Six injured at Sarajevo's Queer Festival

Personally I have a low tolerance of bigots, when they are not beating gays, they beat their wives or inflict violence upon others.

Isn't it great that the common theme for those who committ violence against gays, claim its defending their religion or family values?

I'd like to see where it says in the koran or the bible that its ok to gang up on a unarmed person and beat him or her to a pulp.

I'd like to think that Robert O condemns this unreservedly, but these days I think he seems more occupied with opposing Serbia, than universal principles.

Roberto from Frisco....where are you now??
The fact that you are so quick to blame everything on Serbs, while never being critical of Croats, Bosnian Muslims or albanians, just shows everyone that you are a complete fake. Where is your condemnation of the Bosnian Muslims for their brutality towards your beloved gay community?

So much for this great tolerant community the West created in Bosnia.

Wasn't it just last week that B92's usual suspects jumped on the Serbs for being so oppressive of gay rights? Boohoo, look in the mirror, Muslims are just as bad. Must be a Balkan thing, regardless of religion.

Yes where is Robert who commented and criticized Serbs for the Queerfest violence in Belgrade to comment on this violence in his "beloved" city of Sarajevo. Robert has said he is an American Jew from San Francisco (which is know for its high population of gays) and who bragged about San Francisco's happy gay community after he bashed Serbs.

B92, something is wrong with this article. You didn't blame the SRS or Kostunica this time. How can that be right?

bganon: "Personally I have a low tolerance of bigots, when they are not beating gays, they beat their wives or inflict violence upon others."

I agree completely with what you say. I don't believe that people choose to be openly gay and put up with the resulting grief and being ostracised just for the heck of it.

And those who would be the most intolerant are the least accepting or open minded towards fellow humans generally.

Gordo - I agree that this is much wider spread than one group or another. When I hear some of the bigotry coming from the various different people I speak with in London, be they Slovakian, Serbian, Albanian, Ukrainian or whatever, I am shocked.

There is real hate and intolerance from some people (obviously not all). Of course there are some British people like that, but far fewer.

Live and let live. Any reciprocated love is good in today's violent world. Why would anyone feel threatened by it?

So much for this great tolerant community the West created in Bosnia.
(Daniel, 25 September 2008 13:46)

yep, and Robert-O's "beloved Sarajevo" is not any better than Beograd or Budapest or Bratislava. Still a long way ahead of us.

I wonder what Robert-O will be able to report about the Gay Pride event in Pristina. No, didn't think so.

I never thought I would combine such comments in the same post but I congratulate Zk and Beganon on their posts.

Whatever my oppinion of Bgannon may be, he is absolutely on the mark in this post.

As Bgannon points out these people who beat lesbians in order to celebrate Vidovdan and these people who assault their neighbors while shouting Allah Akhbar are not doing a service to anyone.

Zk's humour never fails to amuse me, but I would not be suprised if a US funded NGO found a way to blame Serbs for the violence in Sarejevo. perhaps Allah is code for Greater Serbia

oh my god, i haven't felt so popular since my bar mitzvah :))

actually, my dear "serb camp" (i hate that term)in that last posting about homophobia i wrote (paraphrased): This problem (violent homophobia)is NOT unique to belgrade or serbia, and has echoes throughout the former yugoslavia and much of eastern europe, not to mention every other country. (do people actually read my postings or just read what they want to read?) and i do blame the ultra-nationalism in many of these countries, and the tacit acceptance of it in those societies, and i do not take any of it back.

as for my beloved sarajevo, it is sickening to see these hooligans with their fundamentalist slogans and sleazy use of religion (as they choose to interpret it) to spread homophobia and intolerance. it is really sickening and unforgivable. i certainly do not think it represents all of bosnia, nor the true and cosmopolitan sarajevan spirit that i know and love. and i condemn such primitive attitudes in every way i can. we have a very very long way to go.

as for having to listen to the nationalists preach to me about what has happened to my beloved sarajevo after 4 years of hell and starvation, you make me... (guess my thoughts.)

roberto
sarajevo

roberto that Sarajevan spirit that you wrote about is sadly dead. It sounds to me that you have a great emotional stake in believing in good ol' sarajevo and bad ol' Belgrade.

The way you feel about Sarajevo there are those who feel the same way about Belgrade. How about showing a little respect for these people, instead of labling us 'nationalists' or 'extremists' as you called me recently. We also have the right to a little dignity, to an argument, regardless of the past.

As for those who have a right to criticise and those who don't. I call a spade a spade and always have and I don't care what people think. When somebody tells me that I have no right to an opinion to something because 'my country' did this or that, I tell them where to get off. So your argument that people in Belgrade can't talk about your beloved Sarajevo does not wash with me.

I'd say that kind of view is pretty undemocratic.

Or what, do you consider that you should be more concerned with the crimes of the US before you start criticising 'nationalists'.

Be principled in your arugments and although people can disagree strongly, they will have some respect for you. I have to say that my respect for you has gone downhill recently. I don't know if that is because I was wrong about you or if you have some other kind of problem.

Bganon, a nationalist? Ha ha ha ha ha ha…

Roberto, if you take the time to really know all the ethnicities of Bosnia like I have, you’d realize that everyone is pretty much the same there. We all have very similar mentalities.

I feel badly about the siege of Sarajevo, but I also feel the decision by the Bosniak government to use force to keep people from leaving was pretty evil, or the allegations they fired on their own people to make the Serbs look bad.

The Balkans are not Black & White, never have been, never will be.

Well, well, well Sarajevo,s democratic cosmopolitan credentials certainly show don,t they?.Sarajevo cannot be cosmopolitan when 95% of the population is of one ideological belief and that of the least tolerant on the planet.I can only blame Silajdzic, Tihic and thier like they brought these fanatics to Bosnia and with Saudi money they spread thier venomous, pernacious thoughts.I can now see why the Croats and Serbs want no part in the EU corpse that is Bosnia.I too do not believe Homosexuality is the norm, however for some people it is thier way of life.I cannot see where Roberto (hardly a Bosnian) name gets his liberal attitude from in what has become the most backward political shambles in the former yugoslavia.The so called Federation does not function at all it is bankrupt of ideas and divided along religeous lines.It would be interesting to know how many of those arrested were Serbs, Croats wearing beards as disguise!!

The west has moved towards giving the rights that are normal for everyone.

What the west has learned is that homosexuality is no big-deal, but that the real evil is in expressions of hatred. In accepting the place of homosexuals, the west has moved towards rejecting the attitudes of the religiously fanatical and of fascists.

The use of the term 'Queer' is pejorative but here it is intended to be provocative. A reaction is expected and wanted - as a direct challenge to the prejudiced.

Wasn't it just last week that B92's usual suspects jumped on the Serbs for being so oppressive of gay rights? Boohoo, look in the mirror, Muslims are just as bad. Must be a Balkan thing, regardless of religion.

So much for this great tolerant community the West created in Bosnia.

Yes where is Robert who commented and criticized Serbs for the Queerfest violence in Belgrade to comment on this violence in his "beloved" city of Sarajevo. Robert has said he is an American Jew from San Francisco (which is know for its high population of gays) and who bragged about San Francisco's happy gay community after he bashed Serbs.

So much for this great tolerant community the West created in Bosnia.
(Daniel, 25 September 2008 13:46)

yep, and Robert-O's "beloved Sarajevo" is not any better than Beograd or Budapest or Bratislava. Still a long way ahead of us.

I wonder what Robert-O will be able to report about the Gay Pride event in Pristina. No, didn't think so.

The west has moved towards giving the rights that are normal for everyone.

What the west has learned is that homosexuality is no big-deal, but that the real evil is in expressions of hatred. In accepting the place of homosexuals, the west has moved towards rejecting the attitudes of the religiously fanatical and of fascists.

The use of the term 'Queer' is pejorative but here it is intended to be provocative. A reaction is expected and wanted - as a direct challenge to the prejudiced.

B92, something is wrong with this article. You didn't blame the SRS or Kostunica this time. How can that be right?

Personally I have a low tolerance of bigots, when they are not beating gays, they beat their wives or inflict violence upon others.

Isn't it great that the common theme for those who committ violence against gays, claim its defending their religion or family values?

I'd like to see where it says in the koran or the bible that its ok to gang up on a unarmed person and beat him or her to a pulp.

I'd like to think that Robert O condemns this unreservedly, but these days I think he seems more occupied with opposing Serbia, than universal principles.

I never thought I would combine such comments in the same post but I congratulate Zk and Beganon on their posts.

Whatever my oppinion of Bgannon may be, he is absolutely on the mark in this post.

As Bgannon points out these people who beat lesbians in order to celebrate Vidovdan and these people who assault their neighbors while shouting Allah Akhbar are not doing a service to anyone.

Zk's humour never fails to amuse me, but I would not be suprised if a US funded NGO found a way to blame Serbs for the violence in Sarejevo. perhaps Allah is code for Greater Serbia

Roberto from Frisco....where are you now??
The fact that you are so quick to blame everything on Serbs, while never being critical of Croats, Bosnian Muslims or albanians, just shows everyone that you are a complete fake. Where is your condemnation of the Bosnian Muslims for their brutality towards your beloved gay community?

bganon: "Personally I have a low tolerance of bigots, when they are not beating gays, they beat their wives or inflict violence upon others."

I agree completely with what you say. I don't believe that people choose to be openly gay and put up with the resulting grief and being ostracised just for the heck of it.

And those who would be the most intolerant are the least accepting or open minded towards fellow humans generally.

Gordo - I agree that this is much wider spread than one group or another. When I hear some of the bigotry coming from the various different people I speak with in London, be they Slovakian, Serbian, Albanian, Ukrainian or whatever, I am shocked.

There is real hate and intolerance from some people (obviously not all). Of course there are some British people like that, but far fewer.

Live and let live. Any reciprocated love is good in today's violent world. Why would anyone feel threatened by it?

oh my god, i haven't felt so popular since my bar mitzvah :))

actually, my dear "serb camp" (i hate that term)in that last posting about homophobia i wrote (paraphrased): This problem (violent homophobia)is NOT unique to belgrade or serbia, and has echoes throughout the former yugoslavia and much of eastern europe, not to mention every other country. (do people actually read my postings or just read what they want to read?) and i do blame the ultra-nationalism in many of these countries, and the tacit acceptance of it in those societies, and i do not take any of it back.

as for my beloved sarajevo, it is sickening to see these hooligans with their fundamentalist slogans and sleazy use of religion (as they choose to interpret it) to spread homophobia and intolerance. it is really sickening and unforgivable. i certainly do not think it represents all of bosnia, nor the true and cosmopolitan sarajevan spirit that i know and love. and i condemn such primitive attitudes in every way i can. we have a very very long way to go.

as for having to listen to the nationalists preach to me about what has happened to my beloved sarajevo after 4 years of hell and starvation, you make me... (guess my thoughts.)

roberto
sarajevo

roberto that Sarajevan spirit that you wrote about is sadly dead. It sounds to me that you have a great emotional stake in believing in good ol' sarajevo and bad ol' Belgrade.

The way you feel about Sarajevo there are those who feel the same way about Belgrade. How about showing a little respect for these people, instead of labling us 'nationalists' or 'extremists' as you called me recently. We also have the right to a little dignity, to an argument, regardless of the past.

As for those who have a right to criticise and those who don't. I call a spade a spade and always have and I don't care what people think. When somebody tells me that I have no right to an opinion to something because 'my country' did this or that, I tell them where to get off. So your argument that people in Belgrade can't talk about your beloved Sarajevo does not wash with me.

I'd say that kind of view is pretty undemocratic.

Or what, do you consider that you should be more concerned with the crimes of the US before you start criticising 'nationalists'.

Be principled in your arugments and although people can disagree strongly, they will have some respect for you. I have to say that my respect for you has gone downhill recently. I don't know if that is because I was wrong about you or if you have some other kind of problem.

Bganon, a nationalist? Ha ha ha ha ha ha…

Roberto, if you take the time to really know all the ethnicities of Bosnia like I have, you’d realize that everyone is pretty much the same there. We all have very similar mentalities.

I feel badly about the siege of Sarajevo, but I also feel the decision by the Bosniak government to use force to keep people from leaving was pretty evil, or the allegations they fired on their own people to make the Serbs look bad.

The Balkans are not Black & White, never have been, never will be.

Well, well, well Sarajevo,s democratic cosmopolitan credentials certainly show don,t they?.Sarajevo cannot be cosmopolitan when 95% of the population is of one ideological belief and that of the least tolerant on the planet.I can only blame Silajdzic, Tihic and thier like they brought these fanatics to Bosnia and with Saudi money they spread thier venomous, pernacious thoughts.I can now see why the Croats and Serbs want no part in the EU corpse that is Bosnia.I too do not believe Homosexuality is the norm, however for some people it is thier way of life.I cannot see where Roberto (hardly a Bosnian) name gets his liberal attitude from in what has become the most backward political shambles in the former yugoslavia.The so called Federation does not function at all it is bankrupt of ideas and divided along religeous lines.It would be interesting to know how many of those arrested were Serbs, Croats wearing beards as disguise!!