I don’t know this for a fact, but I have been told that Russians are notoriously homophobic.

Apparently, Sweden heard the same thing.

They are currently being pestered by Russian submarines off their coast.  It is so troublesome, in fact, that Sweden is increasing its military defense spending because they suspect Russia is trying to start a cold war again.

Meanwhile, some peace-loving organizations in Sweden have created a stop-gap measure that seems to be working.

The Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society (SPAS) is to deal with encroaching Russian submarines in Swedish waters with a device emitting anti-homophobia Morse code.

The device – officially titled The Singing Sailor Underwater Defence System, but nicknamed the “gay sailor” – is a “subsurface sonar system”, which sends out the message: “This way if you are gay” in an attempt to deter apparently homophobic Russians.

“Welcome to Sweden: Gay since 1944” is written in English and Russian, in a reference to the year of decriminalisation of homosexuality in the Scandinavian nation.

And the best line of all….

Sweden is currently not a member of Nato. And thanks to the gay sailor defence system, it may never have to be.

Thanks to Deb and Craig for the heads up.