Question re "Ubei presidenta"

[Richard Robin]

What's interesting is that in Russia, crtainly no longer a country that
aspires to be a liberal emocracy, nothing untowards seems to have happened
to the members of the band Underwood which released a hit song (with tons of
air play), Pokusites' na prezidenta, a little over a year ago. The entire
lyrics are at http://www.miditext.ru/lyrics/ru/01/pokusites.html, but lines
that are clearly related to Putin are cited below. I can't begin to imagine
the handwringing (and actions taken under the Patriot Act) if a song with
similar lyrics and clear references to the American president made the top
ten on the American charts.

-Rich Robin

Покуситесь на президента,
У него тёплый взгляд и улыбка,
Но думать, что он не умеет стрелять -
Большая ошибка.

Хочешь стать государственной тайной,
Мечтой в броне невесомой?
Помни, он в сердце бомжа
И в дыханье "Газпрома".

Покуситесь на президента,
Он не рвётся в шеренги кумиров.
Он взмахом руки остановит эскорт,
И тогда враги захлебнутся в сортирах.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Edward M Dumanis" <dumanis at BUFFALO.EDU>
To: <SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2005 11:34 PM
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Question re "Ubei presidenta"


No way! There is no comparison. There is no talk of violence against our
government except maybe among some fringe groups. Any hatred here against
our current administration leads only to political activities against it
and its allies. Some people are happy, and some are unhappy. This is a
normal healthy political life here, at least, for now. I do not think that
anybody on this list familiar with our political reality can even remotely
see US President as a target of this poem, no matter what political
conviction is held.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------