My view as a resident of Kiev Ukraine - 3/17 edition

[go west young man]

144. I was never anti gay.

I'm actually quite pro gay and equal rights for all human beings. I disagreed with the simplistic methods being employed to denigrate all of Russia during the Olympics and felt (and still feel) that it would backfire...as it did. It made it worse for gay people in Russia and actually increased Putins popularity by an additional 10%. It did backfire and I warned posters here that it would. You didn't move Russia into the 21st century in that regard. You helped build a wall that will take longer to dismantle and made innocent gay people in Russia scapegoats who are actually more likely to be sought out by nefarious groups. Had you and others been more creative you may have found a way to get Russia to more closely align themselves with your views.

The US and the neocons have been pushing a new Cold war for quite some time to keep their coffers full and now they have got it. The terrorism thing only carried em so far. For me, the larger and more important issue for the United States and the world is embracing Russian and helping them into be an equal part of the world community while at the same time helping the regular citizens of the United States to claim their country back from the forces that have corrupted it. (Namely big oil, the MIC, Wall Street, the NeoCons, the joke of a media we have and the top 1%). I would like to see the Cold War over and the money that goes into military contracts used for education, the arts, social programs, health care, jobs, infrastructure building and retirement, right here in the states. To me that makes perfect sense.

I'm probably considered one of the top Putin fans on DU. It doesn't bother me. I disagree with the anti gay legislation Russia came up with. On the other hand I am quite capable of seeing the impressiveness of Russia's economic recovery and rebuilding after a century of communism. I have also spent one month a year (for the past 8 years) living in Voronezh, Russia so I have first hand experience in these matters. DU has a lot of opinions on these matters but experience is the best teacher and that is seriously lacking throughout the site in regards to eastern Europe and Russia in general.

I welcome Matts views and I wouldn't call he or myself names even if I disagreed with him. As a matter of fact he disagreed with me over the age of the snipers. I respect that and thank him for his insight. Have a nice day. Peace.