4 Comments

Thanks! It was refreshing to read that young Russians have respect for their elders and an appreciation of history. More of that here, please!

Correct me on this point though—weren’t people pulling down statues of Stalin after Khrushchev denounced him though? And weren’t there a bunch of statues removed, notably the one of Iron Felix outside the Lubyanka? (I know Putin had it re-installed elsewhere.) I have recently started learning more about Russian history, so I could well be confused, as it’s a LOT to remember.

Expand full comment
author

Well, some statues were pulled down for sure especially if Stalin still was a mass murderer, but it was done by Russian officials, not by ignorant rioting masses, and not at that massive scale either. And I meant Russian people attitudes, not officials' actions.

The only time when Russian people were pulling down statues was over century ago during October Marxist revolution, and that should be a warning to American people too - I think we might be nearing our own October Marxist revolution now sadly.

Expand full comment

You’re so right, and it’s extremely alarming. Thanks for the clarification on the statues.

Expand full comment
author
May 9·edited May 9Author

You're welcome. Russian officials are also constantly renaming streets.

But no Russian person demanded to pull anything down. When Russians protested Putin's regime back in 2011 and 2012, they demanded resignation of Putin's government, not any 'deconolonization' or even 'Desovietization'.

You might have heard of Pussy Riot band infamous performance back in 2012 in the main Moscow cathedral which Putin and Russian Orthodox Church framed as 'desecration' (I recall this story got much resonance in the West and US).

But the girls just sang protest anti-Putin song in a church, nothing more. There was not a single word against Christianity even in their song lyrics. They didn't vandalize or desecrate anything in the cathedral unless you consider singing 'Putin's asshole' a 'desecration' which I certainly don't.

Expand full comment