Russian Acts of Kindness

[Paul B. Gallagher]

Galina S Rylkova wrote:

> Dear Professor Moss,
>
> I was not comparing my circle of friends to any other circle of friends.
> I was offering my own informed opinion of someone who is fluent in both
> languages (who can watch political debates, etc. for hours non-stop in
> both languages), who lived in both countries for extended periods of
> time and who also has analytical skills to analyze and compare. And as
> someone who watches CNN, PBS, FOX and MSNBC coverages on a daily basis
> (unlike most Russians that I know) I can competently compare the variety
> being offered in both countries.
>
> Yes, most of my Russian friends and relatives also believe that they
> don't have freedom of speech and many other freedoms. But they don't
> read American newspapers or watch American TV.
>
> I also don't believe that current discussions of abortion and gay and
> lesbian rights in America are very reassuring.

Freedom of speech is largely about the consequences (or lack thereof) of 
expressing nonstandard, unconventional, unapproved views. If you lose 
your job, are evicted from your apartment, are beaten by nameless thugs, 
are jailed on trumped-up charges, etc., these consequences demonstrate a 
lack of freedom and have a chilling effect on public debate. Although 
our country is imperfect in this area, most people feel free to speak 
out without risking consequences like these. It hasn't always been so, 
and for one obvious example, servicemen in our armed forces only 
recently gained the right to admit they are gay or lesbian without 
risking a dishonorable discharge. But preposterous slanders such as the 
accusations that President Obama is a Muslim born in Kenya are routinely 
publicized without fear. Can you imagine V.V. Putin putting up with that 
for more than a New York minute?

I haven't been to Russia lately, so I can't speak authoritatively, but 
from the outside it appears that those who publicly espouse views 
contrary to those of the Putin cabal are taking very serious risks, in 
some cases putting their lives in danger. We have seen too many blatant 
cases in the media to think otherwise.

If you would make the case that Russian freedom of speech is equal to 
ours, you must also show that dissidents survive and can even prosper, 
and that the government aggressively prosecutes cases of harassment and 
intimidation so as to ensure a wide range of fully voiced opinions. 
Where are your equivalents to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Michele 
Bachmann, Ron Paul, and so forth? (or under Bush II: Paul Krugman, 
Rachel Maddow, Katrina van den Heuvel, etc.)

To the contrary, media reports indicate that the Putin government is 
responsible for most cases of harassment and intimidation, and actively 
works to repress dissenting views. It may be true that the lawn has some 
weeds, but the mower comes through once a week and ensures that none can 
grow big and strong enough to compete with the party in power.

-- 
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

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