The Obama administration expressed outrage at Kremlin plans to toughen laws against public displays of homosexual affection and punishment of, what the U.S. State Dept. calls, "gay rights." Russians believe the crackdown on homosexuality is necessary to curb its damaging effects on children and young adults, but American mainstream media blame a so-called homophobic Russian Orthodox Church for "legislating morality" and thus abetting the freedom-limiting, anti-human government of Vladimir Putin.
For background, read Russians Face Extinction from Abortion
For comparison with America's ObamaNation, read Obama's National Cathedral is the Seat of Apostasy and also read Obama Raises Gay Agenda above Religious Liberty as well as Religious Liberty & Anti-Christian Totalitarianism
-- From "'Propaganda' by Gays Faces Russian Curbs Amid Unrest" by David M. Herszenhorn, New York Times 1/25/13
. . . lawmakers voted 388-1 for the bill, which would make it a federal crime in Russia to distribute “homosexual propaganda,” with violations punishable by fines of up to $16,000. One lawmaker abstained. The bill must be approved by the lower house two more times before being sent to the upper chamber. Similar laws have been approved by a number of regions and municipalities, including St. Petersburg, where supporters of the restriction tried unsuccessfully to use it to bring charges against the pop star Madonna.
The overwhelming vote fits with a larger pattern in recent months of the Russian government drawing closer to the Russian Orthodox Church and favoring so-called traditional values over individual liberties or behavior perceived as representing more modern, Western influences. This has included the aggressive prosecution and conviction of members of the punk band Pussy Riot for a stunt in Moscow’s main cathedral, and legislation imposing new restrictions on the Internet in the name of protecting children from pornography.
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From "Police detain 20 as Russia’s Duma approves controversial anti-gay legislation" by The Associated Press 1/25/13
Russia decriminalized homosexuality in 1993, but homophobia remains high in the country. Authorities often ban gay rallies and parades.
Those behind the bill say minors need to be protected from “homosexual propaganda” because they are unable to evaluate the information critically.
Some lawmakers and public figures have accused gays of contributing to the fall in Russia’s already low birth rates, and have argued that they should be barred from government jobs, undergo forced medical treatment or be exiled.
According to opinion polls last year by the respected Levada Center, almost two thirds of Russians find homosexuality “morally unacceptable and worth condemning.” And about half were found to be against gay rallies and same-sex marriage, while almost a third thought homosexuality is the result of “a sickness or a psychological trauma.”
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From "Russian Gov’t and Orthodox Church Push Anti-Sodomy Propaganda Law to Protect Youth" by Mansur Mirovalev, Associated Press 1/28/13
The legislation being pushed by the Kremlin and the Russian Orthodox Church would make it illegal nationwide to provide minors with information that is defined as "propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexuality and transgenderism." It includes a ban on holding public events that promote gay rights. St. Petersburg and a number of other Russian cities already have similar laws on their books.
Other laws that the Kremlin says are intended to protect young Russians have been hastily adopted in recent months, including some that allow banning and blocking web content and print publications that are deemed "extremist" or unfit for young audiences.
Those behind the bill say minors need to be protected from "homosexual propaganda" because they are unable to evaluate the information critically. "This propaganda goes through the mass media and public events that propagate homosexuality as normal behavior," the bill reads.
Cities started adopting anti-gay laws in 2006. Only one person has been prosecuted so far under a law specifically targeted at gays: Nikolai Alexeyev, a gay rights campaigner, was fined the equivalent of $160 after a one-man protest last summer in St. Petersburg.
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From "Russian Duma gives first nod to nationwide ban on gay propaganda" posted at Russia Today RT-TV 1/25/13
The ban was submitted by deputies from the Novosibirsk Region in Siberia, who had earlier introduced similar local regulations. If approved, it would introduce heavy fines for the promotion of homosexuality among children. Those found guilty of the offence could be fined up to 5000 roubles (about $160), but the fines increase 10-fold for officials and 100-fold for companies.
The LGBT community has begun street protests against the bill in Moscow and in other Russian cities. They turned into violence several times as people who claim to be believers and defenders of traditional values attacked the gay activists.
The violence between gay activists and the people, who claim to be defenders of Orthodox Christianity, broke out again on Friday as MPs readied to hold the hearings into the bill. Over a dozen people from each side started shouting slogans “Moscow is not Sodom” and “Moscow is not Iran”, they then started smearing each other with paint and sprayed tear gas after which the police had to intervene breaking up the protest and detaining about 20 activists.
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