In Russia, Every Day is Beautiful Just Because It has Managed to Happen Despite Putin, Russians Say

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Apr. 17 – Many in the Russian Federation like to talk about the beautiful Russia of the future; but increasingly, Russians say, every day that happens there must be described as beautiful if only because despite everything it has managed to happen and not been blocked by Kremlin policies.

            That is just one of the anecdotes in the latest collection offered by Moscow journalist Tatyana Pushkaryova (publizist.ru/blogs/107374/45633/-). Among the best of the rest are the following:

·       The Russian government has decided to spend the amount needed to cure 400 children with cancer on remodeling the atrium of the Central Election Commission. Every Russian patriot can see that the regime has its priorities right.

·       The Federal Protection Service surrounded the largest cathedral in Moscow at Easter leading people to speculate that what its officers were doing was not protecting those attending but protecting the cathedral itself from the wrath of the Lord.

·       Patriarch Kirill has lashed out at the worship of science, technology and progress as “the new paganism,” even though he and his wealthy partners in the Putin regime are quite ready to take advantage of what they would deprice to others.

·       The Duma wants to euthanize stray dogs because they threaten others. Wouldn’t it be smarter to euthanize Duma deputies who threaten a far larger number of people?

·       If the Moscow Patriarchate continues on its current course, it will soon be calling for people to kill now and in the next life and transforming Jesus Christ into a propagandist for King Herod.

·       Russians deserve congratulations for resurrecting at least half of what was the USSR – total lies, censorship, extrajudicial reprisals, punitive psychiatry and the complete arbitrariness of the security forces.

·       Sociologists have concluded that 20 percent of the Russian people suffer from depression caued by the other 80 percent.

·       Vladimir Kara-Murza is unlikely to serve the full 25 years in prison he has been sentenced to. That sentence falls under the PZh category, “while Putin is alive,” and so is unlikely to be that long.

·       Putin houses are falling down after less than two decades while Khrushchev ones are still holding out after seven, a true mark of progress.

·       Electronic draft notices will be sent on a trial basis to men this cycle. What is still unclear is whether the men can treat them as a test or will be forced to comply anyway.