2014 Sochi Winter Olympics

[evilentity 13,348]

Trash talk your fellow LanaBoarders' from other countries. 

Discuss the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and opening ceremonies here.

 

What events are you excited for?

What stories are big in your country?

What performances amazed you?

[ConeyIslandQueen262 1,068]

Snowboarding 

[TIARNZUS 4,596]

Wait what? How did we get here? I respect everyone, I don't support people that don't. I won't be watching.

[evilentity 13,348]

Wait what? How did we get here? I respect everyone, I don't support people that don't. I won't be watching.

Boycotting the games entirely because of Russia's anti-gay laws, I presume? I think that is an interesting topic of conversation as well.

[TIARNZUS 4,596]

Boycotting the games entirely because of Russia's anti-gay laws, I presume? I think that is an interesting topic of conversation as well.

 

Also a country that a large portion of the country are living in poverty spending $50bn on something meaningless in contrast... Also disagree with Brazil holding the world cup.

[Mileena 2,693]

I'm not watching them, boycotting them. 

[Philomene 928]

It's so impressive what was done to Sochi, a whole new city was rebuilt. This immense project gave a lot of work to people and I think it's really nice to have huge projects like that to move forward. Putin can definitely be extremely pride of what he did and whether you accept it or not, Russia is blessed to have him as its president.

Boycotting the games because of the anti gay laws is hypocritical, some federal states in the USA have the same laws. Truth is, Occident can't accept the success of Russia, its sovereignity and will do everything to ruin their progress.

The money spent isn't for meaningless stuff, it's a real investment for the future with clear visions put into the project.

[Yoshi 219]

 Russia is blessed to have him as its president.

 

 

[Foolish 541]

It's so impressive what was done to Sochi, a whole new city was rebuilt. This immense project gave a lot of work to people and I think it's really nice to have huge projects like that to move forward. Putin can definitely be extremely pride of what he did and whether you accept it or not, Russia is blessed to have him as its president.

Boycotting the games because of the anti gay laws is hypocritical, some federal states in the USA have the same laws. Truth is, Occident can't accept the success of Russia, its sovereignity and will do everything to ruin their progress.

The money spent isn't for meaningless stuff, it's a real investment for the future with clear visions put into the project.

I was already concerned when you posted those hot pictures of Stalin here.

[evilentity 13,348]

While I find others' reasons for doing so understandable, I have a hard time bringing myself to boycott these games.

 

Maybe it's because I'm older and can remember when gay rights were not only unpopular-- even among young people-- but were practically unheard of. I have a hard time judging Russia much more than any other country for being a bit further behind. (Ask me in 20 years and I might have a different opinion.) That's not to say I don't find their laws horrendous and disgusting. They're a gross violation of human rights and freedom of speech.

 

Maybe it's because I'm almost old enough to remember the actual boycotts. I am old enough to remember watching the 1988 Olympics and how big a deal it was to have all the major nations competing again after large boycotts of the previous two Olympics. (Irony alert: the Soviet Union led a boycott of the '84 Los Angeles games in retaliation for a US-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow games over the Soviet occupation of... wait for it... Afghanistan.) Granted, there's a difference between nations boycotting and viewers boycotting, but I look back to history and the 1936 Berlin games when African-American track star Jesse Owens rained on Hitler's parade of Aryan superiority by winning four gold medals. That, a direct confrontation, was far more effective than any boycott could have been.

 

Maybe it's because I also think boycotts of either kind are somewhat unfair to the athletes. Many of these athletes are gay themselves and have spent a lifetime training for this moment, perhaps their only shot. I look forward to gay athletes challenging Putin (like Jesse Owens with Hitler) by winning their events and defiantly expressing themselves, shoving their gayness down Putin's throat... so to speak. And I'll be watching (and cheering) when it happens. (On a side note, I like Obama's move of tweaking Putin by naming openly gay athletes including Billie Jean King and Brian Boitano to the US delegation to the Olympics along with former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano who is rumored to be gay.)

 

Maybe it's because I see the Olympics as a time for the best athletes from all nations to compete against each other regardless of race, creed, or politics. Within reason, I think all countries should get a turn hosting. I'm not necessarily saying I think North Korea should host, but I also don't think it should necessarily be determined based on a country's adherence to Western liberal ideals. (If so, just to play devil's advocate, I could think of lots of good reasons to boycott my own country were the United States to host again.)

 

Maybe it's because I don't consider hosting in itself to confer any sort of legitimacy or prestige, but rather what kind of host one is. I don't let myself fall into that trap in the first place. Instead, I see the event of Russia's hosting as an occasion to shine a spotlight on them. An interrogation lamp, not a stage light.

 

Maybe I wrote too much.

[Philomene 928]

 

While I find others' reasons for doing so understandable, I have a hard time bringing myself to boycott these games.

 

Maybe it's because I'm older and can remember when gay rights were not only unpopular-- even among young people-- but were practically unheard of. I have a hard time judging Russia much more than any other country for being a bit further behind. (Ask me in 20 years and I might have a different opinion.) That's not to say I don't find their laws horrendous and disgusting. They're a gross violation of human rights and freedom of speech.

 

Maybe it's because I'm almost old enough to remember the actual boycotts. I am old enough to remember watching the 1988 Olympics and how big a deal it was to have all the major nations competing again after large boycotts of the previous two Olympics. (Irony alert: the Soviet Union led a boycott of the '84 Los Angeles games in retaliation for a US-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow games over the Soviet occupation of... wait for it... Afghanistan.) Granted, there's a difference between nations boycotting and viewers boycotting, but I look back to history and the 1936 Berlin games when African-American track star Jesse Owens rained on Hitler's parade of Aryan superiority by winning four gold medals. That, a direct confrontation, was far more effective than any boycott could have been.

 

Maybe it's because I also think boycotts of either kind are somewhat unfair to the athletes. Many of these athletes are gay themselves and have spent a lifetime training for this moment, perhaps their only shot. I look forward to gay athletes challenging Putin (like Jesse Owens with Hitler) by winning their events and defiantly expressing themselves, shoving their gayness down Putin's throat... so to speak. And I'll be watching (and cheering) when it happens. (On a side note, I like Obama's move of tweaking Putin by naming openly gay athletes including Billie Jean King and Brian Boitano to the US delegation to the Olympics along with former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano who is rumored to be gay.)

 

 

First, your human rights are not theirs. The western ideals are not shared by every country in the world and if you try to impose them, it is called imperialism and Russia doesn't accept to comply. The USA have nowhere the right to tell them anything, do I need to remind you how this country disrespects daily the "Human Rights" they seem so delighted to defend in military actions?

The parallel between Hitler and Putin is gross. The laws don't imply killing every homosexual in Russia but defending the "traditional family". While you may disagree totally with this position, it is nothing as horrible as the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany and Russia is far from being the only country defending this view. Nope, not everyone thinks it's okay for homosexuals to adopt children and it doesn't make someone a nazi for believing this. In France A LOT of people protest against the laws allowing homosexuals to marry and adopt. If the president would actually listen to them, I bet France would have the same laws as the ones in Russia. Putin isn't a monster, he listens to the people living in his country and doesn't give a fuck about western propaganda demonizing him. 

 

Do you seriously think Putin will feel bad if gay athletes receive medals? He isn't Hitler, he sees homosexuals as humans. 

Besides, the Russian duo t.A.T.u. singing mostly about lesbian love had their song "Nas ne dogonyat" (Not gonna get us) on the opening ceremony when Russian athletes were walking ... Putin especially loves Lena Katina and he is pretty proud of the success the band had worldwide a few years ago and supported them when they were bashed in Europe and America for being "homosexual". (one of them admitted she is straight and the other is bisexual but they both say it doesn't matter and they still support the gay cause)

 

 

Yes I repeat, Russia is blessed to have him as its president and a country can only dream to have someone as dedicated as he is. But hey, we all know how that works. When a president is shit, America licks his ass. Gorbatchev, the worst president received a Nobel Prize and Putin is depicted as the devil. Fact is, almost every Russian person absolutely loves him and what's important is that they acknowledge his dedication. They don't give the slightest fuck about the opinion of western medias on this.

 

Seriously, educate yourself, open your eyes. Go learn another language to have a different point of view on the question (if you speak English/German it won't help you much) or read alternative newspapers. No side holds the truth and question whatever you read and don't be a simple manipulated mind.

[lola 6,643]

not watching the olympics mainly bc of their exploitation of workers (some of which took out loans to fly there and make money but were never paid a cent), they seem to have a way with treating people inhumanely. i also think it's good the german president isn't going there (but i think it's odd how some spokesperson of his said it isn't a boycott when it clearly is, he's a civil rights activist) and i hope angela merkel doesn't go either, she boycotted the part of the 2012 european championship that was set in the ukraine after yulia tymoschenko was imprisoned.

[Philomene 928]

Tymoschenko aka super corrupted/thief politician who was judged (for once in a country such as Ukraine) and imprisoned.

I don't deny though that it wasn't only done for the sake of Justice. Anyway, she's not an innocent bunny so unless you think that because she is a politician she is a holy person who doesn't have the right to go to prison I don't see the problem here tbh but hey ~criminals run the world.

These people who were not paid isn't the government's fault btw. Merkel has a very friendly relationship with Putin (he used to be a spy in Germany and knows well the language) Hollande isn't attending the Olympics but I suspect him of not boycotting but just not giving a fuck about sports.

[evilentity 13,348]

The western ideals are not shared by every country in the world and if you try to impose them, it is called imperialism and Russia doesn't accept to comply. The USA have nowhere the right to tell them anything, do I need to remind you how this country disrespects daily the "Human Rights" they seem so delighted to defend in military actions?

Um, if you actually read what I wrote (instead of having a knee-jerk defensive reaction) my point wasn't very different.

 

The parallel between Hitler and Putin is gross. The laws don't imply killing every homosexual in Russia but defending the "traditional family".

I never made this comparison. But you just did.

 

The focus of the comparison was on Jesse Owen and gay athletes, not Hitler and Putin. The only similarity I see between the two is that they're both autocratic leaders who actively supported discrimination against a minority class and brought the Olympics to their countries as projects of national greatness. Any comparison ends there. Methinks thou doth protest too much.

 

But for what it's worth, this idea that any comparison of anything to Hitler is automatically invalid or out of bounds is ridiculous. Comparing some aspect of someone or something to some aspect of Hitler is not equal to drawing an equivalency. Especially when you're referring to something that happened before the war. Germany's discrimination against Jews under Hitler was bad enough before it turned violent and ultimately genocidal. I agree it's preferable to avoid Nazi Germany comparisons if there's another apt well-known historical precedent to point to because the subject is so loaded, but it shouldn't completely preclude making historical analogies. It should be possible to compare circumstances to pre-war events in Germany in isolation without necessarily inferring they are a slippery slope to another holocaust. The original point of Godwin's Law was to prevent lazy arguments that shut down debate, yet the principle is often invoked to do exactly that.

 

Besides, the Russian duo t.A.T.u. singing mostly about lesbian love had their song "Nas ne dogonyat" (Not gonna get us) on the opening ceremony when Russian athletes were walking ... Putin especially loves Lena Katina and he is pretty proud of the success the band had worldwide a few years ago and supported them when they were bashed in Europe and America for being "homosexual". (one of them admitted she is straight and the other is bisexual but they both say it doesn't matter and they still support the gay cause)

Yeah, I wouldn't doubt that Putin doesn't have a problem with attractive faux-lesbians...

 

Seriously, educate yourself, open your eyes. Go learn another language to have a different point of view on the question (if you speak English/German it won't help you much) or read alternative newspapers. No side holds the truth and question whatever you read and don't be a simple manipulated mind.

Pot calling the kettle black much? I have lived in another country and learned other languages (or at least attempted to) and read news sources mostly critical of or hostile to my own government. I think I'm pretty objective and clear-eyed about what my country and its leaders do right and wrong. (A formerly enthusiastic Obama supporter, I now consider him a murderer of his own citizens.) I can't say the same for you.

 

Oh, and while we're on the topic of Hitler comparisons, your blind hero worship of Putin is kinda reminiscent of Nazi Germany.

[FROGGO 2,806]

It's hard. I would, theoretically, like to boycott, but there's no way I can't watch the Canadian Men's and Women's hockey teams play. I just can't. 

[Sitar 22,218]

Everyone's in here not watching because they're boycotting their policies and their treatments and their exploitations yet I'm not watching from a total lack of interest

[Poison Ivy 1,588]

First, your human rights are not theirs. The western ideals are not shared by every country in the world and if you try to impose them, it is called imperialism and Russia doesn't accept to comply. The USA have nowhere the right to tell them anything, do I need to remind you how this country disrespects daily the "Human Rights" they seem so delighted to defend in military actions?

The parallel between Hitler and Putin is gross. The laws don't imply killing every homosexual in Russia but defending the "traditional family". While you may disagree totally with this position, it is nothing as horrible as the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany and Russia is far from being the only country defending this view. Nope, not everyone thinks it's okay for homosexuals to adopt children and it doesn't make someone a nazi for believing this. In France A LOT of people protest against the laws allowing homosexuals to marry and adopt. If the president would actually listen to them, I bet France would have the same laws as the ones in Russia. Putin isn't a monster, he listens to the people living in his country and doesn't give a fuck about western propaganda demonizing him. 

 

Do you seriously think Putin will feel bad if gay athletes receive medals? He isn't Hitler, he sees homosexuals as humans. 

Besides, the Russian duo t.A.T.u. singing mostly about lesbian love had their song "Nas ne dogonyat" (Not gonna get us) on the opening ceremony when Russian athletes were walking ... Putin especially loves Lena Katina and he is pretty proud of the success the band had worldwide a few years ago and supported them when they were bashed in Europe and America for being "homosexual". (one of them admitted she is straight and the other is bisexual but they both say it doesn't matter and they still support the gay cause)

 

 

Yes I repeat, Russia is blessed to have him as its president and a country can only dream to have someone as dedicated as he is. But hey, we all know how that works. When a president is shit, America licks his ass. Gorbatchev, the worst president received a Nobel Prize and Putin is depicted as the devil. Fact is, almost every Russian person absolutely loves him and what's important is that they acknowledge his dedication. They don't give the slightest fuck about the opinion of western medias on this.

 

Seriously, educate yourself, open your eyes. Go learn another language to have a different point of view on the question (if you speak English/German it won't help you much) or read alternative newspapers. No side holds the truth and question whatever you read and don't be a simple manipulated mind.

 

Coming from an Eastern European country, I can assure you the whole 'traditional family values' Russia holds (as well as my country etc.) are a bullshit excuse to treat everyone like shit apart from straight Eastern European men. Homophobia is the most obvious one to  pick out for the Western world because it stands out how normal it is to hate gay people in certain Eastern European countries and to act like they're atrocities of nature/mentally ill/on the same scale as pedophiles. France and the US might not be fully open minded to LGBT rights but they're years away from the backwardness of Russia and the like.

 

But you see, homophobia is only the surface problem, try being a woman there or of a different race. I might be wrong, Philomene, but I'm pretty sure you're a girl and not Eastern European. You might've visited/read about it and all that but you probably didn't live there 14 years - if you did, maybe you'd understand why Putin is not a nice guy. Unless you agree with all his views and the Russians'/Eastern European views, then there's no reason to dislike him but he'd probably dislike you. He is a blessing for the average homophobic sexist racist Russian indeed, because he's just like them. 

[Philomene 928]

I am a French citizen but I was not born here. And nope, I am not Russian, I was born in a country that was part of the soviet union though.

Homosexuals are discriminated in Russia, just as much as they are in the USA.

I totally have to disagree about women's rights in Russia!!! Women during USSR were totally equals to men. A woman in France till the 70's didn't have the right to own a bank account or work without her husband's authorization whereas my mother was taught just like my father how to use a kalashnikov. Nowadays things haven't changed for the worse, women have the same wages as men (unlike France), and so on.

 

Putin isn't racist ... Where did you find about that?

Russians become racists but I don't see the link with Putin ... 

 

I am a girl and I am not white but Asian. Part of my family lives in Moscow and Volgograd. All my family still lives in my home country so I definitely have seen the "other side". 

 

Can I know from which country exactly do you come from?  It might explain a lot about your feelings towards Russia without offense. If you're from Latvia/Lithuania/Estonia it would really be no surprise.

 

My country is actually accused of racism towards Russians and to me this is absolutely an aberration because I've lived there and I've seen how people live. 

 

I am not a blind supporter of Putin, I am aware of the atrocities he committed (Chechnya) but one thing you can't deny is that he is the most competent president Russia had and if every president in the planet had his dedication and concern for his country the world would be a better place.

 

Ofc most of the time "traditional family values" is a politically correct way to discuss homophobia but I don't think that the line was crossed with his laws. He is no doubt homophobic but then how do you differentiate homophobia and "defense of traditional family values"? Do you consider that any person rooting for "traditional family values" is homophobic?

Imo his laws stay in the "defense of traditional family values" and don't fall in the homophobia territory. His mind is probably filled with homophobia but I don't care about his personal beliefs to that extent.

 

I supported gay marriage in France but I think that it is ridiculous to boycott Russia for these reasons. Boycott your own country, holy America then.

[Poison Ivy 1,588]

@@Philomene  I'll admit my views of Russia are more or less my general views on Eastern Europe rather than about the country itself, but I know enough about Russia specifically too - although you do sound like you know more detailed stuff.

 

I totally have to disagree about women's rights in Russia!!! Women during USSR were totally equals to men. A woman in France till the 70's didn't have the right to own a bank account or work without her husband's authorization whereas my mother was taught just like my father how to use a kalashnikov. Nowadays things haven't changed for the worse, women have the same wages as men (unlike France), and so on.

 

 

 

I don't really mean women's rights, but rather the sexist mentality and how women tend to be treated in the society/family. Of course it's not the case for every single person, but there's an overwhelming majority that perpetuates misogyny, racism, homophobia like they're a cultural thing. Again, I'm not saying only Russia is that way. 

 

Homosexuals are discriminated in Russia, just as much as they are in the USA.

 

 

I disagree that the LGBT people are as discriminated in the US but I've never been there to check so I don't know, I'm sure in some places it's similar. It varies from state to state though, you can't really compare the whole United States with a really homogeneous country like Russia. 

 

 

Putin isn't racist ... Where did you find about that?

Russians become racists but I don't see the link with Putin ... 

 

I didn't really say Putin himself is racist, I said the average Russian (who's most likely racist) identifies with Putin and his views. Putin can't really express racist views publicly even if he has them, maybe he's an open minded dude in that sense but we'll never really know. 

 

 

 

Can I know from which country exactly do you come from?  It might explain a lot about your feelings towards Russia without offense. If you're from Latvia/Lithuania/Estonia it would really be no surprise.

 

Haha, I see the historical link if I would've been from Latvia, Lithuania etc. but I'm from Romania actually. I don't have more negative feelings towards Russia than I do towards my own country in that sense, I think the general mentality and treatment of human beings in that part of the world is terrible. I wouldn't criticize it as much if I didn't experience it first hand, but I was there and I'm really glad not to be anymore. The difference is that in Romania everyone in the government is a corrupt moron trying to get rich, while Putin does seem passionate about his position. And Russia is a much more influential country. 

 

 

 

but one thing you can't deny is that he is the most competent president Russia had and if every president in the planet had his dedication and concern for his country the world would be a better place.

 

Well Putin is concerned/dedicated towards a certain group of people in his country, but if you were gay or a minority he doesn't like, you'd see him in a different light. I agree that he's a great fit for Russians, but that's not a great thing for anyone who isn't a 'typical Russian' and who might want change rather than keeping the same old traditional values. And more on that...

 

 

Ofc most of the time "traditional family values" is a politically correct way to discuss homophobia but I don't think that the line was crossed with his laws. He is no doubt homophobic but then how do you differentiate homophobia and "defense of traditional family values"? Do you consider that any person rooting for "traditional family values" is homophobic?

Imo his laws stay in the "defense of traditional family values" and don't fall in the homophobia territory. His mind is probably filled with homophobia but I don't care about his personal beliefs to that extent.

 

 

Well I see the family as a social construct, it hasn't been the same since the beginning of times and it changed shapes when society went through changes too. Traditional means 'this is how my great-grandparents used to do/think about things and I'll ignore whatever progress society makes and do what they did'. There's nothing more valuable about a family consisting of a heterosexual couple compared to one made of a homosexual couple if you look at it plainly. It's the prejudice in the minds of the people that render one type of family as wrong. There are so many types of family and none that doesn't cause harm to people should be considered wrong just because it's not 'traditional'. There is no reason to hold onto traditional values which ultimately hurt people and limit their personal freedom and I'm sure Putin can't grasp this, like many typical Eastern Europeans can't as well. 

 

 

 

I supported gay marriage in France but I think that it is ridiculous to boycott Russia for these reasons. Boycott your own country, holy America then.

 

eh personally I don't think America should be pointing fingers either  . I'm not boycotting it myself, I wouldn't watch it anyway, but I wouldn't really support Russia in anything especially after their new LGBT laws. 

 

[Philomene 928]

My home country is Kazakhstan, it has a mentality much closer to the Russian one than Romania, it shares common borders and we have around 30% (once upon a time much more) of ethnic Russians living on the territory for only 50% of ethnic Kazakhs. Kazakhstan is probably the "best and closest friend" of Russia (other friendly countries but not as closely cooperating probably include Bulgaria, somehow Belarus, ... but ofc having Baikonur on their territory it beats them all) . Russian is the number 1 language and I think people there speak it better than Russians themselves tbh.

Also very close members of my family are Russians so I think I quite know what I'm talking about ...

Did you experience yourself racism? Eastern Europe is such a huge area so it's definitely not homogeneous even though those countries share similar characteristics. Russia is probably more homogeneous than the USA but don't forget what a huge country it is, living in Vladivostok, Chechnya, Tatarstan or St-Pt isn't quite the same and they have different mentalities. 

Maybe you can think there is racism or homophobia but misogyny? That's for sure no! Racism in Russia is mostly directed to the immigrants coming from poor countries like Tajikistan (just like in the USA towards Mexicans, in France towards Arabs, and so on).

I don't know Romanians but I know some people from Moldovia. Do you know Russian like they do? (I am just curious to know how influenced by Russia your country might still be today).

I don't think that Putin is racist. He can be ruthless when speaking but that's it. There are serious rumors his "new wife" is a Tatar gymnast so => Muslim + Asian/Turkic. Also his relationships with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan would be I guess much more different though I agree we can only guess. He never showed a "racist" face so I guess we can assume he isn't. (after all isn't it supposed to be the norm?)

 

The question of the "traditional family values" is very delicate. Imo it is bullshit for masking homophobia but many people actually do believe in them and defend them with "serious" arguing. What do you do in that case? Ignore them and call them homophobic? Listen to them and ... look at what the majority is for?