One of Russia's
Leading Anti-Gay Voices 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.