Rendering Unto Caesar: An Absolut Russia‏

[sophia_sadek]

The recent efforts to boycott Russian vodka must come as good news to the Swedish competition. I can imagine an ad campaign where an Absolut Russia is judicially homophobic. The boycott also brings to mind an earlier event in US/Russian relations when people in the US responded to Soviet military action against a Korean airliner by spontaneously

Comments

[yes_justice]

I dont drink that shit - not my drug of choice - so its a moot point for me. But what is the companies position? And is boycotting a company in America the same as boycotting a Russian company conceptually?

READ: An Open Letter From Stoli Premium Vodka’s CEO To The LGBT Community

But was that just a rich man feeling the pinch? Should the heat be kept up?

My general philosophy is "every pin prick in the ballon counts", and I have picked my side on this issue.

What will you do to support the plight of homosexuals in the Former Soviet Republic of Russia?

Good question. I should do more. I wonder what is effective? For now, I'm just learning and trying to effect positive change in my immediate circles, where sadly there is still much room for improvement.

[yes_justice]

A couple of great comments:

"Dear Russian Oligarch: You and your friends control your nation via your fortune and connections. Fix this or GTFO."

"So is the CEO of Stoli now subject to arrest and incarceration in Russia for writing this pro-gay letter?"

[sophia_sadek]

The answer to the question is probably yes. We shall see whether or not a warrant is issued. Failure of the Russian government to act could be used against it.

[sophia_sadek]

One of my colleagues gave me grief for driving a VW. She pointed out that Germany was the country where the holocaust took place. I responded by asking that if we applied such standards to automobiles, which manufacturer would be okay? We would have to boycott Japanese cars because of the conduct of Japan in China. We would have to boycott Swedish cars because of Swedish exploits in the Baltics. We would have to boycott American cars because of the treatment of Native Americans, et al. We would have to boycott Italian cars because of the brutal policies of ancient Rome. We would have to boycott French cars because of escargot.

doing what we can

[rick_day]

Something that actually effects me!

We sell a LOT of vodka at my establishments, by far the No 1 spirit of choice ITP of Atlanta (Inside the perimeter, our equivalent of the Maginot Line). OTP? Tequila rules.

One of my managers begs us to carry Stoli and Absolut. I refuse. Even though Stoli is not really made in Russia and yes, it might hurt some workers.

We are not a 'gay bar' but the LGBT community is well represented here. Even if it is symbolic, I refuse to stock Russian Vodka. Because it is symbolic of unity and support.

Skyy, American Harvest and Well. We don't even sell Goose anymore. Fuck escargot.

As a matter of fact, I'll make a sign that says WANT TO FUCK RUSSIA? DRINK AMERICAN HARVEST.

Or I could write my congressman, but, you know..Georgia politics, etc.

[sophia_sadek]

The worm at the bottom of the tequila bottle makes escargot seem rather effete.

BTW, I'll bet there are almost as many American distillers of vodka as there are of bourbon.

[rick_day]

http://americanharvestspirit.com/

Made in 'merka by the people who made Grey Goose. Irony.

tbh not so much about being gluten free and homespun, they are a major sponsor for a street festival we are doing next month, so we have to push it as our almost exclusive top shelf.

Except ciroc. We do carry that as a VIP bottle. But still, Fuck the French!

[sophia_sadek]

I like the glitzy 5th Avenue ad video. I would be concerned about hydrolic fracturing activity in the neighborhood of the aquifer that the distillery uses.

Your attitude toward the French reminds me of the days of "freedom fries."

[telemann]

The pilot that shot KAL007 down, Genadi Osipovich, said he thought the strobe lights were a rouse. Osipovich's warning shots weren't seen by the pilots because his jet didn't have tracers on that flight and the KAL pilots would have never seen or heard them. Osipovich gives his account in this documentary on the tragedy (minute marker 39:00)

[yes_justice]

So horrorific. And he still thinks it was a spy plane. Depressing.

[sophia_sadek]

The film explains that it is his way of coping with the fact that he killed a planeload of innocent people. After reading Johnson's book, you too may come to think of it as an espionage mission. The film leaves out a boatload of information that makes the flight seem rather suspicious. I am not convinced by the portrayal of the cockpit voice recording that the change in altitude was not an evasive maneuver.

[yes_justice]

Russians freaking out over a rainbow flag flown by a single brave soul.

[sophia_sadek]

Those buff beret boyz look like the Russian equivalent of the Village People. (An English translation would be cool.)

BTW, did you notice that the OMOH spells something backward?

[yes_justice]

I did notice. Life is stranger than fiction. I gotta admit, those horizontally striped tee shirts made me wonder what I was watching too.

Google translate titles this as "Kamikaze gay Navy and riot police - a meeting at the Palace 08/0"

[sophia_sadek]

They seem sort of French, but the berets bear a Communist star.

[root_fu]

I don't understand the basis for ruling against gays in russia.

Is it a sin to be gay in pussy riots place of origin?

Is it a political ploy aimed at earning brownie points from middle eastern countries who do not approve of the gays?

I doubt it has much to do with personal preference as it does russia's homosexual stance being a bargaining chip for other things.

[sophia_sadek]

Can you say "scapegoat?"

[root_fu]

Realy?

Couldn't they just blame immigrants like everyone else?

[sophia_sadek]

Gay immigrants get the double goat treatment.