Russian Punk Band Is Found Guilty of Hooliganism for Anti-Putin Protest

[OlgaH]

May be some of them due to you being a business owner and me a employee?

I don't think so.

During the soviet schooling I could not get why when your have a business and hire people you are an exploiter, why Sakharov and decadents were enemies, why my granny could not sell a bucket of berries from her garden and was arrested along with other grannies... and I don't blame my mother and relatives who told me not to express my thoughts in public... it was simply fear.

In the country where the president publicly calls an emblem of opposition a condom and the masses cheering his crude behavior, where people are arrested just for wearing an opposition emblem, people have a lot to be afraid of. All media as TV and newspapers is controlled by government, at least people have an internet to express themselves... yes and they have to learn too how to express themselves, problem is the Russian education system is also under the ruling regime... so... 

[OlgaH]

Punk-Prayer "Virgin Mary, Put Putin Away"
 
 (choir)
 
 Virgin Mary, Mother of God, put Putin away
 Рut Putin away, put Putin away
 
 (end chorus) ...
 Black robe, golden epaulettes
 All parishioners crawl to bow
 The phantom of liberty is in heaven
 Gay-pride sent to Siberia in chains
 
 The head of the KGB, their chief saint,
 Leads protesters to prison under escort
 In order not to offend His Holiness
 Women must give birth and love
 
 Shit, shit, the Lord's shit!
 Shit, shit, the Lord's shit!
 
 (Chorus)
 
 Virgin Mary, Mother of God, become a feminist
 Become a feminist, become a feminist
 
 (end chorus)
 
 The Church’s praise of rotten dictators
 The cross-bearer procession of black limousines
 A teacher-preacher will meet you at school
 Go to class - bring him money!
 
 Patriarch Gundyaev believes in Putin
 Bitch, better believe in God instead
 The belt of the Virgin can’t replace mass-meetings
 Mary, Mother of God, is with us in protest!
 
 (Chorus)
 
 Virgin Mary, Mother of God, put Putin away
 Рut Putin away, put Putin away
 
 (end chorus)
 

[Ranetka]

I don't think so.

During the soviet schooling I could not get why when your have a business and hire people you are an exploiter, why Sakharov and decadents were enemies, why my granny could not sell a bucket of berries from her garden and was arrested along with other grannies... and I don't blame my mother and relatives who told me not to express my thoughts in public... it was simply fear.

In the country where the president publicly calls an emblem of opposition a condom and the masses cheering his crude behavior, where people are arrested just for wearing an opposition emblem, people have a lot to be afraid of. All media as TV and newspapers is controlled by government, at least people have an internet to express themselves... yes and they have to learn too how to express themselves, problem is the Russian education system is also under the ruling regime... so...

Olga, most importantly you said "and the masses cheering".....the majority supports Putin and that's it.
The majority thinks things are OK and they were OK in the USSR too. I happen to think things are OK in Russia freedom-of-speech wise and I am in the Russian majority , democracy is "majority rules", right?


You have been very lucky, you found a good man, you achieved love and prosperity and you live in a country which moral values you share. Every picture of you is with a smile. This is great, I applaud you. You would not really wish Russia or the  UK to become like America, where would I go? 

[OlgaH]

Ranetka, I wish the countries learn and  take from each other only the good.

I cannot comment on UK, but I wish not only the governors and mayors in Russia would be elected by people, but also the county sheriffs, the county judges and even a clerk of county courts should be elected and the other county officials as well like in the US. That would be a wonderful step for Russia forward. But "Putins" need their own appointed "gang" to hold the system in their fist.

[Ranetka]

Ranetka, I wish the countries learn and  take from each other only the good.

Sometimes good comes only with the bad. Have you ever heard  Наши недостатки - это продолжения наших достоинств ?

[OlgaH]

Sometimes good comes only with the bad. Have you ever heard  Наши недостатки - это продолжения наших достоинств ?

I guess the same thing people thought during the Red Revolution and later got Stalin for 30 years with the communist regime for almost 100 

[Misha]

Disrupting an ongoing religious ceremony, trespassing, resisting arrest, assault on a police officer.  That's pretty much what I saw on their video.

In a comparable case, with more protestors who did much more in the United States:


"Police arrested a total of 111 demonstrators both inside and outside the church. All faced minor charges and were quickly released without trial and sentenced to community service.

A handful of protesters were eventually tried for refusing their community service, but no jail time was ever served."


I recommend that you read the article. It is quite insightful: http://www.rferl.org/content/before-pussy-riot-act-up-confronted-church-and-won/24668230.html

[Vasilisa]

They can't be worse than they are now anyway, so hopefully this sentence will make them better.

[Vasilisa]

Were this band [and these events] in NYC, they would only start selling a lot more of their music because of the publicity.
 

I have heard the police of NY shot the guy who was walking around downtown Manhattan naked, what is your opinion on that?

[Ranetka]

AS a Canadian Misha, this is a question for you, what would be your comments if this was filmed in Russia, not in Canada?


Is it also Putin's fault?

[Vasilisa]

AS a Canadian Misha, this is a question for you, what would be your comments if this was filmed in Russia, not in Canada?


Is it also Putin's fault?

Ranetka, of course, this is dictatorship and these people work for KGB, Putin has sent them to beat up and arrest poor Canadians, they will probably be sent to GULAG as soon as they get their Sovet visas.

I have also noticed that no matter what kind of a disaster we have in the world it's always Putin's fault and he is the one to be blamed for. I am curious: does this mean he the head of this world?!

[Ranetka]

Ranetka, of course, this is dictatorship and these people work for KGB, Putin has sent them to beat up and arrest poor Canadians, they will probably be sent to GULAG as soon as they get their Sovet visas.

I have also noticed that no matter what kind of a disaster we have in the world it's always Putin's fault and he is the one to be blamed for. I am curious: does this mean he the head of this world?!

Yep, noticed this too. In the next door thread Putin is accused that '000 000s of Russians still prefer to call Kiyv by it's Russian name Kiev. All KGBs fault and personally Putin's.

[Misha]

AS a Canadian Misha, this is a question for you, what would be your comments if this was filmed in Russia, not in Canada?

As a Canadian, I believe the police used too much force to deal with the protestors and I doubt that any of the protestors who were arrested will serve any jail time and they certainly will not be jailed while waiting for trial. So what is your point exactly?

[Misha]

Yep, noticed this too. In the next door thread Putin is accused that '000 000s of Russians still prefer to call Kiyv by it's Russian name Kiev. All KGBs fault and personally Putin's.

Putin has centralized power, appoints all governors and otherwise has imposed a very centralized vertical power structure where he is pretty much has the final say. He is very willing to take the credit for all that goes well in the country, so he should be equally held responsible for what goes wrong 

[Ranetka]

As a Canadian, I believe the police used too much force to deal with the protestors and I doubt that any of the protestors who were arrested will serve any jail time and they certainly will not be jailed while waiting for trial. So what is your point exactly?

I asked you a question what would be your comments if it was filmed in Moscow.


\my point is I'd like to hear your comment.

[Vasilisa]

Ranetka, you may be surprised but here, in the US I can see a lot of Americans who actually hear very similar stuff on local Fox news.
I was watching the Olympics with American friends, when the Russian gymnast fell down the Americans said something in the style:the government is probably putting a lot of pressure on them. THEY WERE SERIOUS!!!

One week ago I was at the wedding and was approached by one of the Americans guests who told me something:"I have read the news and they told that your president worked for the KGB!"
He looked like he finally told me the greatest secret in the world.
and then he added:"and he also was a president and then became the prime minister and then became the president again. In the US it's impossible!"

I didn't know what he wanted for me to reply on that so I just answered:"well, we have different laws and in our country it's possible, if you do what the majority of people like then you can be elected again", for the rest of the wedding he was acting in a really disrespectful manner like I'd told him something nasty and he'd been offended. He had probably expected for me to tell how terrible Russia and its leaders are and how great the American system is.

[Misha]

I asked you a question what would be your comments if it was filmed in Moscow.


\my point is I'd like to hear your comment.

Pretty much the same thing. The protestors have a right to protest, that the police used too much force and that the politicians were too arrogant. However, in the case of Canada, Charest's has to face the electorate and the outcome of the election is not known in advance...

[Vasilisa]

Pretty much the same thing.

So, you mean, the Canadian leader has nothing to do with the police actions and it was only the police guys' fault?! Nobody ordered to them to do that, it was their own idea, to come and to attack?!
that's interesting, you live in the country where the police does what it wants to?!

Misha, I have a question: if you owned a restaurant and the protesters broke the window in your restaurant, would you consider that to be the freedom of the word or public misconduct, vandalism and hooliganism? Would you expect for the police to arrest them and if yes do you think the students would just be happy to have their hands handcuffed or they would try to fight with the police? If they try to fight the police should the police guys be standing doing nothing untill they are beaten up to death?!

[Ranetka]

Pretty much the same thing. The protestors have a right to protest, that the police used too much force and that the politicians were too arrogant. However, in the case of Canada, Charest's has to face the electorate and the outcome of the election is not known in advance...

Thank you Misha. I am pleased to know you would not be blaming police brutality on Putin and oppressive Russian government.

[Misha]

So, you mean, the Canadian leader has nothing to do with the police actions and it was only the police guys' fault?! Nobody ordered to them to do that, it was their own idea, to come and to attack?!
that's interesting, you live in the country where the police does what it wants to?!

I live in a country where the Prime Minister does not have any real control or even influence over judges, and premiers, and mayors, and plenty of other folk... In the case of Quebec, the premier Jean Charest is now going to be judged by the voters for the actions of his government including the handling of the student protests and the odds are that he won't be premier after the elections.

[Ranetka]

As a Canadian, I believe the police used too much force to deal with the protestors and I doubt that any of the protestors who were arrested will serve any jail time and they certainly will not be jailed while waiting for trial. So what is your point exactly?

With current trials of G20 protestors and an "Occupy" movement which may last, Canada begins to field the edge of its conscience. June 2010 in Toronto, thousands of Canadians protested the G20 conference of global leaders and were met with illegal police tactics, massive pre-planned detention, threats, and abuse of the peoples' human rights. With occasional possibly 'staged' exceptions, the protests were non-violent. According to The Dominion, of the more than eleven hundred arrested, 66 remain in legal battles while some still face charges. Seven are serving sentences for their participation: Ryan Rainville, Mandy Hiscocks, Alex Hundert, Leah Henderson, Peter Hopperton, Erik Lankin (released Jan. 26th), Adam Lewis, and Greg Noltie-Rowley.

Quoted from Feb. 2012.

Apparently some Canadian political protesters WERE serving hefty sentences...1.5 years for a demonstration? Not bad for a democratic state is not it .

[Misha]

Thank you Misha. I am pleased to know you would not be blaming police brutality on Putin and oppressive Russian government.

No, but the the actions of the government or the lack of action can be judged.

[Vasilisa]

I live in a country where the Prime Minister does not have any real control

sounds pretty bad, why not to fire him then?

[Ranetka]

I live in a country where the Prime Minister does not have any real control or even influence over judges, and premiers, and mayors, and plenty of other folk...

Why are you wasting taxpayers money having a useless government position?

[Vasilisa]

Misha, do you really believe what you write?! How can you say for sure that someone has no real control over something or someone? Do you think these people live in a vacuum, are always smilie, happy and honest, always keep their promises,  go to work, come home, have no TV or the Internet and all these "big bosses" never meet in person ?!

There is no such thing as an honest politician. Somewhere they have mean faces and steal and lie openly , somewhere they have honest faces and hide harder using different psychological tricks, for example, I love to see how Romney is trying to look friendly pulling the sleeves of his shirts up.