Publish to Newswire
Add an EventFrom the Open-Publishing Calendar
From the Open-Publishing Newswire
Indybay Feature
Stoli boycott launch at Russian Consulate over antigay violence
Gays Launch Solidarity Stoli Boycott with Russian LGBT Over Violence at Moscow Pride
New York, NY and San Francisco, CA) - Gay equality advocates in two American cities upset over the denial of full respect for the human rights of LGBT people in Russia, and the bloody confrontation on May 27 in Moscow as gays attempted to peacefully march, today announced they are launching a boycott of Stolichnaya vodka.
Vigils will be held at two Russian consulates, where gays will pour Stolichnaya vodka in the gutter.
The date for launching the Stoli boycott and vigils is Tuesday, June 5.
Details & Information:
New York Vigil
Contact: Brendan Fay
Phone: 718-721-2780
Email: brendan [at] stpatsforall.com
What: Begin Stoli boycott and dump vodka down the sewer
Where: Russian Consulate, 9 E. 91st Street
Time: Noon to 1:00 pm
San Francisco Vigil
Contacts: Pastor Robert Goldstein
Phone: 415-516-5878
Email: revrgoldstein [at] sbcglobal.net
Michael Petrelis
Phone: 415-621-6267
Email: mpetrelis [at] aol.com
What: Begin Stoli boycott and dump vodka down the sewer
Where: Russian Consulate, 2790 Green Street
Time: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Background:
For two years lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Russia have been violently thwarted in their efforts to hold Gay Pride events and petition their government for full recognition of their human rights. This year, LGBT people from Russia and Europe tried to hold a peaceful march, but were instead violently attacked by thugs, as policy stood idly by. Several gays were punched and bashed in the face, causing blood to spill and such bodily harm they were rushed to hospitals. Other LGBT people were arrested while peaceably assembling.
Follow Up Action:
All American gay bars will be asked to not serve Stoli vodka until the Russian government acknowledges the human rights of its LGBT citizens, and Russian gays are guaranteed the right organize, assemble in the streets and live free of government harassment.
Quotes:
From Nikolai Aleseyeev, Moscow Pride March organizer.
"We are thankful for the support of gay Americans mobilizing on our behalf to do what we can't - stage vigils at Russian government offices. Please don't forget about your brothers and sisters beyond the United States, and our difficult struggle for equality."
From Brendan Fay, New York organizer.
"We denounce the brutal and bloody assault on the peaceful gay participants and human rights activists at Moscow Pride. Solidarity across international borders is top priority for the global gay community. We will not rest until the human rights of gay Russians are respected including the right to assemble free of hate and violence."
From Gilbert Baker, Rainbow Flag creator:
"I totally endorse the Stoli boycott and it is my great honor to design the boycott, using our Rainbow Flag to send a message of hope and tolerance to Russian gays."
From Pastor Robert Goldstein, San Francisco organizer.
"We would welcome the Russian government's affirmation of its LGBT citizens and a genuine commitment to respect their human rights. I am proud to stand in solidarity with LGBT Russians as they being their journey to equality and fairness."
From Michael Petrelis, San Francisco organizer.
"I beg my fellow gay and lesbian Americans to refrain from buying Stoli vodka, as just one way to express solidarity with gays in Moscow. This Pride season, please avoid ordering Stoli."
Recommended reading:
The 2006 U.S. State Department Human Rights Report's section on Russia. This is a pertinent excerpt related to gays in Russia.
While homosexuality is not illegal, the gay community continued to suffer societal stigma and discrimination. Medical practitioners reportedly continued to limit or refuse their access to health services due to intolerance and prejudice. According to recent studies, male homosexuals were often refused work due to their sexuality. Openly gay men were targets for skinhead aggression, which was often met with law enforcement indifference.
In May gay rights activists hosted a small international conference in Moscow on combating homophobia; however, the mayor of Moscow and the courts denied their applications to hold a gay pride parade. According to Human Rights Watch, on May 27, several dozen Russian lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender protestors, accompanied by Russian and foreign supporters, including members of the European and German parliaments, sought to hold two successive protest rallies, one to lay flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin wall, and the second a vigil at city hall in support of the freedoms of assembly and expression.
Organizers decided to hold these events after a court upheld Mayor Yuriy Luzkhov's ban on a march they planned for that day. At both events hundreds of antigay protesters, including skinheads and nationalists attacked the participants, beating and kicking many, while throwing projectiles and chanting homophobic slogans.
Police intervened only belatedly, failing to protect demonstrators from violence; observers noted that police inaction aggravated the violence.
In protest of a large lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender "open party" held in Moscow on April 30, several hundred protestors gathered outside a night club, shouting threats and throwing bottles, rocks, and eggs at the attendees. The following night at least 100 protestors gathered outside another gay club, conducting themselves in a similar manner. While human rights groups protested the organized nature of what appeared to be a campaign against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, public officials were notably reluctant to condemn the violence, with one Duma deputy accusing gays of provoking Orthodox believers.
Gay rights organizations were few and often operated "under the radar."
Projects working with homosexuals and educating them about HIV and sexual health continued to be scarce. In April, the Moscow city Duma urged President Putin to restrict the activities of foreign NGOs that fight HIV/AIDS, saying they encouraged pedophilia, prostitution, and drug use among teenagers. The Moscow Duma also accused the Ministry of Education of aiding NGO activities. The State Duma, however, responded at the federal level with a clear statement supporting the urgent need to prevent HIV/AIDS.
Vigils will be held at two Russian consulates, where gays will pour Stolichnaya vodka in the gutter.
The date for launching the Stoli boycott and vigils is Tuesday, June 5.
Details & Information:
New York Vigil
Contact: Brendan Fay
Phone: 718-721-2780
Email: brendan [at] stpatsforall.com
What: Begin Stoli boycott and dump vodka down the sewer
Where: Russian Consulate, 9 E. 91st Street
Time: Noon to 1:00 pm
San Francisco Vigil
Contacts: Pastor Robert Goldstein
Phone: 415-516-5878
Email: revrgoldstein [at] sbcglobal.net
Michael Petrelis
Phone: 415-621-6267
Email: mpetrelis [at] aol.com
What: Begin Stoli boycott and dump vodka down the sewer
Where: Russian Consulate, 2790 Green Street
Time: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Background:
For two years lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Russia have been violently thwarted in their efforts to hold Gay Pride events and petition their government for full recognition of their human rights. This year, LGBT people from Russia and Europe tried to hold a peaceful march, but were instead violently attacked by thugs, as policy stood idly by. Several gays were punched and bashed in the face, causing blood to spill and such bodily harm they were rushed to hospitals. Other LGBT people were arrested while peaceably assembling.
Follow Up Action:
All American gay bars will be asked to not serve Stoli vodka until the Russian government acknowledges the human rights of its LGBT citizens, and Russian gays are guaranteed the right organize, assemble in the streets and live free of government harassment.
Quotes:
From Nikolai Aleseyeev, Moscow Pride March organizer.
"We are thankful for the support of gay Americans mobilizing on our behalf to do what we can't - stage vigils at Russian government offices. Please don't forget about your brothers and sisters beyond the United States, and our difficult struggle for equality."
From Brendan Fay, New York organizer.
"We denounce the brutal and bloody assault on the peaceful gay participants and human rights activists at Moscow Pride. Solidarity across international borders is top priority for the global gay community. We will not rest until the human rights of gay Russians are respected including the right to assemble free of hate and violence."
From Gilbert Baker, Rainbow Flag creator:
"I totally endorse the Stoli boycott and it is my great honor to design the boycott, using our Rainbow Flag to send a message of hope and tolerance to Russian gays."
From Pastor Robert Goldstein, San Francisco organizer.
"We would welcome the Russian government's affirmation of its LGBT citizens and a genuine commitment to respect their human rights. I am proud to stand in solidarity with LGBT Russians as they being their journey to equality and fairness."
From Michael Petrelis, San Francisco organizer.
"I beg my fellow gay and lesbian Americans to refrain from buying Stoli vodka, as just one way to express solidarity with gays in Moscow. This Pride season, please avoid ordering Stoli."
Recommended reading:
The 2006 U.S. State Department Human Rights Report's section on Russia. This is a pertinent excerpt related to gays in Russia.
While homosexuality is not illegal, the gay community continued to suffer societal stigma and discrimination. Medical practitioners reportedly continued to limit or refuse their access to health services due to intolerance and prejudice. According to recent studies, male homosexuals were often refused work due to their sexuality. Openly gay men were targets for skinhead aggression, which was often met with law enforcement indifference.
In May gay rights activists hosted a small international conference in Moscow on combating homophobia; however, the mayor of Moscow and the courts denied their applications to hold a gay pride parade. According to Human Rights Watch, on May 27, several dozen Russian lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender protestors, accompanied by Russian and foreign supporters, including members of the European and German parliaments, sought to hold two successive protest rallies, one to lay flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin wall, and the second a vigil at city hall in support of the freedoms of assembly and expression.
Organizers decided to hold these events after a court upheld Mayor Yuriy Luzkhov's ban on a march they planned for that day. At both events hundreds of antigay protesters, including skinheads and nationalists attacked the participants, beating and kicking many, while throwing projectiles and chanting homophobic slogans.
Police intervened only belatedly, failing to protect demonstrators from violence; observers noted that police inaction aggravated the violence.
In protest of a large lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender "open party" held in Moscow on April 30, several hundred protestors gathered outside a night club, shouting threats and throwing bottles, rocks, and eggs at the attendees. The following night at least 100 protestors gathered outside another gay club, conducting themselves in a similar manner. While human rights groups protested the organized nature of what appeared to be a campaign against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, public officials were notably reluctant to condemn the violence, with one Duma deputy accusing gays of provoking Orthodox believers.
Gay rights organizations were few and often operated "under the radar."
Projects working with homosexuals and educating them about HIV and sexual health continued to be scarce. In April, the Moscow city Duma urged President Putin to restrict the activities of foreign NGOs that fight HIV/AIDS, saying they encouraged pedophilia, prostitution, and drug use among teenagers. The Moscow Duma also accused the Ministry of Education of aiding NGO activities. The State Duma, however, responded at the federal level with a clear statement supporting the urgent need to prevent HIV/AIDS.
For more information:
http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2007/06/gays...
Add Your Comments
Comments
(Hide Comments)
Gays are free to gather and hold rallies in Russia. However, a street rally requires a local government permit. Moscow gays failed to get a permit from the Moscow's City Hall. They deliberately insisted on holding an authorised street rally to attract attention.
Like everywhere else, a group of people cannot expect to block the centre of a major city by an unauthorised demonstration.
Hence the abuse from the Moscovites. The cops did their best under the circumstances. Have you been to Moscow? Blocking the centre is not a good idea, the place is very, very busy.
Like everywhere else, a group of people cannot expect to block the centre of a major city by an unauthorised demonstration.
Hence the abuse from the Moscovites. The cops did their best under the circumstances. Have you been to Moscow? Blocking the centre is not a good idea, the place is very, very busy.
Certainly any and all anti-gay activity anywhere is to be condemned. As to this particular form of protest, dumping vodka, it would be wise to permanently stop drinking vodka. You could and should also stop patronizing bars. In fact, it is best to avoid the whole alcohol scene. As to the scene in Russia, it has been reduced to an underdeveloped country by US imperialism and its Russian capitalist lackeys, all busy stealing the wealth of the country. One good way to stop the homophobic attacks is to support the elimination of poverty in Russia, and that requires first and foremost there, as well as here, getting rid of the profit motive, which only an organized labor force can do.
Thought you'd like to know that Stoli is a supporter of gay media and is, in fact, a product of Pernod, which is a French manufacturer. This boucott is aimed at the wrong people. This will harm the gay community more than it will help.
While I appreciate the writer's (identified only by an asterix) attempt to draw a social basis for homophobia, I think the analogy is off.
The hatred and social ostracism of gays must be challenged directly because it is in the interests of both gays and the majority. Gays are being made a scapegoat by the right in the service of Capital in Russia. Life in Russia is unbearably difficult for the vast majority in capitalist Russia. Not only difficult, people are a thousand times more alienated than even under cretin Brezhnev. What to do! Gays should fight their oppression and suppression and seek allies among those democratic forces that will help them. But the real solution will be a social system, socialism, that has a need to get rid of poverty, and has no need of scapegoats.
Alleviating poverty under capitalism is not really possible. Capitalism creates poverty. Poverty as it exists in Russia today was eliminated under the planned economy, no matter how inhospitable to gay rights the old Stalinists were. The two issues of poverty and homohatred are not as directly intertwined as the respondent makes out.
The vast majority of working people in Russia have real interest in the suppression of the gay march. The suppression of the gay march is in the political interest of the right which venerates blood and land purity and the capitalist class that abhors political democracy.
The violence inflicted on the brave gay souls must be protested in a more cohesive and better thought out way than has been suggested by the Vodka boycotters. As for me, the Stoli boycott is poorly conceived. The Russian consulate is in a remote neighborhood from the center of gay life in SF. This event makes it possible for only a tiny number of people to be involved. A forum in the Castro or the Mission to educate people about the issue and to democraticly plan an action might be a better tactic. How about an effort at flyering seeking out allies in the Russian emigre neighborhoods in the Richmond? What about a meeting with the consulate instead to protest this injustice?
The hatred and social ostracism of gays must be challenged directly because it is in the interests of both gays and the majority. Gays are being made a scapegoat by the right in the service of Capital in Russia. Life in Russia is unbearably difficult for the vast majority in capitalist Russia. Not only difficult, people are a thousand times more alienated than even under cretin Brezhnev. What to do! Gays should fight their oppression and suppression and seek allies among those democratic forces that will help them. But the real solution will be a social system, socialism, that has a need to get rid of poverty, and has no need of scapegoats.
Alleviating poverty under capitalism is not really possible. Capitalism creates poverty. Poverty as it exists in Russia today was eliminated under the planned economy, no matter how inhospitable to gay rights the old Stalinists were. The two issues of poverty and homohatred are not as directly intertwined as the respondent makes out.
The vast majority of working people in Russia have real interest in the suppression of the gay march. The suppression of the gay march is in the political interest of the right which venerates blood and land purity and the capitalist class that abhors political democracy.
The violence inflicted on the brave gay souls must be protested in a more cohesive and better thought out way than has been suggested by the Vodka boycotters. As for me, the Stoli boycott is poorly conceived. The Russian consulate is in a remote neighborhood from the center of gay life in SF. This event makes it possible for only a tiny number of people to be involved. A forum in the Castro or the Mission to educate people about the issue and to democraticly plan an action might be a better tactic. How about an effort at flyering seeking out allies in the Russian emigre neighborhoods in the Richmond? What about a meeting with the consulate instead to protest this injustice?
We are 100% volunteer and depend on your participation to sustain our efforts!
Donate
$200.00 donated
in the past month
Get Involved
If you'd like to help with maintaining or developing the website, contact us.
Publish
Publish your stories and upcoming events on Indybay.
Topics
More
Search Indybay's Archives
Advanced Search
►
▼
IMC Network