XPost: ba.politics, dc.media, soc.penpals   
   XPost: alt.burningman   
   From: seeya@kobe.com   
      
   The Rev. Franklin Graham has praised Russian President Vladimir   
   Putin for his stance against homosexuality and slammed President   
   Barack Obama's “shameful” embrace of gay rights.   
      
   "To be clear, I am not endorsing President Putin," Graham, the   
   son of renowned evangelist Billy Graham, said in the March issue   
   of Decision magazine.   
      
   The magazine in published by the Billy Graham Evangelistic   
   Association, based in Charlotte, N.C. Franklin Graham is the   
   association's president and CEO.   
      
   "To survive in the KGB and rise to power in Russia, you have to   
   be tough," Graham said of Putin. "His enemies say he is   
   ruthless. To some, he is a modern version of a czar. His   
   personal life has its own controversies.   
      
   "Isn’t it sad, though, that America’s own morality has fallen so   
   far that on this issue — protecting children from any homosexual   
   agenda or propaganda — Russia’s standard is higher than our own?   
      
   "Putin is right on these issues," Graham continued. "Obviously,   
   he may be wrong about many things, but he has taken a stand to   
   protect his nation’s children from the damaging effects of any   
   gay and lesbian agenda."   
      
   Last year, Putin banned the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual   
   relations to minors," Graham said. The restriction was   
   highlighted by the Russian president's critics leading up to the   
   Winter Games in Sochi last month.   
      
   "American media and liberal activists were outraged that the   
   Olympics would be allowed in such an 'intolerant' culture,"   
   Graham said. "Even though Putin said that gays and lesbians   
   would be allowed at the Olympics, the fact that he took a stand   
   — simply to protect children — ignited a worldwide cultural   
   firestorm.   
      
   "He further explained the law by saying, 'We have a ban on the   
   propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia,' " Graham said.   
      
   The evangelist called the American response to Putin's crackdown   
   "sadly predictable," noting that President Obama sent gay and   
   lesbian athletes to Sochi. He also mentioned Attorney General   
   Eric Holder's announcement last month that his office would push   
   for recognition of same-sex marriage in all 50 states — "even in   
   the 33 states that outlaw those marriages."   
      
   Graham then charged Obama and Holder with having "turned their   
   backs on God and his standards, and many in the Congress are   
   following the administration’s lead. This is shameful.   
      
   "The world used to look to America for moral leadership," Graham   
   said. "But those days are long gone."   
      
   He said that the United States has "abdicated our moral   
   leadership" — at home and abroad.   
      
   "We defeated Communism, only to relax and see secularism and   
   progressives take over our country," Graham said. "Secularism is   
   as godless as communism. Secularists and progressives have taken   
   over our schools, media, and local and federal government. And   
   it has all happened in the twinkling of an eye."   
      
   http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/franklin-graham-homosexuality-   
   vladimir-putin/2014/03/15/id/559757/   
      
       
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)