To: President Donald Trump
President Obama: Wear a rainbow flag pin to St. Petersburg
To President Obama:
You have stated your opposition to Russia's new anti-gay law. We, the below signed, want you to show your opposition by openly wearing a Gay Pride Pin on your lapel while in St. Petersburg, Russia. We know that the U.S. flag pin should take precedence, but we want you to place the Pride Flag in appropriate relationship to the U.S. flag on this special occasion to make a statement in support of free speech as well as human rights for the LGBT community.
You have stated your opposition to Russia's new anti-gay law. We, the below signed, want you to show your opposition by openly wearing a Gay Pride Pin on your lapel while in St. Petersburg, Russia. We know that the U.S. flag pin should take precedence, but we want you to place the Pride Flag in appropriate relationship to the U.S. flag on this special occasion to make a statement in support of free speech as well as human rights for the LGBT community.
Why is this important?
I enjoyed visiting St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1996, when freedom was beginning to take shape there, and I am appalled that since I am gay, I would be endangered to go back there now with my partner of 16 years. Russia's backslide into suppression of free speech and human rights is wrong and needs active opposition.