Bill Aims to Ban Gay Deputies
By Francesca Mereu
Staff Writer
The State Duma is to consider Friday a bill that would ban alcoholics, homosexuals and pedophiles from holding seats in parliament.
The bill, which was submitted by the Kursk region's legislative assembly, would require newly elected deputies to undergo physical and psychological examinations to make sure they are fit for office.
Health Ministry doctors would be responsible for declaring each deputy free of alcoholism, homosexuality and pedophilia, as well as several diseases, which are not specified in the bill.
"Chronic diseases and latent diseases undoubtedly influence one's capability to communicate and observe acceptable behavior norms," the bill says. "They prevent [deputies] from making decisions for their electorate."
"Only people who are psychologically fit should aspire for a Duma post," a Kursk legislative assembly spokesman said Thursday. He refused to give his name.
The bill is an amendment to a law on Duma elections and is on the parliament's agenda to come up for the first of three required readings Friday. Alexander Volkov, a deputy from the pro-Kremlin United Russia faction who was elected in Kursk, is to present the bill to the Duma.
"The bill is aimed at forming some regulations," said Volkov's spokesman, Yury Svichainy.
However, he acknowledged that it was highly unlikely that the bill would make it all the way to the reading Friday.
A number of deputies have slammed the bill as unconstitutional, saying it fails to uphold the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The Duma's Committee on Constitutional Law and Government Building has recommended that the Duma throw out the bill.
The bill was submitted to the Duma last year, Svichainy said.
The Moscow Times
Hurray for Russia, the most open minded country in the world. Yup, makes me proud.
I believe what they're hiding their bigotry behind here is AIDS, unless I'm trying to read between the lines unnecessarily.
But it's entirely possible that they consider it a disease.
After all, it wasn't until 1972 that homosexuality was knocked off the list of mental illnesses in the US....
Frank Hipper wrote:
After all, it wasn't until 1972 that homosexuality was knocked off the list of mental illnesses in the US....
Keep in mind that the russians have ALWAYS been like this. ALWAYS.
The merest whiff of anything......"unseemly' was more than enough to
scuttle promising politburo careers in the Bad Old Days
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
Frank Hipper wrote:I believe what they're hiding their bigotry behind here is AIDS, unless I'm trying to read between the lines unnecessarily.
But it's entirely possible that they consider it a disease.
After all, it wasn't until 1972 that homosexuality was knocked off the list of mental illnesses in the US....
I don't think do it becasue of AIDS...
"Only people who are psychologically fit should aspire for a Duma post," a Kursk legislative assembly spokesman said Thursday. He refused to give his name.
"Only people who are psychologically fit should aspire for a Duma post," a Kursk legislative assembly spokesman said Thursday. He refused to give his name.
Well that's cowardice, and cowards are obviously lacking in psychological fitness, so don't let the door hit you on your virginal ass on the way out, Mr. Assemblyman.
Wow, they ban alcoholics from the State Duma in Russia?
Bart: "So, you're from Russia, right?"
Russian Ambassador: "Da!"
Bart: "Are you drunk yet?"
Russian Ambassador: "Da..."
"Show me an angel and I will paint you one." - Gustav Courbet
"Quetzalcoatl, plumed serpent of the Aztecs... you are a pussy." - Stephen Colbert
"Really, I'm jealous of how much smarter than me he is. I'm not an expert on anything and he's an expert on things he knows nothing about." - Me, concerning a bullshitter
The Duma's stupidity is overwhelming even when its sober. Replacing idiots with drunken idiots will not benefit Russia. That clause I have no problem with.
fgalkin wrote:The Duma's stupidity is overwhelming even when its sober. Replacing idiots with drunken idiots will not benefit Russia. That clause I have no problem with.-fgalkin
Did you guys learn nothing from your dealings with Churchill? Everybody knows great leaders start the day with a large glass of Brandy
This reminds me of that Russian journalist Vladimir Posner (who had a perfect upstate New York accent). He was always invited on TV to try to pass himself off as the voice of Russian reason. During a joint talk-show in which Phil Donahue's and Posner's audiences would ask questions back and forth. A gay guy in Donahue's studio asked about gay rights in the USSR. Posner said: "We don't have homosexuals in the Soviet Union." His Freudian slip was showing.
fgalkin wrote:The Duma's stupidity is overwhelming even when its sober. Replacing idiots with drunken idiots will not benefit Russia. That clause I have no problem with.
Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin
Well something has to counter the potential of the Yeltsin effect
Via money Europe could become political in five years" "... the current communities should be completed by a Finance Common Market which would lead us to European economic unity. Only then would ... the mutual commitments make it fairly easy to produce the political union which is the goal"
fgalkin wrote:The Duma's stupidity is overwhelming even when its sober. Replacing idiots with drunken idiots will not benefit Russia. That clause I have no problem with.-fgalkin
Did you guys learn nothing from your dealings with Churchill? Everybody knows great leaders start the day with a large glass of Brandy
With our luck, we'll end up with Yeltsin, not Chruchill.Wait a second, we already did.
His Freudian slip was showing.
