To: Greg Fischer, Mayor
Suspend our “sister-city” relationship with anti-gay Russian city
The recent anti-gay laws and violence throughout Russia are appalling. Louisville can and should send a message: we value and cherish our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender residents and will not tolerate discrimination against our LGBT brothers and sisters by a sister city. Please immediately pass a resolution suspending the "sister-city" relationship between Louisville, Kentucky and Perm, Russia.
Why is this important?
Louisville should send a clear message that violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens of Perm, Russia is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Russia’s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, has said that foreign nationals, including Olympic athletes and spectators, will be subject to Russia's anti-gay laws during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Russian law allows police officers to arrest tourists and foreign nationals they suspect of being homosexual, lesbian, or “pro-gay” and detain them for up to 14 days. Russia's “gay propaganda” law makes any parents who tell their children that being gay is okay, any Pride parade organizer, any health official distributing information regarding safe sex between same-sex partners, and even judges and lawyers subject to arrest or fine. Already people are being arrested, beaten, intimidated, and more.
Russia’s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, has said that foreign nationals, including Olympic athletes and spectators, will be subject to Russia's anti-gay laws during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Russian law allows police officers to arrest tourists and foreign nationals they suspect of being homosexual, lesbian, or “pro-gay” and detain them for up to 14 days. Russia's “gay propaganda” law makes any parents who tell their children that being gay is okay, any Pride parade organizer, any health official distributing information regarding safe sex between same-sex partners, and even judges and lawyers subject to arrest or fine. Already people are being arrested, beaten, intimidated, and more.