How safe is Moscow for Americans?

[Robert Orr]

Many people outside the US have the same image of US cities, justified or
not.

Robert Orr

-----Original Message-----
From: Pavel Samsonov <p0s5658 at ACS.TAMU.EDU>
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU <SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
Date: Saturday, May 27, 2000 4:58 PM
Subject: Re: How safe is Moscow for Americans?


>Subject: Re: How safe is Moscow for Americans?
>
>
>> Why is it that when something like that happens (which, like you say, can
>> happen absolutely anywhere in the world) the reaction on the part of US
>> universities is to cancel the program? If it were Madrid or Paris, the
>> program would not have been cancelled, in fact, the official statement
>would
>> have been that "the student was drinking and irresponsible and made a
>> judgment error" but when it is Russia, the student is never to blame? Is
>our
>> policy that Americans are responsible for their own actions EXCEPT when
>they
>> go to Russia? What is it that drives these decisions? Is it only
ignorance
>> or is there some other motivation?
>
>You have touched upon a most "touchy" issue here.
>First, I think the diplomatic bureaucracy  would tend to exaggerate the
>danger than downplay it.
>This is what bureaucrates would always do. This is safer.
>Second, I believe Ms. Albright's policies have something to do with it. I
>have noticed a serious change of attitudes on the part of the US Embassies
>in the countries of the former Soviet Union with Ms.Albright assuming her
>position of the Secretary of State.
>Now it is many times harder to secure a US visa for a Russian, Belarussian
>or a Ukrainian than it used to be. Embassy workers are very cold if not
>unfrendly. Many people are even denied student visas, which had not been
the
>case before.
>Perhaps the warnings that the US Embasses issue for its citizens about
>safety in Russia are a part of these attitudes?
>
>With compliments,
>
>Pavel (Paul) Samsonov
>EDAD, College of Education,
>Texas A&M University
>tel. (409) 862-7771 (lab)
>      (409) 862-9152 (home)
>fax (409) 862-4347
>e-mail p0s5658 at acs.tamu.edu
>
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