 |
| Pussy Riot member - and Canadian permanent resident -
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova in Moscow court
|
Tuesday August 21, 2012
By Bill Tieleman
"Russian authorities will stop at no end to suppress dissent and stifle civil society."
-
Amnesty International
What
kind of backwater repressive dictatorship would ban gay pride parades for
the next 100 years, throw peaceful protestors in jail for two years hard labour
and call a prominent music star a "whore"
for daring to speak out against it?
Welcome
to President Vladimir Putin's Russia, which has democratic pretensions but is
clearly an intolerant, homophobic regime for many of its citizens.
The
pre-trial jailing of three members of punk band "Pussy Riot" for
protesting against Putin in Moscow's main Orthodox cathedral was outrageous
enough.
But
now the three women -- two of them mothers of young children -- are sentenced
to two years hard labour in a penal colony!
Pussy
Riot's terrible crime? They jumped on a church stage wearing colourful
balaclavas to deliver a punk prayer chanting "Holy Mother, Drive Putin
Away" during February's presidential election. You can watch it here.
Not
to be outdone, another Moscow court this month upheld that city's ban on any
Pride parades by gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered citizens for a
century.
Moscow's
former mayor Yuri Luzhkov said he introduced the ban to prevent violent
reactions against Pride and calls homosexuals "satanic."
Luzhkov was fired in 2010 by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev but the
law remains.
And
given that deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin called music star Madonna a
"whore" on Twitter after she had Pussy Riot's name stenciled on her
back during her Moscow concert this month
and called for their freedom, don't expect much to change anytime soon.
In
fact, Madonna is being sued for $10 million by Russian anti-gay
activists for denouncing a city law in St. Petersburg that bans
spreading "homosexual propaganda," whatever that is.
"Maybe
someone does not see the link but after Madonna's concert maybe some boy
becomes gay, some girl becomes lesbian, fewer children are born as a result and
this big country cannot defend its borders -- for me it causes moral
suffering," claimed Alexei Kolotkov, one of those suing Madonna in an
action that stretches credulity well beyond the breaking point.
No
word yet on how many concert converts to homosexuality resulted from the
Material Girl's St. Petersburg gig.
Pussy
Riot member's Canadian link
One
of the jailed Pussy Riot band members is Nadezhda
Tolokonnikova, 22, who holds a permanent Canadian residency card and
an Ontario health card.
But
that hasn't made a difference in Canada's pathetic response to the show trial,
which to date consists of stating that: "The promotion of Canadian values
including freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, features
prominently in our ongoing dialogue with the Russian authorities."
More
important, of course, is about $3 billion in trade between Canada and Russia.
So
as Pussy Riot members sat in jail, Conservative International Trade Minister Ed Fast, MP for Abbotsford, led a trade mission
to Russia in June, calling it "a priority
market."
Fast
should read the verdict pronounced by Moscow judge Marina Syrova, in which she
describes Tolokonnikiova, and fellow Pussy Riot prisoners Maria Alekhina and
Ekaterina Samutsevich as posing a danger to
society for committing "grave crimes" including "the
insult and humiliation of the Christian faith and inciting religious
hatred."
Syrova
claimed there was evidence the women had "psychological disorders"
and denounced them for espousing feminism, though she noted that:
"belonging to feminism in the Russian Federation is not a legal violation
or a crime."
Not
yet and how fortunate for Pussy Riot and others -- but stay tuned, it could be
illegal soon!
Take
action
Of
course, such repressive moves should be no surprise.
Russia
has also joined with the dictators of China to stop any meaningful international
intervention to end the massacre of the Syrian people by President
Bashar al-Assad, an infinitely more serious situation.
So
what can we do here? Support online campaigns to free Pussy Riot and overturn
homophobic laws in Russia.
Groups
like Amnesty
International and All Out
are campaigning for human rights in Russia.
Think
hard about spending your tourist dollars travelling to Russia.
And
consider buying vodka from other countries, where basic human rights aren't so
hard to swallow.
17 comments:
I recommend Luksusowa from Poland, which is ACTUALLY made (still) from actual "pomme de terre."
Perhaps Harper should consider talking to his buddies the Chinese and Mr. Putin to see if we could form an alliance with them, rather than just turning into a Chinese colony!
They make some very good vodka's in Canada. There is an excellent one being made in Maui I personally always like to buy Canadian.
Don't expect Harper or his slimers to do anything on behalf of the Canadian resident. They don't do much of anything for any Canadian in trouble in other countries. In this case he won't do anything because I have a feeling if stevie slime could implement putin's laws here in Canada he would. We have already seen some of it with efforts in Toronto during the G20 meetings.
Na, harper would prefer the colony. we could then be treated as those who live in tibet or some russian areas.
It's sad to see the lack of action by our present great leader. One of those women has Canadian paper and it should be his job to get her and hopefully the others out of the can. He is rather busy telling us about how much money somebody can make by getting the northern resources hauled off to China. Leader ship is lacking
Leadership isn't lacking for corporate Canada. Harper is all over that like white on Rice.
Harper doesn't care about the people right here in Canada, let alone a Canadian held in Russia. Our Democracy is being eroded. Our Civil Rights and Liberties, have been taken away from us. Our Human Rights are being trampled on. They are even trying to take our, Freedom of Speech from us too.
The last country's you want to go to are, Communist China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and most of the Arab country's are iffy.
Harper has more than a few lawsuits against him.
Harper has a country full of angry citizens. The waste and foolish spending of our tax dollars.Giving billions of our tax dollars to, the wealthiest corporations in the world.
The number of the robo-call cheats have doubled. Harper is desperately trying to stop that investigation. Same with the election riding disputes.
At every meeting of Nations, Harper always manages to, anger and insult every country present.There are country's taking a dim view of, Harper's close relationship with China.
This post reminded me. Just the other day I said to my son..Harper reminds me of Putin and Hu Jintao.
Good post Bill.
Canada is not that far removed from Russian ideals, or China's for that matter. Canada is very close to a dictatorship country too.
Dictatorship country's people, have no human rights. Dictators are sociopaths, they come first. They will lie, deceive, are horribly corrupt, controlling, paranoid, they thieve from the people. They use dirty tactics and dirty politics. I believe Hitler, even made a law, there were no other political party's permitted in Germany. Do I think Harper would do the same? You bet I do. All dictators have the same typo personalities. So do sociopaths.
Time for a little more effort on the research side of things.
Have a read: http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/?p=54943
. I believe Hitler, even made a law, there were no other political party's permitted in Germany. Do I think Harper would do the same? You bet I do. All dictators have the same typo personalities. So do sociopaths.
Bill let's cut the crap about comparing Harper with Hitler. The above poster obviously doesn't know what he's writing about.
This poster needs to be reminded that Canada is not within a dictatorship.
Would the same be held true if the NDP won the last election? Would that be a dictatorship? Would the leader of the NDP at that time be considered a dictator Prime Minister? I doubt that.
Consider the next election. The NDP wins that election and Adrian Dix becomes Premier. Is he not at that time a dictator?
So to the poster Anonymous August 23, 1:34 PM.
Cut the crap and learn.
I'm not too sure just what Harper is turning out to be. But he is quite prepared to have certain agencies in our government accept so called evidence, produced by torture by others. and of course we can't forget Toews who is about to be names an appeals Court Judge. The man is incompetent and his spouting off about moral values is countered by his managing to have the family babysitter become his girl friend. Too much power, not enough brains
Too much power, not enough brains
So who in DPL's mind would be best to run the country? Every leader in every party mades stupid errors.
I cannot believe that any of the parties except the Reform/Conservatives would actively condone torture. Even the old Tory party would not have accepted such actions.A stupid error is acceptable as soon as the leader admits it was wrong and reverses his decision. Takes a honest man or woman to do that and from what we have seen from Harper and crew , they don't admit they are wrong, or that others may have some darn good ideas.We still have a large number of Canadian military ,training people in Afghanistan and should one of more get scooped up by the insurgent group, it would be much easier for them to do a bit of water boarding or other items of torture. so in effect Harper has put the Canadian military at risk
cannot believe that any of the parties except the Reform/Conservatives would actively condone torture. Even the old Tory party would not have accepted such actions.A stupid error is acceptable as soon as the leader admits it was wrong and reverses his decision. Takes a honest man or woman to do that and from what we have seen from Harper and crew , they don't admit they are wrong, or that others may have some darn good ideas.We still have a large number of Canadian military ,training people in Afghanistan and should one of more get scooped up by the insurgent group, it would be much easier for them to do a bit of water boarding or other items of torture. so in effect Harper has put the Canadian military at risk
There was never any instance of the Canadian Forces of using torture methodology.
and DPL did not answer the questions.
Who would be best to run the country?
If Adrian Dix should win (in high probability) the next election, is he a dictator or not? Would jack Layton be if he was able to win the last federal election and be in excellent good health to run the country?
and why is it that The Left always insist that right wing leaders are dictators??
Was David Barrett a dictator? Was Harcourt? Glen Clark? (Bill you can answer that one too, eh?)
It was David Zirhelt former NDP Minister of Forests that clearly said
"Government can do what it wants".
If that isn't reflective of a dictatorial NDP government, perhaps another example should be brought forward.
Yes Anon 12:00 Zirheld said just what you said he did. But remember as well that Dave Barrett said. "Stick a microphone up somebody's nose and folks might say just about anything". Politicians hire people to try to keep them on message and it doesn't always work. Just ask the gum chewing woman Christy Clark was using for awhile.Most of us wouldn't take the job as a politician if it was given to us. Good pay but long hours and they are expected to always be cool, collective in their thoughts and never offend anyone. Doesn't always work that way
"Yes Anon 12:00 Zirheld said just what you said he did. But remember as well that Dave Barrett said. "Stick a microphone up somebody's nose and folks might say just about anything". "
Quite correct. Seems that Zirhelt didn't learn from Dave Barrett, but Dve Barret was a master of a person would say just about anything. He was entertainment even as Opposition Leader.
"". Politicians hire people to try to keep them on message and it doesn't always work. Just ask the gum chewing woman Christy Clark was using for awhile"
Sarah is an excellent example of the worst kind of communications person, but just ask Bill here about messages that don't always work when he was the communications person for Glen Clark.
and in regards of the politician, agree, but the more dedicated person is that of the volunteers who elect said politician and support said party and many of them do not receive anything for doing so, other than giving back to the community and province
(and yes that does apply to the platoons of NDP volunters who will be out there working the field, the canvass, office and the phones, day and night, sun and rain cold and hot).
Some of the volunteering hours put in by the more experienced exceed that of the politican's day. Arranging events, running the riding association, getting ready for the next campaign months ahead of time, you name it.
I've been there many times, but will not be working the next election. Other than voting there's no need. Been there, done that, gone everywhere a volunteer could go, done pratically everything a volunteer could do.
But you can.
An NDP victory in your riding during the next election.
It's yours to help handle.
To Anon 11:12:
Mulroney rammed the GST through.
Harper will try to ram the Enbridge Pipeline through even with multiple failures around the world.
Clark rammed the HST through (among many others). DICKtators all of them.
Electing folks do not automatically make them dictators, but what they do in the legislature sure does.
It always amazes me how many folks here and elsewhere condemn the NDP and yet the corruption, lies, and huge debtload has been created by the Harper/Clark/Campbell governments throughout the last 10 years or more. The real criminals are the leaders of the majority parties, not the New Democrats.
The hateful rhetoric is similar to the vile, hate coming from the NeoCons down south.
Post a Comment