John Chuckman
COMMENT POSTED TO AN ARTICLE IN THE INDEPENDENT
'Poisoned' Pussy Riot member Pyotr Verzilov flown to Germany for treatment
Leading anti-Kremlin activist’s symptoms allegedly include loss of sight and ability to speak
I am really tired of reading stories about "Pussy Riot" as though they were significant and meaningful.
They are treated by the mainline press as if they were inheritors of the mantles of Martin Luther King or Ghandi. It's ridiculous. Degrading actually.
The group reminds me of nothing so much as American college students of decades ago doing all kinds of stunts such as seeing how many could cram into a telephone booth or a Volkswagen Beetle.
They make noise, not reason. They don't even state a coherent case for their noise.
Their original cathedral stunt in Russia would, if repeated elsewhere, cause all kinds of grief. In parts of America, doing that at a fundamentalist church could put you at risk of serious bodily harm.
Just try it at the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City and see what happens.
I don't think it would go down well if repeated in Westminster Abbey either.
As for running out on a playing field to interrupt a major world sporting event, another of their stunts, that will get you arrested anywhere. It says nothing about the state of Russia.
The only reason we keep hearing about them is our government-induced and press-supported environment of Russophobia.
As for this young man's "poisoning," we know nothing. Maybe he did a drug overdose? Maybe he has an undiagnosed neurological condition?
I always support those who protest injustice. I support America's NFL football players who are heaped with hate and scorn for a simple meaningful gesture, even the President of the country joining in.
But everything I've seen about this group suggests exaggerated self-importance and silliness.
Are we really so far gone that we treat that as bravery?
