The Russians Are Coming

[poliphilo]

I grew up during the Cold War. I remember playing a game called "Russian spies" which involved talking in a silly voice and brandishing crayoned drawings of space rockets. My friend and I never could figure out what Russian spies actually did. It was fun drawing the space rockets but the rest of it palled very quickly.

So I've got this conditioning. Russia is the "Evil Empire"- all that Reaganite crap. 

But

When I was a little older I discovered the Russians had written the best books in the world. Later I found out they'd also made some of the best films.

AND they defeated Hitler.  Yes they did. We helped out at bit, but they were the ones who fought the biggest battles and took the biggest losses. 

So LJ is now owned by the Russians. 

Yes I know the President of Russia is a scary bloke. (So is  the President of the USA if you hadn't noticed.)

But he's less likely to want to kill us- right- now we're his customers.  

We live in a global economy. And in a global economy this is what happens. Russians also own Chelsea football club and much of London.
 
The shop's new owner has a funny accent. Get over it. 

A capitalist is a capitalist is a capitalist. Are you trying to tell me  Russian capitalists are intrinsically more evil than American capitalists? (Or British capitalists, or Australian capitalists). That's silly. Go read some history. 

Comments

seraphim as twit

[seraphimsigrist.livejournal.com]

I always feel a bit of a twit when
I send 'letter to the Times' like that
on lj and no doubt with some reason... :)

Now on lj one question I would have which
does not concern you and I is this
given a local administration of lj
in another country. suppose a journal
is deleted which is critical of that
country's administration... who here
would know or care? and who could do
anything about it?
but it is not directly a concern for us
and I hope not for anyone in this case.

Re: seraphim as twit

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Hey, you have strong feelings on the subject- and your involvement in the issues is much more intimate than mine.

You raise a good question. If a Russian LJer is censored or deleted for political reasons what responsibility do we westerners have towards that person?

How are things in the Russian blogosphere? Are they free to be rude about their government or do they have to tread carefully? I've no idea how things stand; do you?

seraphim and poliphilo in dialogue

[zoe-1418.livejournal.com]

I appreciate these exchanges you've had here, and I just want to say I admire both of you guys very very much!!

in expression of J Stewart

[seraphimsigrist.livejournal.com]

Aww shucks ma'am!
well you know you have both a
Republican and a Labor Party admirer
in turn, speaking for Tony who respect
each other too so lets have
a virtual I dont know, sun not over
yardarm yet, hot chocolate on it
prosit!

Re: in expression of J Stewart

[zoe-1418.livejournal.com]

I raise my virtual hot cocoa to each of you.

The "Night Cafe" icon is so appropriate here.

Hmmmm. Now I'm wanting some *real* hot cocoa.

Re: in expression of J Stewart

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't do cocoa.

But there's a bottle of wine open in the kitchen....

Now there's an idea.

Sante!

wine

[zoe-1418.livejournal.com]

OK. It's now past noon even in the central U.S., so wine will do!

I usually don't do cocoa either, but I might be tired of coffee today... yet I am hankering for a hot drink. I guess it could be tea.

Re: seraphim and poliphilo in dialogue

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Well thank you.

Just because we disagree about things it doesn't mean we can't have respect for one another.

Courtesy. That's the name of the game.