This letter written by Stephen Fry is very profound and sends a strong message to its readers. Personally, I somewhat agree with Fry’s argument. It is not essential to ban the Russian Winter Olympics of 2014. The backwards social attitudes towards homosexuality must disappear immediately. Gays, lesbians and citizens alike should all be seen and treated as equals. There should be no unease or distaste looming in the country. However, if President Putin cannot come to his senses and continues to make scapegoats of gay people, the Olympics should be staged elsewhere. Humanity must be stood up for and another stain on the Five Rings must be avoided. The IOC must push against Putin’s political priorities and society’s attitudes and be assured that this will not affect participants or spectators in the 2014 Olympics. 

Many questions came to my mind while reading this letter. Firstly, I do not understand why Russia has adopted such orthodox values. It is almost as if the country is regressing instead of progressing. In today’s world, Russia should realize the position it is in and learn from modern Western culture. In addition to this, why is it so difficult to comprehend that we are all human beings regardless of our cultural background. Shouldn’t benefits, freedoms and opportunity impact us all in the same way? 



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