The Meme of “Russian Aggression”

[newthinking]

23. Are you saying it was not a catastrophe?

Last edited Sun Feb 1, 2015, 04:45 PM - Edit history (1)

I agree we should be discussing these things. "Exposing" what is not right. But "exposing" while distorting and in the midst of a general propaganda war is not conducive to anything that benefits us or them.

I think we lack historical understanding and empathy of what occurred there. The breakup was a good thing, but the way it happened was indeed catastrophic. It was not that long ago so of course it is in the Russian mind and discourse.

There was a genocide of the elderly that occurred in the transition (Russians know this) that will eventually be recognized by history. There would have been many more millions lost if not for the legacy the Soviet Union left where most everyone owned a home.

Because Russians talk of the period as a catastrophe does not equivocate with wanting to militarily regain the borders. But it does explain the Russian protectiveness of ethnic Russian populations affected by the breakup. That is something that needs to be worked on, but it also needs to be recognized as a legitimate concern.

I know this is hard for an American to understand, due to all the years of the cold war propaganda, but Russians are one of the more discriminated against peoples of the world. Similar to people from the middle east, media has distorted them incredibly and routinely. But we now recognize that and actually sometimes even move against media that portrays middle easterners too negatively. But we have not even begun to recognize the same for Russians as it is so deeply placed.

The more one studies the region and history and when one travels to the region (I have been to both Russia and Ukraine and have studied and discussed these things with them for many years) the more the scales fall off and the distortions in media become apparent. And those distortions (and neocons, who are essentially a hate group) are moving us to confrontation.