Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Ivan Okhlobystin, Russian Actor, Says He Would Burn Gays Alive In Ovens

A Russian actor recently spewed inflammatory comments about gays in Russia, saying he wants to burn them all alive in ovens.

Ivan Okhlobystin is a priest and actor who stars in Russia's version of "Scrubs" and voiced a character in 2012's "Snow Queen." On Sunday, he made homophobic statements during a "spiritual talk" in Siberia's Novosibirsk, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"I would have them all stuffed alive inside an oven. This is Sodom and Gomorrah, as a believer, I can not remain indifferent to this, it is a living danger to my children!" he said, according to a Huffington Post translation of a local news report from NGS.Novosti.

"I don't want my children thinking that being a faggot is normal," he continued. "This is gay fascism! If a man can not choose an appropriate person of the opposite sex for reproduction -- that is a clear sign of mental abnormality, then he needs to be deprived of that right to choose."

After news of his vitriolic anti-gay comments made headlines around the world, Okhlobystin took to Twitter to defend himself. The 47-year-old, who previously discussed becoming president, showed no remorse.

"The meaning was rendered correctly," he said, per The Guardian. "Everyone has the right to express their opinions."

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists spoke out against Okhlobystin. Nikolay Alexeyev, the leader of Moscow's gay community, told radio station RSN the actor was "inciting hatred and enmity toward a social group," according to The Hollywood Reporter. He said the actor could be denied visas to "civilized countries" because of this.

Russia has become a hotbed for anti-gay sentiment since the nation's "homosexual propaganda" law passed over the summer. The regulation makes it "illegal to spread information about non-traditional sexual behavior" to minors, and is punishable with fines and jail time. The law has led to an increase in anti-gay violence in Russia.

Original Article
Source: huffingtonpost.com/
Author: Cavan Sieczkowski

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