Wow. So I'm watching some PBS special on Russia...

[FlyingSquirrel]

This teenager has been brainwashed by a group set up by the Kremlin. Here's what she says about the dissidents:

"All they do is complain about things and say that we should overthrow Putin. They offer no concrete solutions."

Sonofabitch... where have I heard THAT before???????

:wtf:

[kirby]

1. That Frontline/World segment...

was very disturbing. Especially the parts about how Putin has crushed the media and that free speech was not really an important issue with people.

[Adsos Letter]

2. I need to watch that segment...

Issues we view as important, like freedom of speech, are not part of Russia's cultural inheritance, so maybe that explains some of it. :(

[Angela Shelley]

3. Sure it was an important issue, but they can´t speak up

about it. Did they talk about the list of dead journalists?

Yes, it´s very disturbing, because we see the same tendencies in the USA.

[kirby]

5. I cant really know...

but it really seemed like it was not an issue for most people. People were 'happy' with Putin (he has like a 75% popularity rating). Basically with $100 a barrel oil, he is providing Bread and Circus for most.

It very much reminded me of the USA. Especially after 9/11 when the man on the street would say 'I'd gladly give up my rights to feel safer'.

[Der Blaue Engel]

4. I had that exact thought

:scared:

[libnnc]

6. Equally disturbing and related is the fact that

There is now an entire generation of people in Russia who have no memory of the Stalin years. The younger generation sees Stalin still in iconic terms--they pine for the "good old days" but have no first hand experience with the purges. Their feelings of fondness for those years are totally without proper context. :scared: