Don't say gay
Dear jimmy,
Russia crisis: President Putin's crackdown against gays and lesbians is exploding across the nation. The government is arresting innocent people at Pride marches. Coming Out, one of Russia's biggest gay organisations, lost their trial and now faces a big fine that could close them down.
Days after Coming Out lost their trial, President Putin passed a law that makes it illegal to say the word "gay" in public. Dozens of courageous Russians protested against the law, and were dragged away by police.
It won't be easy to stop the crackdown in Russia. But we've put together a powerful plan to fight back against Putin and his bullies. If 3,000 All Out members chip in a donation in the next 4 days, we can get started. Can you join in?
Please click here to make a secure donation:
https://www.allout.org/russia-crisis
First things first. If 3,000 of us donate, we'll send 10,000 euros straight to Coming Out to help them stay open and able to provide support to people within Russia. And, if enough of us join in, we'll have a vital fighting fund for All Out to keep pushing for freedom and love in Russia and around the world.
Can you chip in to make it happen?
https://www.allout.org/russia-crisis
Here's what we could do together, if just 3,000 of us chip in now:
•Hit them where it hurts – the wallet. Push leaders of countries with big economic links with Russia to speak out, by growing our petition to a million signatures and delivering it to key ministers.
•Create a storm at the Winter Olympics. Russia hosts the Olympics next year and all eyes will be on them. We could use social media, advertising and petition deliveries to pressure big sponsors like Coca-Cola to speak out.
•Build a powerful media presence. Organise press briefings to inspire journalists to write about the Russia crackdown and the courageous people in Russia standing up to the attacks. Over time, that could build into a global media narrative powerful enough to threaten Russia’s reputation and economic interests.
•Take it to the streets. Track the movements of President Putin and senior government ministers, so we can mobilise All Out members across the world to take to the streets wherever they travel.
•Culture is power. Russian punk protesters have shown how music and culture can be a powerful force against tyranny. When A-list musicians plan to tour Russia, we could launch big email and social media campaigns to ask them to speak out against the crackdown.
Click here to donate so we can put the plan into action:
https://www.allout.org/russia-crisis
All Out campaigns don't cost much money to run, because we don't have a marketing department or layers of bureaucracy. Just a small, dedicated global staff team and 1.7 million amazing All Out members across the world!
But it's not free to run All Out, and right now, we need just 3,000 people to step up and give a donation to help super-charge this Russia campaign.
If we keep quiet and let President Putin get away with attacking Russian gay, lesbian, bi and trans people with no response, he'll just keep hitting harder and harder. And worse – it would give a green light for any smaller, less powerful nations who're wondering if they can get away with stepping up attacks on their own people.
But we can push back. All Out members are in every nation. We can move fast and we're powerful together.
Help stop the Russia crackdown – please chip in today:
https://www.allout.org/russia-crisis
If 3,000 of us donate in the next 4 days, we can help Coming Out continue to protect and support brave Russians who stand up to Putin. And we'll have the funds we need to make sure All Out members can keep fighting too.
All Out members are building a world where no one has to sacrifice their family, safety, dignity or freedom because of who they are or who they love.
Signing a petition, making a phone call to a government department, spreading the word on Facebook or Twitter – there are moments when those things are exactly what's needed to take a little step towards the world we want to live in. Right now, what's needed urgently is for just 3,000 of us to chip in to help keep our campaigns going.
Please join in – click here to make a secure donation: https://www.allout.org/russia-crisis
Thanks for going All Out,
Andre, Guillaume, Jeremy, Marie, Sara, Simon and the rest of the All Out team
PS: All Out is a registered not-for-profit organisation. We are a global team with staff based in Rio, Paris, Seattle, London, New York City and Asunción building powerful and efficient campaigns every day, so your secure donation will go a long way. Read more about All Out here and about Russian organisation Coming Out here. Make your secure donation here: https://www.allout.org/russia-crisis
SOURCES:
Russian Gay-Rights Activist Fined For Violating 'Foreign Agents' Law - Radio Free Europe, 26 June 2013
http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-gay-ngo-foreign-agents-/25028340.html
Russia passes anti-gay-law - The Guardian, 30 June 2013
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/30/russia-passes-anti-gay-law
Pride parade in St. Petersburg met with violence, hostility - Toronto Star, 30 June 2013
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/06/30/pride_parade_in_st_petersburg_met_with_violence_hostility.html
Sochi 2014 Olympics Unsafe For LGBT Community Under Russia's Anti-Gay Law, Activists Warn - International Business Time, 4 July 2013
http://www.ibtimes.com/sochi-2014-olympics-unsafe-lgbt-community-under-russias-anti-gay-law-activists-warn-1334223
Putin: Business leaders want to see Russia reform and re-engage with the outer world - Global Post, 20 June 2013
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/russia/130620/business-leaders-send-strong-message-putin
Putin Concedes 'Foreign Agent' Law Needs Improvements - Voice of America, 14 June 2013
http://www.voanews.com/content/p ... ements/1681996.html |
