commentary to student safety in St Petersburg

[Shlomit Gorin]

Dustin -


> One (a member of a minority) should not base their life around these
> statistics/studies and live in fear of them, and as a result cast aside the
> chance to study and/or live abroad.   I agree with Olga Meerson's last
> commentary addressed to Leigh as well.  Fearing something does not change
> anything, and not acting because of fear is only backtracking.
>

I think it's reasonable for people to base their lives around safety, and if
you know that people like you are not safe somewhere, for whatever reasons,
then deciding to stay away from that place makes complete sense.  Fearing
something can absolutely change something - it can actually save your life.
Not acting because of fear is not backtracking in this respect - it's a
healthy instinct to stay safe.


>
> CW: No, of course students shouldn't accept any aggressive/racist/anti-X
> behavior, but they should not be warned to such an extent that they are
> instilled with a fear that drives them to bury any thought of study abroad.
>

They should absolutely be warned and, again, any fear they have would be
warranted. If that leads them to decide not to study abroad in Russia, I see
that as a perfectly reasonable decision to make. If I were a person of
color, there is no way I would be going to Russia any time soon, and I don't
think it's anyone's place but students of color to decide whether or not
they would feel safe in Russia.

>
> Forgive me for being so repetitive, I wholeheartedly feel that avoiding
> studying abroad in Russia based on these 'reputable' statistics/studies
> will
> not be of help to anyone - not to the students who want to study Russian in
> Russia, and not to the problem of racism in Russia itself.  I do believe
> that the problem of racism in Russia will solve itself, even though it
> might
> take some time.  Social interaction between foreigners, Russians, and the
> 'minorities' thereof will help solve this problem, and overseas studies
> going to study in Russia is one way to alleviate this problem.
>

What is disreputable about the statistics of NGOs and nonprofits dedicated
to tracking hate crimes?  Also, forgive me for being repetitive, but
actually avoiding Russia as a person of color could be enormously helpful -
it could mean avoiding psychological and physical harm. I'm not sure what
you mean when you write that "the problem of racism in Russia will solve
itself." How do such problems ever solve themselves? Since when did racism
ever solve itself? Correct me if I'm wrong, but progress in human rights has
always come about through struggles by movements - the civil rights
movement, the women's rights movement, the gay rights movement, etc.

>
> There are risks everywhere and in every country; it was only a decade or so
> ago that several British tourists in Florida were gunned down - they were
> targeted because they were tourists - yet have those sad events caused
> Brits
> to stop coming to the US?  The same events could happen again.
>

The British tourists in Florida were victims of robberies and attempted
robberies. They were targeted because they were tourists, yes, not because
they were British. Sure, there are risks everywhere, but the kinds and
extent of the risks vary from country to country, sometimes from one area to
the next (state-to-state) within the same country. This does not change the
fact that it is risky to be a person of color in Russia.

>
> Michele: I acknowledge them, but that does not mean that I have to accept
> them or use them as a measuring stick of the problem.  I do not think it is
> unreasonable to ask for a broader study of the problem to be done.  I do
> not, however, agree with you on your comment regarding uttering
> racial/ethnic slurs.  It's completely unacceptable and 'nekulturniy' the
> last time I checked.
>
> Andrew:  Things are different in Russia - you said it.  However, how would
> you like it if your neighbor came into your house and told you how to raise
> your children and/or treat your partner?  What some seem not to grasp is
> that outside foreign interference in LGBT rights in Russia does not mix
> well
> with the average Russian, nor does it help the LGBT cause progress within
> Russia itself.
>

So you think that foreign interference in issues of race (e.g. students of
color studying in Russia) is helpful, but foreign interference in gay rights
issues is not? I fail to see the logic here.

>
> Gay rights are definitely a problem in Russia, but there is always a time
> and place for a person to come out of the proverbial closet, and Russia is
> just not ready yet.
>

So gay Russians should just wait for their country to be ready?

>
> If, however, you think that the LGBT cause has been helped by foreigner
> campaigners coming into Russia, then I'd love to see your data on that.
>

I'd love to see your data on how the LGBT cause has not been helped by
foreign gay rights activists.

Shlomit

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