Moscow considers public kissing ban

[cirrus]

Yep. No public displays of affection!

Here's the article

Basically, police and educators want to "improve morals" by prohibiting offensive behavior. I don't think it'll pass, though, and some have vowed to violate it as often as possible!

I liked this quote:
"Children do not need any sexual education classes in school ... they get amoral lessons every day when they see what goes on around them."

like MTV and tATu videos?

[ypsidan04]

You beat me to it, cirrus. I really hope this doesn't go through. Even though it's only a small fine, they can't be telling people what to do, if it's not hurting anyone else (and it's not, no matter what Tatyana Maximova and co. say). And people should do it anyway on principle if it passes.

[PowerPuff Grrl]

Obviously I don't advocate a ban on PDAs (Public Displays of Affection) but honestly it is something I can do without.
I have always found it obnoxious and inconsiderate for couples (any couple) doing it in my lectures, waiting in line, oh and especially in the bus. I have the sudden urge to roll up a newspaper and thwack'em across their heads.

But that is just me.
I have never done it in the past and I sure as hell won't do it in the future; it isn't because I'm too self-conscious of myself either.

It's decisions like these that really tick me off though, the absurdity of it.
Don't you have other things to worry about Moscow?!

[goku]

Oh yes.. I read this in the paper the other day. Haha, my city sucks..

[Lux]

haha! PDA are banned but yet somehow if you go to a tatu concert ppl get topless and make out with each other. i guess that's not exactly in public...

i thought russia was rather liberal? i personally don't engage in PDA and don't care for ppl who do, but parallel the same reasoning for creating a law to ban it?

[denial]

No wonder t.A.T.u kissed a lot in Japan!

and become straight in Russia.

[parrish122]

Hmmmm...it would be interesting to know where the money from those fines would be going. I have to wonder if someone saw this as a way to boost up funds.

Look at it this way--if you were the police, what group would you rather bust? Drug dealers, murderers....or <gasp> couples kissing in public?

Parrish

[forre]

Puritans!

cirrus, Thanks for the translation/info.

[haku]

Originally posted by parrish122
Look at it this way--if you were the police, what group would you rather bust? Drug dealers, murderers....or <gasp> couples kissing in public?

It's not directly related, but this story reminded me of something.

A few years back in southern France, the mayor of a small city (can't remember which one) tried to ban women from being topless in the city streets. (The city was near a beach, and women were coming back from the beach into the city without putting their tops back on)
Well, this ban didn't last long, first because it was unpopular, and second because the cops were spending way too much time looking for topless women.

[Mossopp]

Originally posted by PowerPuff Grrl
Obviously I don't advocate a ban on PDAs (Public Displays of Affection) but honestly it is something I can do without.
I have always found it obnoxious and inconsiderate for couples (any couple) doing it in my lectures, waiting in line, oh and especially in the bus. I have the sudden urge to roll up a newspaper and thwack'em across their heads.

Exactly. I hate PDA's! I wish someone would pass a law banning them in my town!!
Although I do agree that Russia has got more important social problems to worry about right now. PDA's are the least of the country's problems.

[EeZeReal]

Look at it this way--if you were the police, what group would you rather bust? Drug dealers, murderers....or <gasp> couples kissing in public?

Haha just like the British police..They'd much rather find the simplist way to everything, therefore arresting people kissing in public (Well if the law applied here that is)..Our police force is sooo useless..LOL

Although banning kissing from anyway is just pathetic as hell..

[Tom Violence]

It recently became illegal in Russia for the police to ask people for their documents unless they suspected them of committing a crime. I am told that since this happened detentions for jaywalking have skyrocketed. Police pay is apparently pitiful, I suppose they need to supplement it somehow.

So no surprises that the police are in favour of this. Anything to keep their pockets lined.

[parrish122]

Another thought occurred to me.....just what will they concider "public kissing"?

If say, a mother kisses her kid on the cheek as she's dropping him off at school, does that count?

If it is a romantic couple of either sex, and it's a simple peck on the lips, does *that* count? Or does it have to involve tongue?

Would the police have to show any proof that this happened? Perhaps causing them to carry cameras around, ready to catch photographic evidence of this "crime"? Or will it just be the cop's word against the couple's?

If one person kisses the other without their consent, do they *both* get fined?

This just sounds like it's going to be a huge legal mess, in my opinion.

On another note, I can certainly sympathize with what some people have said. Some couples have *no* manners, and get far too carried away in public. But I also believe that just because some couples are rude, public kissing shouldn't be made illegal. There is just far too much chance of abuse if that became law, in my opinion.

Parrish

[Mossopp]

I understand some of you thinking that it's ridiculous that PDA's could be considered a criminal offence. But personally, I find it really bloody offensive having to see people doing that out in the street!
What annoys me even more is that fact that if I were to kiss my girlfriend out in the open in my town (and this *is* hypothetical because I don't have a girlfriend) I know for a fact I would get the sh*t kicked out of me by the local residents! I don't know any gay couple that feel comfortable enough to display any kind of affection in public. I'd be scared to even hold hands with a girl in my town!
So why should I have to live in fear of showing any kind of emotion whatsoever while I have to stand in line at the bus stop and pretend that the guy and girl next to me aren't practically having sex at the side of the road??!!?!
At the end of the day it's about decency and respect for other people and I don't reckon getting-off with someone in full view of the entire population is either decent or respectful of other people's feelings.

[goku]

i thought russia was rather liberal?

Nope. We are usually on the other end of that scale.

At the end of the day it's about decency and respect for other people and I don't reckon getting-off with someone in full view of the entire population is either decent or respectful of other people's feelings.

I know what you mean. And I guess that is what they are thinking too.

[parrish122]

I agree with you Mossopp. It *is* utterly disrespectful and rude.

But making it illegal? Well....I guess I just see where that sort of law could be really abused.

For example, what type of couple do you think the police would turn a blind eye to? A straight couple, or a gay one?

I can imagine cops hanging out around gay bars, waiting for couples to leave...figuring that once they've had a bit to drink, they'll be less likely to be thinking, "Hey, I'm kissing in public."

And with gay couples, the possibility of blackmail raises it's head. "Give me a little extra money or your parents will be told." You see what I mean?

One part that really troubles me is how if the couple doesn't have the money right then, they will be held in jail until *someone* coughs up the cash. That implies to me that they are more concerned with money, than with getting people to act more respectfully.

But I really *do* understand where you are coming from Mossopp....I've felt the same way. I think I just distrust the motives some of the people have with this, and worry that it will be misused.

But should couples show other people some common respect, and *not* get carried away in public? Hell yeah!

Parrish

[goku]

Hehe.. I can see by your text parrish122, that you've already had experience with this sort of thing..