I had a wonderful tour of Russia last summer. The land brims with energy and yes, beauty. It is also a very scary place.
ESPN Online has a comprehensive story today on LGBT laws in Russia, many of which predate the Olympics. The rule of law here is at least designed to protect everyone, citizens and visitors alike. Assuming there is not an attack of any sort, this will still remain as the Olympics where a discreet group was in effect told not to compete. I do wish that gay former Olympians would come forward and bespeak the obvious…this is hurtful, unnecessary and more akin to the 19th than the 20th Century.
As a side note, I did carry away a great joke from the vacation. Putin is asleep and is visited by Stalin. Stalin advises him to divide the Duma (their legislature) into three groups. The first group Putin should take out into a field and shoot. The second, he should put on a train to Siberia, and the third he should force to paint the Kremlin blue. Putin looks askance at his ghostly mentor, and with conviction, asks: “Why should I have the Kremlin painted blue?”
“Ha!” says Stalin. “I knew you’d only ask me about the last part.”