US Reaction to Protesters in Russia: Seeing the Speck in Your Neighbor’s Eye while Ignoring the Log in Your Own
Published in Itar-Tass
(Russia) on 8 December 2011
by Анатолий Лазарев (link to original)
(Russia) on 8 December 2011
by Анатолий Лазарев (link to original)
Translated from
by Nina Romova.
Edited by Gillian Palmer .
As official U.S. State Department representative Mark Toner stated in response to protests against official results of presidential elections in Russia, “We support rights of every human to peacefully demonstrate protest in every part of the world. And Russia is not excluded.”
It is hard not to agree with the overall statement, especially that in Russia, as well as in other countries, there is no restriction on the amount of people protesting. However, it looks like Toner forgot that in the process of manifestations, again, like everywhere in the world, there should be legitimacy and no breaking of other laws.
A question arises for Mr. Toner: If he is talking about “every part of the world,” then where is the United States located, according to him? Or is it that this kind of universal democracy does not apply to them? Even current events prove that the U.S. government is not what you might call very friendly toward, for example, the “Occupy Wall Street” national movement.
Information about dispersion of the protestors, their arrests and destruction of their tent houses comes from all corners of the country. At the same time, of course, the protesters were accused of violation and disturbance of local laws.
Does it mean that Washington, D.C., has a right to deal with protesters in this way, taking to consideration what Mr. Toner said about maintaining law in democratic government, while other countries cannot?! It must be noted, however, that there is nothing new about this kind of position of the U.S. — mentor’s guidelines, which do not apply to the U.S. itself but to others, have already been received.
It is clear that the U.S. does not like many aspects of Russian reality — Russia is independent, makes its moves based on its own national interests and would not follow the interests of America. That is why some Washington’s officials say that Moscow oppresses freedom of its citizens. It seems that Washington forgot that it is the 21st century already and times of dictatorship and mentorship are overdue. Who would tell American political preachers that even if there were times when their mentor tone has led to some kinds of results, nowadays this tone evokes only “oh, really?” reactions and annoyance?
… There is some relation between this situation and the spider’s song from the Russian fairy tale about Buratino (aka Pinocchio): “They lecture to us, lecture to us… Better lecture your own baby spiders!”
It is hard not to agree with the overall statement, especially that in Russia, as well as in other countries, there is no restriction on the amount of people protesting. However, it looks like Toner forgot that in the process of manifestations, again, like everywhere in the world, there should be legitimacy and no breaking of other laws.
A question arises for Mr. Toner: If he is talking about “every part of the world,” then where is the United States located, according to him? Or is it that this kind of universal democracy does not apply to them? Even current events prove that the U.S. government is not what you might call very friendly toward, for example, the “Occupy Wall Street” national movement.
Information about dispersion of the protestors, their arrests and destruction of their tent houses comes from all corners of the country. At the same time, of course, the protesters were accused of violation and disturbance of local laws.
Does it mean that Washington, D.C., has a right to deal with protesters in this way, taking to consideration what Mr. Toner said about maintaining law in democratic government, while other countries cannot?! It must be noted, however, that there is nothing new about this kind of position of the U.S. — mentor’s guidelines, which do not apply to the U.S. itself but to others, have already been received.
It is clear that the U.S. does not like many aspects of Russian reality — Russia is independent, makes its moves based on its own national interests and would not follow the interests of America. That is why some Washington’s officials say that Moscow oppresses freedom of its citizens. It seems that Washington forgot that it is the 21st century already and times of dictatorship and mentorship are overdue. Who would tell American political preachers that even if there were times when their mentor tone has led to some kinds of results, nowadays this tone evokes only “oh, really?” reactions and annoyance?
… There is some relation between this situation and the spider’s song from the Russian fairy tale about Buratino (aka Pinocchio): “They lecture to us, lecture to us… Better lecture your own baby spiders!”
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