Russia

I'm proud of you guys. Say what is needed to say is not easy under these circumstances. Speak.. shout if you must... but never... NEVER... remain in silence in front of the ones that need to listen to what you have to say.

Looking good ;)

Dear Readers,
I just found this bookmark on Russia, but Russia has been in mind a lot and most of today, I believe we are comming into a dangerous new "cold war" with Russia, I can only discribe it like that for simplicitly. Actually I believe things are more complex, in fact very complex. I believe we'll do lots of campaigns on issues related to this as time goes by. The world is in a mess and counties/authorities with political power technology weath and fire power, don't seem to have much ethical ideology anymore. We still seem to have more here in the UK, most of the time. Incidentally I look at Russian news a lot on-line, it seems to me you'll see an add for furniture and one for a high tec weapon system on the front page side by side, arms are us and we ready for anything, is what it all seems to convey.

I feel that there was no lack of chauvinism in the portrayal of the wars in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and indeed the "war on terror" etc.; is it feasible that these youngsters have carried this mindset to a grisly conclusion, and if so, maybe there are perhaps others with more power and culpability who have striven to crush the alternative perspective when racial nationalism has felt to be in their interests?

If the murder of people of the calibre of Anna Politkovskaya will not quell the courage of dissent in Russia, then there is hope for us all. I feel humbled by the sheer bravery of so many people who risk all to build an open society, at peace through just relations within the world. May they be always in our thoughts.

I am not sure I wholly accept the premise that Stalin is not considered a monster. I have never met anyone who would defend either Stalin or his persecutions and being a lefty who studied politics, I think I might have.

Just because his portrait is not seen as being as iconically offensive as Hitler's doesn't necessarily mean he is not considered a monster. In fact I think the reason his portrait is trendy for some is that he WAS a monster. The difference with Hitler is that his image is shorthand for hatred of Jews, gay people, travelling folk, Slavs, the disabled etc. Having a portrait of Hitler hanging in your room then marks you out as bigoted to the point of psychotic obsession (think Charles Manson). Not a look many people are going to want to sport.

Stalin's portrait is in Brand's picture for the same reason that punks (most of whom were anti-fascist) wore swastikas -- as a f*** you to safe bourgeoise folk and the kind of people who buy The Daily Mail. Is it politically naive? Probably. Does it mean that Stalin is not seen as a monster? I doubt it.

Yes, I've just been looking at that. And I also clocked the Stalin picture behind Russell Brand in a photo on the front page of the Guardian the other week. Bizarre.