To compete, but not to assent

As I wrote before, Russia passed a nasty "gay propaganda" law (we're not real sure what constitutes propaganda) and Russia and the International Olympic Committee disagree on whether gay athletes are safe. Current concerns in the situation now focus on the IOC and its rules that prohibit political gestures. Is wearing a rainbow pin a political gesture? And will the IOC send the athlete home before Russia has a chance to make an arrest? That implies the IOC would do Russia's dirty work. Does all this mean gay athletes are welcome in Sochi as long as they are closeted? Why would the IOC put itself through such a PR disaster?

The Russian Sports Minister said a week ago that the Olympic athletes would be subject to the new anti-gay law. He now says would you all please calm down! Everyone has a right to a private life. Just don't promote non-traditional relations (read: stay closeted) and everything will be just fine.

Commenter Sundayboy summed up reactions: "Don't mind our little pogrom. We're only bashing gays. To start with, anyway."

Frank Bruni, writing in a New York Times Op-Ed, has the best and most beautiful response to Russia's law I've seen so far. I hope they do it.

Imagine this: it’s the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. A huge television event, watched the world over. The American Olympians join the proud march of nations. They’re our emissaries, our exemplars. And as the television cameras zoom in on Team U.S.A., one of its members quietly pulls out a rainbow flag, no bigger than a handkerchief, and holds it up. Not ostentatiously high, but just high enough that it can’t be mistaken.

Another American follows suit. Then another, and another. Within minutes the flags are everywhere in the American delegation, subtly recurring bursts of color and of honor, a gay-rights motif with a message: we’re here in Russia to compete, but we’re not here in Russia to assent. We have gay sisters. Gay brothers. Gay neighbors and friends and fans and probably teammates, and we reject the laws of a land that deems it O.K. to arrest them for speaking their truth or us for speaking up for them.

Bruni suggests the delegations from Britain, France, Argentina, and South Africa could join in. I add perhaps many more could too -- Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Canada, Brazil, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and Uruguay. All of these have marriage equality. Athletes from Australia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, and perhaps even Nepal and several others might also join in.

And Russian officials could only seethe.