There are several values at play here and individuals on the board have a different value hierarchies.
Several values expressed on the board include:
--A Country's Sovereignty: the quality of having independent authority over a geographic area.
--An individual's autonomy.
--An individual's free speech.
--The abilility of an indivdual to express love and flourish.
You place a very high value on a country's sovereignty and seem to believe it trumps other factors.
I also place a very high value on a country's sovereignty. Yet, in this case, I would place slightly more weight for individual automony and flourishing (but not much more). I also believe the actions of opposition should be proportional to how egregious the acts are. In this case, I do not believe the Russian activities are very egregious, so a simple statement of opposition seems appropriate. I would not support stronger acts of opposition such as sanctions or international rights committees intervening. These bolder actions should be focused on more egregious acts like child slave labor.
I also agree with your point that on the "inhumane" scale, denying gays the ability to openly love and flourish with another adult is fairly minor. I do believe it is unjust, yet there are MUCH more serious inhuman/immoral acts being conducted - such as human trafficking and slavery. These more egregious activities should have priority.
[/quote]
+1
This may be the definitive post of this thread. It's not about human rights for ALL with the Ylena haters; it's about GAY rights. These folks and Symmonds couldn't care less how many 14 year olds are used and abused in the Nike factories that make the outfits and gear in which Symmonds wraps his hypocritcal self. But let there be the slightest hint of offense toward homosexuals and it's an atrocity.
Does anyone recall Symmonds making a statement about rights abuses in China in 2008? I didn't think so. If he really thinks the Russian law is so abominable, why didn't he pull out of the championships in protest? Oh, that's right...he's not about to give up $$$ to make a real statement. It's easier to pop off at the mouth and get points with the politically correct crowd. Mistreatment of gay people - and anyone else - should be condemned. But at the WCs of athletics by visitors to another nation is not the place to do it. That is all that Yelena was saying.
I don't support laws that specifically target homosexuals. I confess I haven't read the Russian law, and I suspect I would have problems with it. But it's the law of THEIR land and as a foreign visitor/athlete it's disrespectful and arrogant to attempt to embarrass the host country in which you are competing.[/quote]