Russia’s controversial stance on homosexuals has overshadowed the Olympics this year, and Red Alert Politics editor Francesca Chambers thinks the International Olympic Committee needs “send a clear message” to nations wanting to host future Games that human rights abuses will not be tolerated.
Francesca appeared on PBS’ To The Contrary over the weekend, and was joined on the panel by Hadley Heath of the Independent Women’s Forum, Democratic commentator Hilary Rosen and Anushay Hossain of Anushay’s Point. Host Bonnie Erbé asked the women about Russian LGBT discrimination and whether or not the United States government is doing enough in response or protest.
“To me, it’s not that they’re not doing about LGBT rights,” Francesca responded. “They’re not doing enough generally to condemn Russia’s human rights crisis all across the board ahead of these Olympics.”
But Francesca’s criticism didn’t stop there. She also spoke out against the IOC, saying that it was surprising that Russia had been selected to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.
“I think the Olympic committee does need to send a clear message that countries that engage in human rights abuses and free speech violations will not be allowed to have the Olympics in the future,” Francesca added. “I do not think they’ve done a good job in the last six to eight years of making that clear.”
The women also discussed the United Nations demand that the Vatican investigate Catholic-run workhouses that took in disadvantaged women and girls in Ireland. Those places, known as Magdalene laundries, reportedly abused and imprisoned the women under their care. Francesca pointed out that it wasn’t just the church that is to blame.
“I think we’re putting a little bit too much of the blame on the church here,” she said. “Because we haven’t even talked about the government and how the government was involved. You want to talk about abuse of power? In Ireland, the government funded these places. They knew it was going on.”
Watch the episode below and be sure to check out the ‘TTC Extra,’ where the women discuss the concept of ‘blaming babies,’ sparked by remarks from AOL CEO Tim Armstrong.
