Sochi Olympics

[direwolfgirl]

What do you all think of what's happening about the Olympics? Think all the protests will change Putin's mind?

[Feoric]

At 8/13/13 02:46 AM, direwolfgirl wrote: Think all the protests will change Putin's mind?

When has this ever happened?

[tyler2513]

Absolutely not, it's probably angering him more than anything with all this talk of boycotting the upcoming Olympics.

[Warforger]

Really? The Olympics are located in a city in the Caucusus. Historically Sochi was the capital of the Abkhazian state, right now the Abkhazians are located in Western Georgia, they revolted in the early 90's and have since established a de facto republic. I don't think the Abkhazians care that much about Sochi, but they are after all RIGHT ON THE BORDER WITH THE CITY. Well the Abkhazians are at least allies of the Russians, unlike the Chechens, which like the Abkhazians revolted and established a de facto republic (or did, from 1991-1999, well Republic is inaccurate, a total state of Anarchy is a better way to describe it). The Chechens also have been known to carry out terrorist attacks mostly in Russia. Then you have the Dagestanni's, the Ossets in George stirring up trouble having their own de facto republic of South Ossetia. Basically this is like holding the Olympics in Israel.

But that's not really an issue as much as how autocratic the Putin regime is? Was that a problem with the Beijing olympics?

At 8/13/13 07:22 PM, tyler2513 wrote: Absolutely not, it's probably angering him more than anything with all this talk of boycotting the upcoming Olympics.

Why? If the UK and the US boycott the Olympics Russia is going to win alot more Gold metals.

[Sense-Offender]

Has Russia suddenly become some fucked up third world country? Outlawing homosexual activity? Fuck Russia's government.

[Quodfohgler]

People are making a big deal out of the whole boycott thing. So what Russia has crazy ass homophobic president, they got snow, that's all that matters. I mean we had the Olympics in Nazi Germany, I think we can deal with it. What we need is a gay athlete to win a bunch of medals to piss Putin off, just like when that black guy (Jesse Owens) won a bunch of gold medals in front of Hitler.

[Warforger]

At 8/14/13 09:36 AM, Quodfohgler wrote: People are making a big deal out of the whole boycott thing. So what Russia has crazy ass homophobic president, they got snow, that's all that matters.

The President isn't really homophobic, more like the country is. I'm from Eastern Europe and in general the two main influences on people when they were growing up were homophobic i.e. the Communists and the Church. Obviously not everyone is homophobic and Putin himself is probably more apathetic than anything, all he's doing is stirring up domestic support from Social Conservatives since he was on more shaky ice after letting in more immigrants.

I mean we had the Olympics in Nazi Germany, I think we can deal with it. What we need is a gay athlete to win a bunch of medals to piss Putin off, just like when that black guy (Jesse Owens) won a bunch of gold medals in front of Hitler.

That story was mostly exaggerated. In fact the only part that was true was that Jesse Owens won a gold medal, the rest was made up by reporters. He wasn't the first black guy there to win a gold medal and he didn't really receive as much opposition as the first and the whole "Hitler refused to give him the medal" is true, because he also didn't give the Nazi athletes their medals either. In reality the 1936 Olympics were a huge success for the Nazi's and merely reinforced their racial theories rather than discredit because Germany won the most metals, most gold medals, most silver medals and most bronze medals and most medals in general, in first with 89 medals to the United States 56.

Even then that would've put a dent in the racial theories of the Nazi's, a gay athlete wouldn't affect any perception of gay people in Russia.

[Feoric]

At 8/14/13 11:33 AM, Warforger wrote: The President isn't really homophobic, more like the country is. [...] Obviously not everyone is homophobic and Putin himself is probably more apathetic than anything, all he's doing is stirring up domestic support from Social Conservatives since he was on more shaky ice after letting in more immigrants.

At the end of the day, what is the difference?

[orangebomb]

At 8/13/13 02:46 AM, direwolfgirl wrote: What do you all think of what's happening about the Olympics? Think all the protests will change Putin's mind?

If those protests do change the Russian Parliament's mind between now and the Sochi Olympics, let's just say it'll be the first time. Russia had a long history of not giving a shit about anyone else, and to expect them to change their minds is a near impossible task, especially with this short of a time frame. Putin himself appears to be largely apathetic about this, and is only supporting it to win conservative votes in Russia, not like he really needs them anyway considering how corrupt elections are there.

As for the Olympics, if a gay athlete does win a gold medal or two in any sport, regardless of country, it won't necessarily be a Jesse Owens moment at all, and even that event was somewhat exaggerated, considering that Nazi Germany were the big winners of the '36 Olympics, and that only added more fuel to their fire. As I said before, don't expect the Russian government to bend over backwards to please international protesters, because they are generally apathetic about human rights to begin with, which is one of the reasons why Russia is so screwed up.

[Quodfohgler]

Even then that would've put a dent in the racial theories of the Nazi's, a gay athlete wouldn't affect any perception of gay people in Russia.

The Olympics are meaningless anyway, and I doubt anyone in the western world became Nazi's because of the Olympics.

[NightmareWitch]

Unlike the rest of the world, Russia isn't persuaded by bitching.

[orangebomb]

At 8/14/13 05:57 PM, Quodfohgler wrote: The Olympics are meaningless anyway, and I doubt anyone in the western world became Nazi's because of the Olympics.

The Olympics may be overrated, but definitely not meaningless in any way. The 1936 games only continued to strengthen the Nazi resolve in Germany, and there were a lot of Nazi sympathizers even before then, {Fritz Kuhn is a good example} and they were certainly trying hard to recruit more sympathizers in the States, Britain and other countries as well, at least before the war.

When a country {and the host city} hosts the Olympics Games, that's obviously a big deal to most everyone involved, and pretty much shows how advanced {or unique} they really are to an extent, just go ask Atlanta or Rio about it.