And let’s not even start with Oskar Schindler…
There are polls showing the majority of Russians support the war.
Some are saying that the whole thing was staged to paint Russians under a more sympathetic light as she only got a small fine in the end.
Based on that the Japanese would be doubly guilty since the PM kept going to the war shrine all those years in mockery of any apology they half heartedly made or the Japanese ultra nationalists that still go around legally spewing hate against Koreans, Chinese, and foreigners.
But we collectively don’t still blame everyone in Japan for idiots existing. Russia isn’t any different
Good behaviours can make people forgive and forget. Japan is the poster child of good behaviours. Russia is not.
Going to the shrine is good behavior? I don’t know about that. The average Russian would be taken away quickly if they say anything which is on a whole different level.
Taiwan would for that matter.
2 Likes
No. Being a peaceful country for 80 years is good behaviour.
Polls have shown the average Russian supports the invasion. They certainly supported annexation of Crimea. Putin didn’t come out of a vacuum. He’s enjoyed widespread popular support for almost two decades.
I don’t think it matters. The Russian people are going to suffer because of Russia’s involvement in this war. They’re not getting anything out of their dictatorship’s or some oligarch’s expansionist wet dream.
“Some are also saying” that she’s an American agent out to destroy Russian society. Stop listening to “some.” We’re so wrapped up in everyone labeling everything they disagree with as ‘fake news’ that we can’t even recognize real bravery when it’s right in front of our eyes. If the Tiananmen Square protests happened today, everyone would be dismissing the tank guy with the “some are saying he’s a CGI deep fake by the Americans” or “a crisis actor” nonsense as well. So tired of this crap… and it’s on all sides now.
And this newscaster hasn’t been sentenced yet. She’ll get 15 years probably. The Russians are just waiting for the story to cool down so they don’t make a martyr out of her.
And? Whether it’s 10% or 40%, the millions who don’t support it don’t matter? Their voices don’t count at all?
Remember when most Americans cheered on the murderous and disastrous Iraq War? Remember when they reelected George W. Bush and signalled their approval for his illegal actions? Should those Americans be treated with collective guilt for that stain in American history that they endorsed?
7 Likes
https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/thvlv6/getting_real_tired_of_the_whole_innocent_russians/
I think it’s difficult for Westerners to understand this. Chinese people are exactly the same as Russians. Actually they are even worse.
Obviously not doing enough. And many of them are only against the war now because of the sanctions. In 2014 Russians almost unanimously supported annexation of Crimea. A Russian who did not support annexation of Crimea is hard to find.
You are missing the point. Should Russian individuals have the same right as individuals of other nationalities? Yes. But should Russians be held responsible for their country’s actions? Yes. Even those who do not support the war should blame themselves because their collective indifference/past support all enabled this disaster like Germans did after WWII. Germans tried to say “they didn’t know”, but they did. Many Russians now say they do not support the war, but they did support annexation of Crimea.
The same applies to Americans. Americans should also introspect upon themselves, which they did. The US has not invaded any country since the disaster in Iraq and is very unlikely to do so again. Former colonial empires like Britain, France, the Netherlands etc. should all do the same regarding the crimes committed in former colonies, which these countries largely refuse or ignore.
1 Like
How about the Dutch, were they complicit during the second world war?
Are we complicit in this war, for doing nothing more than moan about the price of petrol?
I reckon the Russian people are learning that they need to sack their leader cos he’s steering them over a cliff edge. They are discovering that its better to join the west than try to expand the east. They want instagram and McDonalds, they don’t want communism and freezing to death.
I think the younger generations around the globe are becoming so similar in their desires and lifestyles that these territorial wars along racial and cultural lines are really feeling anachronistic if you think about it. Problem is, these young people don’t strike me as being a force for change considering their indulgence in social media activities.
So ultimately your poll’s question is: “is it OK to make generalizations?”
1 Like
Let’s just save some time: Everyone in the world is complicit with all the evil in the world, and everyone should be held guilty.
4 Likes
I think Russians in Russia are guilty by association but Russians abroad is more tricky. They may or may not be guilty and they should be assumed innocent unless proven otherwise.
1 Like
Of course not. The Netherlands was invaded by Nazi Germany.
Politicians and business people who kept buying Russian gas and got entangled with Russian oligarchs certainly are, but that is not what the poll is about.
That’s how I feel about it too. This is a war between old men (and an actor). Western lifestyles are appealing to young people freed from state propaganda. So there’s both a cold and a hot (?) war going on at the same time. We are suspending Western privileges until the people can stand it no more.
This all happened before already, in Hungary in 1956.
I also read that Putin is very keep on astrology and that invasion dates coincided with some favourable phase of the moon. Nice one, Vladimir, way to besmirch the astrological community. 
They are certainly not going at it like American teens did during the US invasion of Vietnam in the 60’s.
1 Like
Let’s include Chelsea fans. The demise of Chelski will be great.
Perhaps we can have London back too, as it’s awash with dirty Russian money.
I see what you guys say, but you seem to forget that:
- extreme political views are on the rise
- extreme right and nationalism are on the rise too as a response to and reinforced by left wing bullshit and decadence
- the wars and injustice of today will fuel the wars of tomorrow
Not sure about that peaceful future you guys see…