Москва.

[toppertje]

As many people know I am going to Russia on vacation. Obviously because I hate "teh Gays!" Or at least thats what you would think if you heard the way I am being berated for my choice of holiday destinations

Comments

[saturnfall]

In solidarity with your fight against hypocrisy I'm going to have lunch at chick-fil-a today ;)

[toppertje]

Good on ya! I hope you have a fantastic lunch. In fact, supersize it for the cause!

[tediousandbrief]

"In America I can be fined for crossing the road in the wrong place."

This is not true in other places? I figured that was pretty normal for not crossing at marked crosswalks.

Granted, I've also never seen seen someone be fined for not crossing at the crosswalk, either...

[toppertje]

I had never heard of jay walking until I came to America. Laws like this may exist elsewhere but I have never heard of them being implemented.

I talked my way out of a fine in Seattle once.

[tediousandbrief]

Yeah, you're supposed to cross at the cross walks. Granted, it seems no one in New York bothers with the flashing lights letting you know when you can walk.

Mostly, this is to cut down on people getting hit by passing cars.

[thewebmistress]

God Mark, why do you hate the gays so much??

[toppertje]

You see, I don't mind them if they keep themselves to themselves, but they are always pushing their gay agenda down our throats. They'll be allowing them to marry animals next!!! ;))

[bonoffee]

I'm angry about people being denied rights anywhere. I'm not going to boycott anything but I still think it's horrid. And that includes all the examples you gave. I don't really entirely see your point though because I do try to protest against other things too? I can't do much personally but I will certainly be vocal about horrible practices no matter where they occur, and that includes the UK.

But like, go wherever you want, that's entirely up to you! I'd like to visit Russia one day, but can't see it happening, too many other places on the list and not enough cash, innit.

[toppertje]

Don't get me wrong, I am also angry about people being denied basic human rights anywhere in the world.

I was really making 2 points...

#1, If I was to boycott every country in the world that had laws I disagreed with, even if those laws were only human rights related. I would find myself pretty much grounded.

#2. I if I were to ge concerning myself with global laws that I feel violate human rights, I would do more than sign a facebook petition and berate my friends for still wanting to go there. Plus I would see the hypocrisy if I joined a facebook group called "Our Land, Our Rules". Which was created as a backlash against people protesting against Dutch laws.

I guess I have a low tolerance to hypocrisy and a desire to travel that leads me to just respect local laws and just get on with it.

The saddest thing is, the laws in Russia do represent the majority when all is said and done.

Edited because I typed like a madman!

[bonoffee]

OK, I see what you mean more clearly now. No country is perfect so yeah, boycotting them seems counter-productive. I guess many of us can't take much more direct action than signing petitions and stuff (I go through Amnesty International for things I care about), but you'd have to be consistent and recognise the problems that happen elsewhere, which I guess is what you were getting at? There's plenty wrong here, let alone Russia, but sometimes it's easy to forget how bad people have it in other places. I try to keep that in mind. I mean, you can't dwell on it every day, you'd go mad and never get anything done, but you know what I mean.

[mofoburrell]

To play devil's advocate, if you take the view that you're just trying to effect change, then you don't have to be totally consistent about it. Me boycotting Pakistan by not taking my vacations there probably wouldn't do anything (I likely wasn't planning a vacation there to begin with), but maybe I think that boycotting Russia will be more likely to get a result since me and people like me do go to Russia for vacation sometimes. (Is that what European people do? Go to Russia? I have no idea

[toppertje]

WUT? Nonsense.

Even if that was remotely true, how on earth would they enforce it?

My dentist is Russian! He's freakin awesome!