Re: <nettime> publication of "Jyllands-Posten" cartoons is not...

[Murphy <murphy@thing.net>]

On Feb 15, 2006, at 6:29 PM, Jody Berland wrote:

>  Let's have some global self-awareness here.
>

These are political thugs who wrap themselves in the cloak of religion.

First they come for the cartoons, then they come for you.

Robbin Murphy
THE THING, Inc.


Russian Chief Rabbi Echoes Muslim Leader in Protesting Gay Pride in
Moscow

Created: 16.02.2006 20:01 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 20:01 MSK, 4 hours 19 minutes 
ago

MosNews

Three days after Russia's top Islamic leader called for violent protests
against this spring's planned gay pride march in Moscow the country's Chief
Rabbi has joined him in denouncing gays.

Rabbi Berl Lazar on Thursday told Interfax that if the gay pride parade were
allowed to go ahead it "would be a blow for morality". Lazar, who also
holds U.S. citizenship, did not go as far as calling for violence, but warned
the Jewish community would not stand by silently, 365gay.com website said.

On Tuesday Chief Russian Mufti Talgat Tajuddin said gays could be beaten if
they go ahead with pride celebrations in the capital.

"Muslims' protests can be even worse than these notorious rallies abroad over
the scandalous cartoons," Tajuddin, of Russia's Central Spiritual Governance
for Muslims, told Interfax.

Rabbi Lazar on Thursday said that anything promoting what he called "sexual
perversions" does not have the right to exist.

"I would like to assure you, that the parade of homosexuals it is not less
offensive to the feelings of believers than any caricatures in newspapers,"
Lazar said, linking the pride parade with the current furor over the cartoons
of the Islamic Profit Mohammed published in Denmark.

Nikolai Alekseyev, one of the organizers of the pride festival called the
comparison "outrageous".

"Any comparison between the march for human rights and against discrimination
with the publication of cartoons is nothing more than an attempt to incite
hatred toward sexual minorities," Alekseev said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the city of Moscow said a parade permit would not
be granted to the LGBT rights groups.

"Moscow authorities will not allow the conduct of gay pride in any form,"
Sergei Tsoi said on Thursday.

"The Mayor of Moscow said firmly that Moscow government will not allow the
conduct of gay parade in any form=A0=97 neither open, nor indirect, = and all
attempts to organize non sanctioned action will be severely suppressed."

Alekseyev said any attempt to prevent the march would be countered with court
action.

"In case of denial to conduct the match of sexual minorities we will
immediately sue in court. The right to meetings, marches and demonstrations is
guaranteed by the Russian Constitution to every citizen of Russia including
gays and lesbians, he said.

If necessary the organizers will go all the way to the European Court
of human rights in Strasbourg, said Alekseyev.



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