He’s Orthodox. That’s great. Has anyone taken a second to look at the situation he is in? Here he is accepting an award, there is speculation that he could be Team Russia’s captain for ice hockey, in the Winter Olympics, which is being hosted…. IN RUSSIA.

Pavel Datsyuk’s job is to be a professional hockey player: no more, no less.

Why would a public figure from a country that is threatening to jail athletes and visitors to the Olympics for showing they support gay rights be in that country and start speaking against it? Sure he could have. Sure that would have made people feel warm and tingly inside that Mr. Pavel Datsyuk, Mr. Lady Byng, himself took a stand for the millions he doesn’t know.

Now back to reality. It’s not his job. He is not a politician, he isn’t a career protester, he is not a lobbyist. His job is to play ice hockey, with an incredible amount of talent (be it God given or due to hard work and dedication is a debate for another day).

I have two daughters and I could honestly care less if one is straight and one is gay, or both straight, or both gay. They are my daughters and I love them for who they are. If one is straight and the other gay why should their rights be different? They shouldn’t.

The internet and social media age has made the global community a smaller place; however, it is important to remember that we all come from different cultures, societies, and have different experiences.

Yesterday’s experience of reading on Twitter that just because someone that is straight has friends that are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, etc. and wants them to share the same equal rights doesn’t mean that person isn’t a homophobe themselves. Um, yeah, okay then. I am sure the homophobic society in mass is pretending to be straight allies for equal rights to get into the secret underground scene right? Back to my daughters – by the precedent set yesterday that would mean that because I am not a lesbian myself I can’t want equal rights for the two of them because I am in fact straight? I call bullshit.

Fighting hate with more hate is not only keeping the endless cycle going it is causing it to spin out of control.

Maybe one day people will learn to tolerate, and then grow to accept that not everyone is the same. Maybe one day we will stop turning our world into 1984 and the thought police.

Maybe someday people can actually discuss differences with one another and not launch into a defensive fight or flight state.

It is okay to be different and a person should be able to discuss their differences without fear of backlash from, society, the government, the IOC and everyone on the planet that feels entitled because they have a Twitter account.