Re: Russia's pipeline to Empire

In article <1134992873.754375.153510@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"ladzius" <2130-690@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> The democracy situation in Russia today is similar if not worse than
> twenty years ago:

Unh, no. Twenty years ago it was virtually impossible, unless you were a
Jew with connections abroad, to leave the country if you didn't like it.
Twenty years ago, engaging in the type of activity we are doing now,
exchanging ideas internationally through uncensored person-to-person
media, would have gotten you into trouble.

> the courts,

Not so. Russian courts are far more independent of the Kremlin than they
were during Soviet times, and the outcome of trials is not always clear in
advance. There is also critical and independent monitoring of the
government's activities, such as the recent, severely critical report on
the government's handling of the Beslan crisis
(http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2005/12/01/004.html).

> the economy, the mass media firmly in
> the hands of Kremlin,

More so than ten years ago, but not more so than twenty years ago. There
are still independent newspapers, both being published and on on line
(e.g. http://www.prima-news.ru/), in addition to which Russians can read
foreign newspapers in Russian (e.g. http://www.moles.ee/index.php3,
http://www.nrs.com/) and other languages on line. The Russian government
has not even tried to control information like the Chinese government has,
and it knows that the people would revolt if it ever considered such a
thing.

> NGOs outlawed,

Nonsense. Legislation is being implemented that will place restrictions on
the operation of NGOs, particularly foreign-funded ones that are directly
trying to influence Russian politics. Most countries, including the United
States, have similar laws in place. For a balanced assessment of what is
going on with respect to NGOs in Russia, try reading
http://www.opendemocracy.net/globalization-institutions_government/russia_ngo_3123.jsp
..

> independent media marginalised,
> tiny democratic forces talking about uniting "to sink togehter".
> I have little doubt that chanting "Democracy is always relative" you'd
> welcome the return of Gulags to Russia and re-occupation of Baltic
> states, if your find that "strengthened" in that way Russia would be
> useful in your personal jihad against the USA.

I am not waging a personal jihad against the USA. The fact of the matter
is that democracy is under threat in the USA, and the USA is doing things
such as running a gulag of secret prisons, torturing detainees, and
persecuting people often for reasons as trivial as having a name vaguely
similar to one on a no-fly list. These things happen in little steps, but
suddenly you discover that you have painted yourself into a corner. The US
Senate's recent refusal to extend the Patriot Act shows that responsible
Americans can see the direction that American democracy is going in tyhe
name of the "war on terrorism". Unfortunately, some of the recent negative
developments in Russian democracy have also been justified in the name of
this same "war on terrorism".

Regards,
Eugene Holman


A joke from the USSR of twenty years ago.

A Jew goes down to his local KGB office to begin the lengthy process of
obtainig permission to emigrate to Israel.

KGB agent: Why do you want to emigrate? We have the best schools, the best
army, and the biggest country in the world?
Jew: Can't complain...
KGB agent: We have the best social security, free health care, free
universities...
Jew: Can't complain...
KGB agent: Then why do you want to leave this paradise on earth?
Jew: Can't comPLAIN!
.

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