SOVA reports:
On 27 January 2009, a twenty-four year old Nigerian was beaten at a bus stop near Metro Station Aviamotornaia.Serious question: does this type of virulent nationalism ever NOT come in a package deal with sexist ideas about the protection of women?
As the Nigerian was talking with his Russian girlfriend, a young man approached him and asked what was going on. Then the man called out to two of his friends and, with cries of “Russia, Russia!” they started to beat the Nigerian.
The attacked man incurred minor wounds to his face. He is certain that the attack was racially motivated.*
In better news, President Medvedev encouraged the Ministry of Internal Affairs to take up the problem of extremism:
The appearance of extremism has caused a great alarm in recent times. In the past year, despite a general decrease in crime, the number of extremist acts has increased practically three-fold. I won’t just state the obvious: that Russia in a multinational, multi-confessional country. These crimes are inflicting colossal damage, they are a systemic threat to the existence of our society. In accordance with my order, the MVD will create a special sub-unit on the prevention of extremism. I expect that this will accommodate a more efficacious level of work.Unfortunately, this was just after he pushed for a crack-down on migrant labor:
And another subject, a critical subject—illegal labor migration. It is known that crime among citizens who come from bordering countries grows from year to year, constantly it grows, and now the numbers are very difficult. Under conditions in which the labor market for foreign workers has decreased by half, not only do we face the possibility of the illegal use of the work force, but also a general worsening of the criminal situation.One step at a time, I guess... Or is it some other saying about steps that I'm looking for?
**********
*All translations in this post are mine.
16 comments:
You know, Buster, the only part of your position I definitely do not accept is your idea (if I take it correctly) that rights of migrants must be secured _even on the expense of Russia's citizens_.
I agree with the idea that rights of _all people_ must be secured.
While in your view it's only migrants that must feel comfortably regardless of all other people. "Pushing it to absurd", Russian citizen killing a migrant is a worse issue than a migrant killing a Russian citizen. Please, correct me if I'm wrong.
I view both Medvedev's statements as absolutely correct.
Regards,
Evgeny.
Okey -- my idea is not to ensure every person on Earth makes an unflawed living -- just please, consider my idea. :-)
Evgeny.
Relevant joke:
"Социологические исследования показывают, что все, кто садится на ежа, сразу начинают думать только о своей заднице, и никому не приходит в голову подумать о еже."
Evgeny.
"Pushing it to absurd", Russian citizen killing a migrant is a worse issue than a migrant killing a Russian citizen. Please, correct me if I'm wrong.
Look, Evgeny, you've already trotted out this ridiculous scenario last October/November.
Here's what I said then about my focus on migration and migrants:
2. Similarly, I don't see the issues surrounding migration as a migrant versus citizen conflict. This xenophobic framing of immigration has done nothing good, as far as I can tell. As migrants are offered fewer protections by the nation-state and greater dangers from the State and vigilante elements of society, you are right, that I often sympathize with them. Perhaps it's a personal bias, though I hope it's a general sense of social justice that motivates me. I have not seen any reputable predictions that migrant marches will lead to violence. I lend no credence to the bluster of Mr. Potkin/Belov.
On the specific ridiculous comparison you have been offering:
With a ten foot pole, I shan't touch this.
Lastly, I offered this:
I just don't think we're getting anywhere with your re-assertions of talking points from the pro-government nationalist opinion-makers in Russia: foreigners ought not interfere in Russian affairs; Americans/Europeans apply a double-standard in their evaluations of Russians; the administration's relation to dissent is required by the current political-economic situation; people who complain about the treatment of migrants in Russia seem to want some unfair "special rights" or "special treatment."
There are arguments (faulty in my opinion) for each of these assertions, I suppose. But I have yet to get the sense that you are actually reading my posts and replies in full, understanding them, and responding in a thoughtful manner. Rather it seems that you just latch onto keywords and activate some pre-existing script on the topic.
Really, I think we are talking past each other. And I'm not sure that it is a worthwhile expenditure of time for either of us.
Since then, a number of other readers--Russian, American, and some of various other stripes--have tried to reason with you, taking apart the many faulty assumptions and sundry misleading arguments you have offered. I have yet witness you once actually respond to a criticism with anything other than deflection, change of subject or re-assertion of the same tired point.
I still, bizarrely, believe that you are entering into this conversation in good faith. But, PLEASE, consider all the arguments that people here have offered you before repeating the same knee-jerk reactions to my posts.
For now, perhaps it's best that that reflection takes place quietly, okay?
>>On the specific ridiculous comparison you have been offering:
>With a ten foot pole, I shan't touch this.
May be, I shall help you?
Both "events" are _equally wrong_ , because each results in a human murder -- destroying of a whole universe which exists in the minds of every human.
And if you have other answers to this question, perhaps you need to review your ideology and views: something must be wrong!
Evgeny.
As a cliche phrase, "some reading may help". Vladimir Duduntsev's "Белые одежды"("White Garments") is a good book to answer such questions.
Evgeny.
Unfortunatly, efforts to crack down on extremisim in Russia are too often a double-edged sword
Daut,
I hear you.
I was going to write something to that effect, but (1) in the context of Medvedev's specific mention of Russia as a multinational society, it seemed clear to me that he was talking about xenophobic violence and (2) I've mentioned before that the Russian government has cynically used these "opportunities" to crack down on all types of dissent.
But you're right. I probably should have explicitly noted it here. Especially since the overall tone of that speech to the MVD was "start cracking some skulls and get things under control."
Buster, what you are writing is very interesting.
"I've mentioned before that the Russian government has cynically used these "opportunities" to crack down on all types of dissent."
Please, provide information about at least a SINGLE case of what you are speaking.
Thank you,
Evgeny.
Yawn... Here's how it's going to go. I'll present a few examples. You'll point out that each one has one of the following problems: (a) it comes from a biased source; (b) was a justifiable use of force; or (c) you'll just say something crazy.
Go ahead.
http://en.rian.ru/culture/20080919/116966828.html
http://www.rferl.org/content/Article/1143855.html
https://www.usrbc.org/goverment/russian_government/legislativebranchrus/event/552
http://seansrussiablog.org/2007/11/25/another-russia-rally/
I could go on, but is there really a point?
Thank you, Buster.
It's good that we understand each other.
Evgeny.
However, if we e.g. speak about the Other Russia, it would be unfair to say they are poor sheeps.
They are realists.
There's a thought which I heard for the first time about a year ago. It's repeated, since it's simply Kasparov's view. Today Kasparov expressed it again:
""Сегодня в стране происходят процессы, с которыми правительство справиться не в состоянии", - заявил Каспаров. По его мнению, режим, в том виде, в котором он сейчас находится, не способен противостоять кризису, так как он направлен на потребление национального богатства захватившими власть чиновниками. В этой ситуации оппозиции необходимо предложить свой сценарий развития событий, чтобы предотвратить падение России в хаос."
http://www.kasparov.ru/material.php?id=498DA305AE2FA
That's what they are determined to -- seizure of power if socially economical situation in the country gets screwed up.
Coyotes, scavengers -- seems to be a correct description.
Is that a crazy thing to say?
Evgeny.
Buster, we feel your pain when you attempt to demand facts and reason when dealing with a piece of Russophile filth like Yevgeny, and we dispute your contention that he acts in good faith. He is a Kremlin shill whose only purpose is to destroy opposition to the Kremlin by any means possible, a relic of a failed neo-Soviet past.
When he states: "the only part of your position I definitely do not accept is your idea" you should challenge him to list, in his words "at least a SINGLE case" in which he has ever written ANYTHING to criticize Russian racists and the inaction of the Kremlin on that topic. He hasn't, of course, and so his insane tirades amount to nothing but the failed hypocritical and dishonest rhetoric of the USSR. Apparently, it's his goal that Russia follows in the USSR's path into the ashcan of history when he calls Medevedev "absolutely correct."
Those who cannot remember history are doomed to repeat it, and in Evgeny's case their suffering is richly deserved. Russia's stock market is down 80%, most of any major country, FOREX down 50%, currency down 30%, and all this mindless robot can do is call for more of the same.
It's utterly pathetic.
Thank you, Russophobes becoming indignant is the best confirmation of correctness of my position for me.
If Buster wants to ask me anything, he will do, and I don't think I need a Russophobe to aid my communication with owner of this blog.
Evgeny.
"Serious question: does this type of virulent nationalism ever NOT come in a package deal with sexist ideas about the protection of women?"
I don't quite get the idea about "protection of women". It's merely a pattern of the like "why does this guy walk with our girls?" It was common for Russian villages of the XX century: anyone considered as outsider for the village would be harshly met (with physical violence) if one would try to meet local girls. What you describe is merely that pattern taken to the broader world -- what's not an unlikely theory if you remember massive-scale industrialization of Soviet Union of XX century -- in its start the vast majority of population were peasants, now the vast majority are citizens of cities.
Don't know if it does much sense for you...
Evgeny.
I don't mind talking to Russophobes, besides. Just I need correct outfit: AK-74 and a license to kill.
Regards,
Evgeny.
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