Russian Gay Laws - Hitler Would Be Proud

A friend of mine went to University to study history because he was advised that, since his ambition was to become a politician, history was the best degree he could have.  Not economics or business planning, studies that you would think would prepare a young man for the rigors of running a country a lot better, no history because apparently a knowledge of history will enable you to avoid the mistakes in the past and improve on what went well.  So how come the mistakes of history are being repeated and repeated?

As reported by the American Prospect the anti-gay laws passed in Russia earlier this year have been supported by such statements as:

"I believe it is not enough to impose fines on gays for engaging in the propaganda of homosexuality among adolescents. We need to ban them from donating blood and sperm, and if they die in car accidents, we need to bury their hearts in the ground or burn them as they are unsuitable for the aiding of anyone's life."

Thank you, Dmitry Kiselev, anchorman and deputy director of VGTRK, the Russian state broadcast holding company for that illuminating statement as to how deeply rooted the Kremlin has made it's anti-gay propaganda.

Am I the only one who can see the parallels with a certain country in 1935?  As Alexei Davydov, Russian LGBT activist has said:

“The Kremlin has taken a page from the Middle Ages. Incapable of solving the country's pressing problems, and with Putin's ratings falling, the Kremlin has decided to consolidate society through fear—and to this purpose is engaged in a search for enemies both internal and external. Gays have been chosen as these victims.”

Not so Middle Ages.  In the last Century it was the Jews who felt the beating stick of a dictator while the rest of the world thought that winning a few races at the Olympics would make him open his eyes to how wrong he was.

Well it didn't work then and I seriously doubt whether it will work this time round.  What some people forget is that the Nazi not only prosecuted Jews, they also killed homosexuals, gypsies, objectors to the war and disabled people.

So how long before those with autism have to start looking over their shoulders in Russia?  How long before they are the targets of the gangs "of Neo-Nazi vigilantes luring gay teens with online ads, then kidnapping and torturing them—a process they like to videotape and post online for their admirers to enjoy."

For that matter, where next Putin?  Has Europe gone back to sleep just as the monsters are about to come crawling out of the closet?  Is the Cold War about to become Hot?

I hope not but I don't like the idea of what is happening over the horizon in Russia.  I think that Europe had better wake up again and damn fast, although if the newspapers don't stop harrying the children of celebrities and start reporting real stuff that's not going to happen.