Come on. You will trust Yahoo, yet question Pravda? The whole US news industry (generally speaking of course) is nothing more than a propaganda noise machine that seeks to frame world politics in such a way as to set up the next enemy or to legitimize the next imperialistic goal of the US (whether it be militarily or economically). In fact I believe the US mainstream media to be better at propaganda than Pravda or any Soviet media ever could hope to be. Our current 4th estate puts Joseph Goebbels to shame.
I understand Pravda is not the most trustful news source (I'm sure they are driven by self interest, Russian governmental oversight, yada yada), but I question Yahoo's (as well as most of the US MSM) lack of coverage of the particularly disturbing nationalism coming from the Baltic countries toward Russia. And also I mark your obvious non-nonchalance in accepting the veracity of anything US MSM has to say.
But references to the monument, which is being dismantled, are not hard to find from more "trust-worthy" websites.
http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=173847The absurd monument is indicative of a twisted mentality toward Russia and the independence of a sovereign Estonian government. Estonia has had about 12 years of real independence, or actual governmental autonomy, in the last 500 years. The Baltic land known as Estonia has been occupied by the Polish, the Swedes, the Russians, the Germans, and seemingly a long series of conquerers and counter conquerers throughout its history. Yet, despite this, much of the current spite is directed toward Russians (that have absolutely nothing to do with Soviet occupation mind you). It's strange how you can even develop a national identity with a national history that occupies about 2 decades on record.
Estonia's current nationalistic attitudes is almost fascist as concerns anything Russian. Estonia has initiated radical approaches toward defining its national identity by passing legislation discriminating against migrant Russians and so on and so forth. If they wished to really hold "occupiers" accountable they may wish to scorn the Poles, Swedes, Germans, etc etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_RussiansThe Soviet empire was by no means innocent, but the reasons behind the removal and relocation of the Soviet monument are enigmatic. What purpose does it serve? And how does the fact that the Russian men who died in battle against another tyrannical dictator lessen the sacrifice of those who bore the Soviet uniform? The proper respects should be shown to all who have died in battle; and such overt anti-Russian behavior only fuels the fire. Millions of Germans fought bearing the Nazi insignia but with no real alignment with the philosophies of that insane regime. This is how you differentiate between the troops and their government: see US occupation in Iraq. Ask anyone in St. Petersburg what they think of Stalin. "POS" is most likely the answer.
America was founded on the slaughter of millions of natives through domestic policies such as "Manifest Destiny" equally appalling to the ones carried out by the Stalinist Regime in Soviet Russia. This presents a moral dilemma to our own celebrations and monuments such as "Columbus Day" (sorry Colon was a genocidal maniac) and Andrew Jackson on the $20 (sorry, lookup his treatment of the Seminoles re the Trail of Tears and you'll see that he was an opportunistic business man who placed the almighty dollar above the lives of innocents). Native peoples of both Americas should be marching en masse everyday to demand recognition of one the worst genocides (actually it may be THE WORST) in world history.
Understand the the American viewpoint of WW2 is so skewed as to shed a favorable light (understand US Public Schools get a discount on history books published by our government - ever wonder how in elementary school there was the inexplicable changeover from dining with the indians on Thanksgiving to the all out war personified by General Custer?)on our country's sacrifice all the while dismissing the massive sacrifice the Russians made in arresting the German juggernaut at their doorstep. Without the Soviets we probably would not (I daresay "ABSOLUTELY WOULD NOT")have beaten the Nazis. And even as I say "we... beat the Nazis" I realize how asinine and egocentric it sounds. The Soviets bore the brunt of the fighting, sustained the most losses in life, and turned back the Nazi war machine at a time when they were rolling through Europe and poised to take the British Isles. Those Soviet soldiers, where ever they may have died, deserve just as much respect as ours that lay buried in the graveyards of Europe. The sacrifice of the Russians during the last World War is so great as to be called the "Great Patriotic War." They see it as as a statement of their pride as Russians and not as their statement as Soviets.
So of course Russians are going to be upset. I must add that realistically some of the Russian demonstrators surrounding the Estonian Embassy in Russia are just as guilty of virulent nationalism as their Estonian counterparts. That really goes without saying. I appreciate Estonian emotions toward the Soviet empire in regards to the occupation - not to re-mention (I think I just coined a word) where is the outrage toward the Polish, Germans, Swedish, Finnish, Galgamecks, etc etc ? - but be rational. You can't villanize all Russians and stereotype them all as rabid Soviets. Essentially the Estonian government is projecting their unhappiness with the Soviet Union on the Russian people as if they really have much to do with the decisions of 70 years ago. And the nationalistic furor consuming the governments of the Baltic States reek of political posturing masking the obvious economic woes each of those nations are currently facing: "Don't blame us; blame the Russians." It's how the Nazis got their start. That's just foolish; and stupid foreign policy. Settle down Estonia. You are working on what, up to 20 years now of autonomous existence, maybe you want to back down on the fascist national pride thing a bit and start creating policies that will both insure and benefit your country's future existence as an independent nation.
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