An opinion poll showed 43 per cent of Russians believe gay men should be incarcerated. So it's no surprise that plans to stage Russia's first gay pride parade have been vetoed by Moscow's city government on the grounds that the idea has caused "outrage" in society, according to AP and the European press.

Representatives from Moscow's Mayor Yuri Luzhkov's said the city government would not even consider an application for a parade, prompting Russia's gay community to threaten legal action in the European Court of Human Rights, even though Russian is not part of the European Union.

Gay and lesbian groups in Russia continued campaigning for a permit to stage the country's first gay pride event on Saturday, May 27. That date commemorates the 13th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality in Russia in 1993.

But the gay-lesbian parade coalition's plans have drawn a furious reaction from religious leaders, and it's even been condemned as "suicidal" by other gay activists.

Russia decriminalized homosexuality in 1993 but tolerance is not widespread. When asked about gay parades, President Vladimir Putin quipped in February that his approach to sexual minorities is guided by Russia demographic problems.

"We believe these perverts should not be allowed to march on the streets of Moscow, the third Rome, a holy city for all Russians," said Igor Miroshnichenko, who said he was an Orthodox believer who had come to support the riot police. "It (homosexuality) is satanic," he said. One man holding a crucifix threatened to beat up any gay person he saw.

The attitude of Russian cops appears to be the polar opposite of police officers in the USA. During civil disobedience incidents by gays in the US, police officers are ordered to stand-down. For example, when protesting the stance of the Catholic Church regarding homosexuality in New York City, police officers followed orders and took no action even though the protesters were violating the law.

And if cops don't tow the "politically-correct" line, they will suffer retribution. A career-cop, Guy Adams, was suspended by his police department for his stance on homosexuality. He was threatened with termination if he continued to voice his concerns over gay-adoption and same-sex marriage.

Adams' superiors went as far as investigating his political affiliations and activities which included working for conservative politician Dr. Alan Keyes.

According to one law enforcement official, the US Department of Justice has been using [some Christian ministries] as examples of Christian "fundamentalist hate groups" because of its Biblical opposition to homosexuality during its law enforcement "mediation and conflict resolution" training classes.

On Thursday, May 24, 2007, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), which operates 14 publicly-owned universities, manages approximately 300 police officers, and oversees over 100,000 students, hosted a mandatory class entitled "Mediation and Conflict Resolution Skills for Law Enforcement" at its central headquarters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The class is part of a police training series under the direction of the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service, which is provided at different times to PASSHE police officers.

During this class, Timothy Johnson, Sr. Conciliation Specialist for the US Department of Justice Community Relations Service, falsely characterized "Repent America" as a Christian "fundamentalist hate group" and had law enforcement officials participate in a role-playing activity to illustrate this point. Johnson directed a number of police officers to stage a campus dramatization before the class between a mock Repent America evangelism team and a group of upset homosexuals.

While these officers were role-playing the two groups, another officer was instructed to "mediate the conflict" by removing the Christians, instead of affirming their constitutional rights to be on a public campus. The removal instruction was because the homosexuals' feelings were hurt and offended by the Biblical message of repentance and call to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The same dramatization occurred on at least one other occasion before a previous training class.

While most American clergy are silent about homosexuality in fear of government, Chief Mufti Talgat Tadzhuddin, a leading Islamic cleric in Russia, warned that Muslims would stage violent protests if the gay-rights march went ahead.

"If they come out on to the streets anyway they should be flogged. Any normal person would do that -- Muslims and Orthodox Christians alike ... [The protests] might be even more intense than protests abroad against those controversial [Mohammed] cartoons," said Tadzhuddin

The cleric said the Koran taught that homosexuals should be killed because their lifestyle spells the extinction of the human race and said that gays had no human rights.

The Russian Orthodox Church has called it "the propaganda of sin." Bishop Daniil of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk yesterday condemned the plans as a "cynical mockery" and likened homosexuality to leprosy.

Despite being decriminalized, homosexuality is still widely despised in Russia and police in Russia are quick to enforce laws without fear of being politically incorrect. American cops, on the other hand, have allowed themselves to be silenced by gay activists and their crony-politicians.

Many of the gay rights opponents Sunday carried icons or other insignia of the Russian Orthodox Church, and one man wore the garb of an Orthodox priest.

A woman in a headscarf, typical of devout Orthodox believers, repeatedly threw water from a bottle at Peter Tatchell, a British human rights activist, as he tried to speak. A young man in a camouflage T-shirt then punched Tatchell in the head and Tatchell was led away by police.

No gay rights opponents were seen taken away by police, although Gildeyev said a man was detained after attacking a Briton, presumably referring to Tatchell.

The only Russian lawmaker to publicly state support for the demonstrators came from an unexpected wing: Alexei Mitrofanov of the ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party.

"How can one act in such a manner, assuming Russia wants to be a part of Europe?" Mitrofanov said at the scene, according to the Interfax news agency.

Subscribe to the NewsWithViews Daily News Alerts! Enter Your E-Mail Address:

"How come we never hear of Gay pride parades in Arab countries? Because Arabs adhere to their Bibles (Koran) and Christians don't. In Arab countries Homosexuality is an abomination, not so in the Christian nations, says Mike Baker, a conservative activist.

Christian leadership will tolerate anything as long as its politically correct, it's called money over principles. Keep the masses entertained, dumb and happy. Don't rock the boat for fear of loosing Sunday donations. And then they have the gall to pray for God's blessing," said Baker.

� 2006 NewsWithViews.com - All Rights Reserved