As a country, America has long sought to be a progressive innovator in the modern world, particularly when it came to individual freedoms.

Our passion for freedom and equality is at the core of our constitution, the document which serves as the backbone of our nation’s beliefs,

America has long fought for human rights, not just here at home but internationally; stepping into conflicts many members of the world community advised against in the name of progress.

We as a nation lead by example and it is time for us once again to set a standard for the world to follow.

In the year 1980, the United States of America boycotted the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow, Russia as a result of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

I propose we boycott the coming 2014 Winter Olympic Games to show that we as a nation will not stand for the inequality Russia promotes through its recently passed anti-gay legislation, which would prevent gay U.S. citizens attending the games from acknowledging the fact they were gay.

On June 30th, 2013, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill which banned “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations to minors.”

The law essentially equates same-sex relations with pedophilia in the eyes of Russian courts. The wording of the bill allows for a loose interpretation of what qualifies as a propaganda and therein lies the danger.

Under this law, simply speaking to minors about homosexuality could be considered a federal crime.

This is not just hearsay, on July 22nd, four Dutch citizens appeared in court after being detained for allegedly promoting homosexuality. How were they promoting it? By asking people, including minors, how they felt about it while making a documentary.

If Russia is already charging foreign citizens for “promoting” a homosexual lifestyle what is to stop them from doing the same to openly gay Americans who attend the games?

This goes beyond spectators and could affect openly gay reporters as well as the athletes themselves.

The issue we are presented with is not one that requires you to support gay rights, or gay marriage, or condone a gay lifestyle, the issue at hand is one of human rights and of the First Amendment.

Whether you condone homosexuality or not, you must as an American allow their right to speak on their beliefs.

If we would expect the right to freedom speech for ourselves, we must fight for that right for even our enemies. The only ethical way to fight speech is with more speech, not through censorship.

All of these Olympic athletes have trained their entire lives for this event and missing it would mean missing out on realizing their own dreams, but perhaps fighting for human rights is more important that winning a shiny new medal.

There will be other Olympic games but now is the time to stand in solidarity behind our fellow men, regardless of difference in creed, now is the time to fight for our right to freedom of speech, now is the time to boycott the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

-Paul Villa
DVC Student