student safety in St Petersburg

[Paul B. Gallagher]

Shlomit Gorin wrote:

> Paul Gallagher wrote:
> 
>> Typically, those who tell us everything's hunky-dory latch onto the
>> occasional fabrications and use them to "prove" (доказывать, а не
>> доказать) that we have nothing to worry about, it's all made up. On
>> the other side, those who demand action latch onto the occasional
>> extreme examples and use them to prove how bad things are.
> 
> Of course, I agree. I think the key term here is "occasionally."
> 
>> Only an impartial observer who has taken the time to sample widely 
>> and measure accurately can tell us just how good or bad things are.
>> We need robust statistics.
> 
> Robust statistics are needed for empirical validation of scientific 
> concepts, not for collecting information on when, where, and to whom 
> a hate crime occurred.

Yes, the original question was about the level of risk faced by various 
groups on trips to Russia, and with good statistics they can make a fair 
judgment as to whether they accept that risk, as well as which areas to 
avoid under what conditions. With only anecdotal evidence like mine, 
they are making wild guesses.

We are not trying a particular case, so we're not trying to prove that a 
particular individual was attacked at a particular place and time.

> I think the beating up and killing of human rights activists and
> journalists in Russia who demand attention to, and action to combat,
> hate crimes (among other human rights violations) attests to the very
> real problem of hate crimes.

I think we have more than enough evidence to show that a problem exists, 
but much of the evidence we have seen so far on this list, which is 
anecdotal and not systematic, is not a fair measure of the level of the 
problem at various locations and under various conditions.

-- 
War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
--
Paul B. Gallagher
pbg translations, inc.
"Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
http://pbg-translations.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 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/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------