Support NeoGAF

[Father_Brain]

For understandable reasons, we're not getting the whole story here, but I hope this kid gets to tell his side someday.

Russia has pulled out of a longstanding American high-school exchange program after a teenage Russian boy who befriended a gay couple sought asylum in the United States on the grounds that he faced persecution at home as a homosexual.

Russia officials accused the United States of endangering the welfare of a child, while American officials suggested that the Kremlin was using the case as a pretext to further impair diplomatic relations.

Pavel A. Astakhov, Russia’s presidential ombudsman for children’s rights, called it “an outrageous case” in announcing that Russia would no longer allow several hundred high-school students to spend an academic year in United States under the annual Future Leaders Exchange, or FLEX, program.

Konstantin Dolgov, the top Foreign Ministry official for human rights, issued a statement saying that Russia did not oppose exchange programs, but he called it “unacceptable” that the American legal system could allow an exception to the agreement reached with the State Department that all Russian children on the FLEX program return home.

Mr. Dolgov said the idea that under-age children could “choose on their own and without their parent’s permission the place to live or whether to be adopted” violated Russian law. In terms of protecting children, the case also contradicted the “moral and ethical principles of Russian society,” he said.

According to reports in the Russian media, the boy, 16, was living with an American family in Michigan when he met a gay couple, both military veterans, at church.

An article by the state-run news agency Tass quoted unidentified Russian diplomats in Washington as saying that the couple persuaded the boy that he should stay in the United States by promising to support him, including paying his tuition at Harvard University.

The article said that the boy had decided to seek asylum on the grounds of his sexual orientation, and that the gay couple had guaranteed to a court that they would support him financially. The article suggested that the court made the couple his guardians, but left unclear with whom he was living.

The Russian diplomats said that they sought help from the police, but that the police declined to investigate.

The Tass article depicted the outcome as the work of a gay cabal, saying that when the bereft mother flew to the United States to plead with her son to return home, she was forced to hold the meeting in the presence of his two lawyers who were “also of nontraditional sexual orientation.”

Susan Reed, the supervising lawyer with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, who is representing the boy, declined to provide many details about the case, citing privacy concerns. But she said that the account in the Tass article was “a gross distortion of the facts and the legal process.”

The lawyer said that the boy was 17, not 16, and that he “was afraid to go home” and therefore had been put in federal custody through the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement.

The boy, Ms. Reed said, has been placed by the government into foster care. “The sexual orientation of that foster family is irrelevant,” she said.

With the annexation of Crimea six months ago, Mr. Putin has sought to depict Russia as a powerful world player that does not need ties with the West. The Ukraine crisis strained relations with the United States, which are at their lowest point in decades.

Some diplomatic analysts suggested that Russia was using the Michigan case as part of that political agenda.

“They have taken this one case and have used it to shut down a program that has historically been very successful,” said Steven Pifer, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former ambassador to Ukraine. “The big losers are going to be the Russian kids who can’t come and spend a year in an American high school. There seems to be a trend to try to separate Russia from the rest of the world.”

More at the link.

 

[Currygan]

well, if he violated the law, he violated the law

 

[Branduil]

"Kills student" probably not the best isolated phrasing there. I initially read it as Russia literally killing a student before I comprehended the entire sentence.

 

[BeatResetsTheWorld]

Don't want gays in Russia
Don't want gays outside of Russia
What exactly do you want, Putin?!

 

[BreezyLimbo]

"Kills student" probably not the best isolated phrasing there. I initially read it as Russia literally killing a student before I comprehended the entire sentence.

Lionel Hutz would've used the proper punctuation.

"Russian Govt Kills? Student exchange program! After, gay teen seeks asylum in US?"

As for the topic...All the stories I've heard about how LGBT are treated there are well, not the best stories. And I feel that Russia is definitely using this as a pretext to continue cutting ties with the West...all over one student.

 

[Face it Tiger..]

Don't want gays in Russia
Don't want gays outside of Russia
What exactly do you want, Putin?!

he wants to drag him back and persecute, obviously.

 

[speculawyer]

More evidence that the cold war has returned . . . we have defectors seeking asylum.

 

[Vermillion]

"Kills student" probably not the best isolated phrasing there. I initially read it as Russia literally killing a student before I comprehended the entire sentence.

This. I mean, this is still bad, but wowza did I expect something worse.

 

[orochi91]

well, if he violated the law, he violated the law

Yup.

His stupidity just robbed all those other Russian kids from partaking in the exchange program.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

Yup.

His stupidity just robbed all those other Russian kids from partaking in the exchange program.

Putin's stupidity you mean, right?

 

[Surface of Me]

Yup.

His stupidity just robbed all those other Russian kids from partaking in the exchange program.

More like the bigotry currently cemented in the Russian government did that.


I too, thought the Ruskies killed this kid before reading the article.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Goddamn stupid kids, trying to escape from their persecutors and find some happiness.

 

[antonz]

Cannot fault the kid. His entire future at home would be his life at risk of death. If he ever is forced home he is doomed to some gulag after this for sure

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

Yup.

His stupidity just robbed all those other Russian kids from partaking in the exchange program.

Don't blame this kid for Putin deciding to cut off his nose to spite his face

 

[Coffee Dog]

Yup.

His stupidity just robbed all those other Russian kids from partaking in the exchange program.

What was "His stupidity"?

He was a gay dude.

In Russia.

Besides, it was Putin's reactionary bullshit that ended the program. It's classic abuse logic "LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO"

 

[xbhaskarx]

"the work of a gay cabal"

This explains so much.

 

[Eighty Deuce]

Don't want gays in Russia
Don't want gays outside of Russia
What exactly do you want, Putin?!

There are no gays from Russia!!! Only bears!

 

[Enron]

If Russia wants to separate itself from the rest of the world, so be it. If the Russians want another Cold War, let's give it to 'em.

 

[J10]

What was "His stupidity"?

He was a gay dude.

In Russia.

Besides, it was Putin's reactionary bullshit that ended the program. It's classic abuse logic "LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO"

Don't blame this kid for Putin deciding to cut off his nose to spite his face

More like the bigotry currently cemented in the Russian government did that.


I too, thought the Ruskies killed this kid before reading the article.

Putin's stupidity you mean, right?

The sarcasm went right over all your heads.

 

[onken]

"the work of a gay cabal"

This explains so much.

Yeah I laughed aloud reading that. Oh, Russia.

 

[slit]

The sarcasm went right over all your heads.

How do you know it was sarcasm? Did you make the post?

 

[J10]

How do you know it was sarcasm? Did you make the post?

It's too stupid to be sincere.

 

[slit]

It's too stupid to be sincere.

That means nothing around here.

 

[Father_Brain]

"Kills student" probably not the best isolated phrasing there. I initially read it as Russia literally killing a student before I comprehended the entire sentence.

Ha, suppose I could have worded it better. Oh well.

 

[Derwind]

Putin just got put in his place. So now he's angry. Whoops.

Glad this kid can find some peace.

That means nothing around here.

Amen to that brother!

 

[richiek]

well, if he violated the law, he violated the law

"If he dies, he dies."

 

[benjipwns]

the annual Future Leaders Exchange, or FLEX, program.

*barfs*

 

[CDX]

Don't blame the kid at all.

If you were a gay kid in Russia, you'd want any escape you could.

 

[Henchmen21]

well, if he violated the law, he violated the law

Unjust laws deserve to be broken.

 

[GrantDaNasty]

Yup.

His stupidity just robbed all those other Russian kids from partaking in the exchange program.

Victim-blaming. Always a pleasure to see.

/s

 

[hiroshawn]

1. Why are people name dropping Putin? Like Putin is even remotely involved in this blockbuster case.

2. The kid was wrong. Here is why. If he gets shipped back to mother Russia he is FUCKED. He should have waited a few years and left safely. Why risk going to prison in Russia? Patience is the jewel of the body.

 

[Derwind]

1. Why are people name dropping Putin? Like Putin is even remotely involved in this blockbuster case.

2. The kid was wrong. Here is why. If he gets shipped back to mother Russia he is FUCKED. He should have waited a few years and left safely. Why risk going to prison in Russia? Patience is the jewel of the body.

1. The institutionally sanctioned bigotry of the lgbtq community was putin to existence by Putin.

2. I'd imagine it'd be easier to say that if you're watching the conflict from a distance. Just an idea.

 

[reckless]

1. Why are people name dropping Putin? Like Putin is even remotely involved in this blockbuster case.

2. The kid was wrong. Here is why. If he gets shipped back to mother Russia he is FUCKED. He should have waited a few years and left safely. Why risk going to prison in Russia? Patience is the jewel of the body.

Patience doesn't really work when one slip up from living a lie can get you imprisoned or killed.

 

[Particle Physicist]

1. Why are people name dropping Putin? Like Putin is even remotely involved in this blockbuster case.

2. The kid was wrong. Here is why. If he gets shipped back to mother Russia he is FUCKED. He should have waited a few years and left safely. Why risk going to prison in Russia? Patience is the jewel of the body.

Sounds like he has a legitimate case for asylum. So the kid is wrong for attempting to live his life without persecution?

 

[hiroshawn]

Sounds like he has a legitimate case for asylum. So the kid is wrong for attempting to live his life without persecution?

Yes he does but it's too RISKY. I would not take the risk. I would rather wait and bide my time.

 

[travisbickle]

Good on the kid. Russia is persecuting gay people so he is right to do it and it might push the global audience to view it as a human rights issue.

 

[Particle Physicist]

Yes he does but it's too RISKY. I would not take the risk. I would rather wait and bide my time.

How does that make him wrong? Sounds like you would choose to do something else, but not everyone is like you. I would say the kid is quite courageous for doing this.

 

[B-Dubs]

People are blaming the kid for seeking asylum from a country that allows mods to go around, kidnap people and beat the complete shit out of them and then put video of the assault up on the internet just because of a person's sexual orientation? I'm surprised more people haven't been trying to gain asylum considering what's allowed to go on over there.

Yes he does but it's too RISKY. I would not take the risk. I would rather wait and bide my time.

Risky? How is it any more risky than living in a country that actively persecutes people like him, allowing mobs to go around and do absolutely horrible things to people like him and giving him absolutely no legal protections. Risky is staying put and trying to stay hidden.

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

Yes he does but it's too RISKY. I would not take the risk. I would rather wait and bide my time.

Bide your time to do what exactly?

What if he never gets a good enough job to escape the country?

What if in the meantime some anti-gay thugs find out he is gay and he gets tortured or killed?

If I lived under threat purely because of my sexual orientation I would get the fuck out at the earliest opportunity.

 

[hiroshawn]

Bide your time to do what exactly?

What if he never gets a good enough job to escape the country?

What if in the meantime some anti-gay thugs find out he is gay and he gets tortured or killed?

If I lived under threat purely because of my sexual orientation I would get the fuck out at the earliest opportunity.

If I had some guarantee that I wouldn't be shipped back then yes. you know if he goes back he is going to prison. RUSSIAN PRISON.

 

[reckless]

If I had some guarantee that I wouldn't be shipped back then yes. you know if he goes back he is going to prison. RUSSIAN PRISON.

Makes his plea for asylum a lot harder to ignore.

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

Well I guess to him it was worth the risk, you don't know the circumstances, maybe he was already under threat when he was due to return from this exchange program.

 

[B-Dubs]

If I had some guarantee that I wouldn't be shipped back then yes. you know if he goes back he is going to prison. RUSSIAN PRISON.

It sounds like the US is already giving him asylum, which isn't exactly shocking. The guy's got a foster family and everything at this point, I seriously doubt he's being sent back at this point.

You are also making the case for the US not sending him back. If we think he's gonna get fucked up hard by the system there's no way he gets sent back.

 

[Metroxed]

The kid made a bad decision, but it is to be expected, as he is just a kid. The "guardians", who apparently urged him to seek asylum in the United States made even a worse decision, and rather stupid, if I can add.

First of all, the treaty under which the exchange program works explicity states that is the obligation of each country (US and Russia) to make sure each student returns to their home country. This was not the US' fault though, it was the kid's, but has put the country in a difficult position.

Second, the boy has a living mother in Russia. How can two random Americans suddenly declare themselves "guardians" of the kid if he is a minor with a living mother in another country? That surely breaks a couple of regulations, you cannot just declare yourself guardian of someone. There needs to be a legal procedure.

This guy could just have waited for what... one more year? Until he was 18 and then leave safely (and legally) his country. Different would be the case if he had been threatened or something and he had escaped, but it does not seem to be the case.

The selfishness of this kid has ruined the possibility of many Americans and Russians of enjoying the benefits of this program.

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

This guy could just have waited for what... one more year? Until he was 18 and then leave safely (and legally) his country. Different would be the case if he had been threatened or something and he had escaped, but it does not seem to be the case.

The selfishness of this kid has ruined the possibility of many Americans and Russians of enjoying the benefits of this program.

At 18 did you have thousands of dollars to fly halfway around the world to a country that you had no money, no support, nowhere to live?

Yeah so selfish, who cares if he gets beat up or killed "just because" if that means other kids can visit another country.

 

[bomma_man]

Is there any precedent in the US of homosexuals being considered a protected social group for the purposes of the Refugee Act/convention?

 

[reckless]

The kid made a bad decision, but it is to be expected, as he is just a kid. The "guardians", who apparently urged him to seek asylum in the United States made even a worse decision, and rather stupid, if I can add.

First of all, the treaty under which the exchange program works explicity states that is the obligation of each country (US and Russia) to make sure each student returns to their home country. This was not the US' fault though, it was the kid's, but has put the country in a difficult position.

Second, the boy has a living mother in Russia. How can two random Americans suddenly declare themselves "guardians" of the kid if he is a minor with a living mother in another country? That surely breaks a couple of regulations, you cannot just declare yourself guardian of someone. There needs to be a legal procedure.

This guy could just have waited for what... one more year? Until he was 18 and then leave safely (and legally) his country. Different would be the case if he had been threatened or something and he had escaped, but it does not seem to be the case.

The selfishness of this kid has ruined the possibility of many Americans and Russians of enjoying the benefits of this program.

Yeah what a kid, wouldn't even wait a year or 2 under the constant threat of great physical harm, death or imprisonment. When he could maybe have a chance to get to another country.

Maybe if Russia wasn't run by a bunch of terrible people the program could continue.

 

[hiroshawn]

At 18 did you have thousands of dollars to fly halfway around the world to a country that you had no money, no support, nowhere to live?

Yeah so selfish, who cares if he gets beat up or killed "just because" if that means other kids can visit another country.

He survived so far what is 1 more year? He could have had his "Foster parents buy the ticket." Unless there was a gang waiting to kill I still say he could have waited.

 

[B-Dubs]

Just being gay in Russia is enough to put your life in danger. There was just a documentary on HBO showing vigilante groups abducting gay men and women, beating them savagely, and putting video of it on the internet. The authorities do nothing and the mere fact that these people are outed in these videos is enough to ruin their entire lives, as if getting beaten isn't enough. Here's an interview with the filmmaker that everyone saying he shouldn't have done this should read.

Here's a quote:

The really surprising thing was just how horrific the situation is—they call this a safari. Gay people are hunted like animals. That’s not a title we came up with, but that’s what we discovered. Being in that room was just so intense.

This isn't just the banning of gay marriage, gay people are in legitimate danger in Russia.

All of you saying he should have stayed need to go watch that video and then be ashamed you even suggested such a thing.

He survived so far what is 1 more year? He could have had his "Foster parents buy the ticket." Unless there was a gang waiting to kill I still say he could have waited.

Seriously, go watch the documentary and see if you can still say this. I can tell you right now that you won't be.

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

He survived so far what is 1 more year? He could have had his "Foster parents buy the ticket." Unless there was a gang waiting to kill I still say he could have waited.

He feels he couldn't have waited, until you are in that situation it's easy to sit in a warm house, safe, on your computer chair and say otherwise.

I've seen videos and documentaries of the situation with gays in Russia, gangs of skinheads who lure gays with dating adverts then force them to do degrading sexual things to the skinheads and are beaten to within an inch of their life.

I think he did the right thing, something I probably would have done at 17.