What’s More Important, Sports Or Human Rights?

photo of woman Protesting 2014 Sochi Olympics

Russia is hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Russia also recently passed a new law banning ‘propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations around minors’ which has been used to attack LGBT groups in the country. The law means gay pride parades are forbidden as is any literature or signs supporting gay rights. Although the Russian government has told the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that the law won’t be applied to athletes, there are calls for a boycott of the games. Of course the people who will profit from the games are against the boycott. They have put sports ahead of human rights.

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New Cold War Over Snowden? What About One Over Human Rights?

photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin entry in the ‘Dictators’ of the World Calendar

The corporate media have been obsessed with the adventures of NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden. Not about what he publicized – the overbroad spying on Americans in the name of ‘security’ – but where he is going and where he is located. Now that Snowden has been granted temporary asylum in Russia, the media have been speculating how this will damage US – Russia relations. Of course they have no such concerns over Russia’s suspect human rights record.

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Separating fact from fiction for the Boston and Texas tragedies

famous image of Police going into action after Boston Marathon bombing
Police go into action after Boston Marathon bombing

It was a rough week for a lot people last week. Two bombs were set off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. A fertilizer plant blew up in Texas on Wednesday. The manhunt for the Boston bombing suspects heated up early Friday morning then concluded with the final suspect captured Friday evening. It is still early in these events and we don’t have all the information but I wanted to share some thoughts on the week where the known facts don’t match what is being said by other people.

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