US: Conservative activists say anti-gay violence in Russia is the fault of victims’ ‘public kissing’
Two US conservatives have defended bouts of anti-gay violence in Russia by claiming that they are “the natural way people react to homosexuality.”
RightWingWatch reports that MassResistance activist Brian Camenker appeared on Mission America’s “Harvey This Weekend,” where he was questioned by show host Linda Harvey on reports of anti-gay violence in Russia, and whether or not these reports were fabrications.
“Well, it’s hard to say,” Mr Camenker replied. “I would say that a lot of it is probably true. The natural way people react to homosexuality — outside of all the diversity training — is a certain amount of revulsion. So if two men start kissing in the public street, you can expect a certain reaction from people.”
Ms Harvey defended the law as “logical,” however, arguing it is meant to protect children.
She said: “It means that this is a law that protects children and that will be a separate issue, and if we were dealing with logical people and a logical movement they will see it as a separate issue if they were being just and fair but they’re not just and fair.”
Both agreed they were not advocating anti-gay violence, although blamed the “immoral” actions of gay people in public for homophobic attacks.
Mr Camenker said: “If you’re going to do something that most of the population considers bad or immoral or disgusting in public, you’re going to get a certain reaction. I think that they push that as far as they can and sometimes you just can’t do it.”
“There’s some provocation going on,” Ms Harvey said. “Not justifying violence in any way for all of these people listening and wanting to spin this the way they will want to do.”
