An Open Letter to the Olympic Committee

[SilentFutility]

//http://www.stephenfry.com/2013/08/07/an-open-letter-to-david-cameron-and-the-ioc/

Excellent read.

[Colanth]

An excellent read, but I fear nothing at all will actually be done.

[Youssuf Ramadan]

I was about to post this myself.  Damn good letter from Fry.  Hopefully other prominent people here and in other countries will take up this call.  It needs to happen or the issue will most likely be swept under the carpet.

[Shiranu]

Interesting, but not going to achieve anything.

Though, didn't realize he is Jewish. Interesting to know.

[Plu]

If I didn't ignore the Olympics anyway, this would've been a good reason to boycot it. It really does need to not happen.

But of course, we all know where the money is pointing.

[Shiranu]

Meh, I love the Olympics either way. I'm certainly not going to boycott them, but I am annoyed that the people in power would not use the Olympics as the political tool it was meant to be.

[Jmpty]

Yeah, remember 1980, when we boycotted the Olympics because The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Then, we invaded Afghanistan.

[Jutter]

I read a huffblog recently making the same comparison as Mr Fry did. In this regard the more the merrier. This is turning out to become the major human rights issue of this century.

And now for our quick update for what's out and what's in for 2014

Out: godless commies
In: orthodox gaybashing ruskies

[Jason78]

Interesting, but not going to achieve anything.

Your apathetic attitude is an inspiration!

At least Mr Fry is doing something.

[Shiranu]

Interesting, but not going to achieve anything.

Your apathetic attitude is an inspiration!

At least Mr Fry is doing something.

The IOC doesn't give a shit what normal people think, what they care about is the $$$.

People like Mr. Fry SHOULD do something because his, and other celebrities, words actually have some weight.

[Colanth]

Interesting, but not going to achieve anything.

Your apathetic attitude is an inspiration!

At least Mr Fry is doing something.

The IOC doesn't give a shit what normal people think, what they care about is the $$$.

People like Mr. Fry SHOULD do something because his, and other celebrities, words actually have some weight.

Not, probably, with the IOC, but they probably do with the thinking part of the public.

But it's not as if the public can boycott the IOC, or choose to take their business to a different Olympic committee.

[SilentFutility]

An excellent read, but I fear nothing at all will actually be done.

Especially as the Russian authorities have said that they won't be enforcing the law during the olympics, so the people who stand to make mega $$$ will likely insist that there is no longer a human rights issue.

[Plu]

But it's not as if the public can boycott the IOC, or choose to take their business to a different Olympic committee.

They could collectively just not watch it.

[Youssuf Ramadan]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-23639593

Obama opposes Sochi Russian Winter Olympics boycott

10 August 2013 Last updated at 00:44 BST

US President Barack Obama has said he would not consider it "appropriate" to boycott Russia's Winter Olympics next year.
This comes despite calls by gay rights activists to shun the Sochi games because of a recently passed Russian law banning "homosexual propaganda".
Speaking at a White House news conference, Mr Obama said the absence of gay or lesbian athletes would probably weaken the Russian team.

Cameron has said much the same thing here.  The media are only telling a partial story of what is happening in Russia too.  What a surprise!  :roll:

[Plu]

Speaking at a White House news conference, Mr Obama said the absence of gay or lesbian athletes would probably weaken the Russian team.

Because winning a match is more important than human rights' issues, I guess.