another person.' … 'Love, in the end, makes miracles.
Who can be against that?' Kiselov said. This from a
man who only three years ago said, 'Gays should be forbidden from donating
blood or organs after car accidents, and their hearts should be burnt or buried
in dirt.'"
Dmitry Kiselyov, the most zealous of Russian propagandists, said
on television not long ago that homosexuals should be forbidden to donate blood
and that [after car accidents rather than having theit
organs donated to science] their hearts should be 'burned or buried in the
dirt.' After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling recognizing same-sex marriage, Kiselyov suddenly changed mind.
As was to be expected, last week's U.S. Supreme Court
decision on gay marriage enraged those who fear that along with a right to
same-sex marriage would come an end to the White man's civilization - if not
the world as such. Now that such predictions have not materialized and
thunderbolts have not suddenly appeared in the sky, they have begun hurling
thunderbolts themselves. The fighting has swept the Internet as well as media
and politics. In the United States, Texas Pastor Rick Scarborough announced he would set himself on fire if gays were permitted to marry
(he has yet to fulfill his threat/promise). After the ruling in the
conservative states of the South and Midwest, appeals to amend the Constitution
immediately began to appear. Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz called for a
constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage.
In Poland on the other hand, [Catholic magazine] Fronda condemned the
"infamous ruling of the U.S. court" and, perhaps out of frustration
over the flood of rainbow-inspired images on Facebook, began tracking/stalking
celebrities who support gay unions.
LOVE
MAKES MIRACLES
Equally predictable was the reaction in Russia, where in
2013 State Duma [parliament] adopted a bill to
"Prohibit gay propaganda." Seventy four percent of the population
opposes gay unions and 35 percent consider such a sexual orientation to be a
disease or a result of psychological trauma.
For Putin's Russia, Conchita Wurst is a Tool Like No Other (Le Figaro, France)
And as expected, the [Russian] Orthodox Church, hewing close
to the feelings of ordinary Russians, did not disappoint. In an interview Russia's Interfax News Agency, Vsevolod Chaplin, head of
the Synodal Department for the Cooperation of Church
and Society, called the American verdict "Godless
and sinful."
Similar reactions were expected in Russian media, which
recently has begun depicting Russia as the bedrock of "traditional
values" and the West as a nest of moral decay promoting a variety of
deviant behavior.
So the surprise was all the greater when Dmitry Kiselyov, who anchors a Sunday evening current affairs
program on state TV channel Rossiya and is one of the most zealous Russian propagandists
concluded that, "the LGBT community is a fact,
and we should figure out ways to make life easier for adults who want to take
upon themselves - even formally on official documents - the duty of caring for
another person."
"Love, in the end, makes miracles. Who can be against
that?" Kiselov said.
His words are all the more surprising since as recently as
2012 [see video below] he said that, "gays should be forbidden from donating
blood or organs after car accidents, and their hearts should be burnt or buried
in dirt."
And Kiselov isn't the only figure
in Russian public life who has expressed opinions contrary to the official
government line. On Wednesday, Konstantin Dobrynin,
Vice-chairman of the Federation Council Constitutional Legislation Committee
wrote on the Echo of Moscow Web site
that "Russia should not turn away from reality of and conflict over
homosexuals, but find a legal way to strike a balance between the conservative
part of society and the rest of it."
Gays in Russia beaten,
kidnapped, humiliated
Based on detailed descriptions submitted by LGBT representatives in 16 Russian cities, last year's
report from Human Rights Watch states that gays in Russia are beaten, abducted,
humiliated and insulted in attacks that varied widely in nature. Some took
place as part of organized actions by anti-gay activists, and others which were
the spontaneous reactions of passers-by, passengers on public transportation or
of nightclub revelers. The authors of the report, cited by the Polish Press Agency, point out that
attacks on people of non-traditional sexual orientation are becoming more
frequent in Russia, and that in many cases police and the justice system do not
respond to the harassment and assaults against gays, since taking such action
would be inconsistent with the views of most Russians.
