Could Moscow become another symbol of liberalism's false promise?

First, this article in the AP about a gay rights protest took me about ten minutes to figure out. It's not a straight forward as the headline read. Apparently gay rights activists protested an airline's office in Moscow over its alleged role in their gay rights leader Nikolai Alexeyev's arrest some time ago. A couple dozen were there (obviously enough to warrant international coverage). Some anti-gay rights activists were hauled away by the police. Reasons are not given. Alexeyev, protesting his arrest, thanks the police for arresting the anti-gay rights protesters. Again, no reasons are given, no clue if violent threats were made or whatever. This is all tied to Moscow's former mayor being relieved. A mayor described by the AP as 'intolerant'. I guess that based on the issue of homosexuality since that's being told about in the story.

All in all, a confusing peace. More questions are left than answered. Was Moscow's mayor intolerant, or did he simply not condone homosexuality? Or is that the official journalistic definition of intolerant? Why was the gay rights leader arrested? He says one reason, the Swiss airline says another. Do we know? Does it matter? And why were the anti-gay rights protesters arrested? Is this a good thing? Were they seconds away from plowing into the gay rights protesters (all couple dozen of them) with grenades and Uzi?

My problem, beyond a minuscule event getting international attention, is the not-too-subtle insinuation that anti-gay rights protesters being arrested is a good thing, the mark of a new and promising dawn of tolerance. But is it? Is this good that from now on it might be those who oppose homosexual conformity and celebration who will be hauled off?

If yes, then it certainly lives up to everything the gay rights movement has been in Europe and America; a movement born of the stew of freedom and diversity and desire for everyone to live side by side whether they are different or disagree with us. Now those who once yelled 'live and let live' are happy to see those who don't think as they do or support their doctrines be hauled away.

Of course in this case, it may be different. There may have been violence or threats. I don't know. But either way, the only hope those who don't worship at the altar of the gay life style have in Moscow is if their city doesn't follow the lead of so many European countries, and the desire of so many American activists.