YesÂterÂday wasÂn’t parÂticÂuÂlarÂly a good day for the freeÂdom of expresÂsion in RusÂsia. On the same day that a top court banned gay pride marchÂes in Moscow for the next 100 years, three young memÂbers of the punk band Pussy Riot were senÂtenced to two years in a penal colony. Their crime? StagÂing an anti Putin protest on the altar of the CatheÂdral of Christ the SavÂior in Moscow. Protests supÂportÂing Pussy Riot were held in 60 cities worldÂwide (includÂing one in the capÂiÂtal where chess chamÂpiÂon GarÂry KasÂparov was beatÂen by police); WestÂern govÂernÂments called the senÂtence disÂproÂporÂtionÂate; and already the band has released a new sinÂgle called “Putin Lights Up the Fires.” The Guardian has creÂatÂed an accomÂpaÂnyÂing video. Watch it above.…
via BoingÂBoÂing
Does free expresÂsion include dancÂing on the altar of a church that doesÂn’t belong to you? If this hapÂpened in the US in a synÂaÂgogue or in a mosque, do you think it would go unpunÂished?
DarÂrin — I admit, I don’t know the details of this case, and it would realÂly help if we had a transÂlaÂtion of this song. As to what you wrote, not belongÂing to a church isn’t the issue. Did they break and enter? Well, not likeÂly, givÂen old church doors, so I’m guessÂing the doors were open, as many of our churchÂes are here? They cerÂtainÂly caused a disÂturÂbance. And they were disÂreÂspectÂful, which is what punk rock is about. We don’t jail peoÂple for disÂreÂspect. Two years imprisÂonÂment doesÂn’t surÂprise me; it’s a new govÂernÂment in RusÂsia, but it’s the same old tune.
I supÂport Pussy Riot. Let’s face it- the RussÂian OrthoÂdox Church is anyÂthing but godly…Patriarch KirÂil is in bed with Putin. If one looks closeÂly at their actions, it’s easy to see the neo-impeÂriÂalÂism that they are extendÂing into the forÂmer SoviÂet states, like Ukraine. This, and the genÂerÂalÂly anti-demoÂcÂraÂtÂic tenÂdenÂcies of the Putin regime, are the main basis for them protestÂing in a Church. I doubt that protestÂing in a Church would go well with the pubÂlic anyÂwhere, but their ratioÂnale for it (claimÂing that the ROC is ungodÂly anyÂway) is good analyÂsis and a very interÂestÂing media attracÂtion. They made their point and God bless them for it.
Their act wouldÂn’t go unpunÂished in the UnitÂed States, but the punÂishÂment would be someÂthing more along the lines of 30 hours comÂmuÂniÂty serÂvice.
ChurchÂes do keep their doors open and welÂcome unknown visÂiÂtors, like it is also usuÂal in many othÂer reliÂgions). Would that be an excuse for behavÂing disÂreÂspectÂfulÂly? http://bit.ly/JiqAhG
In most WestÂern sociÂeties peoÂple indeed is not jailed for disÂreÂspect (although there are so many difÂferÂent forms of disÂreÂspect, so many graÂdaÂtions of democÂraÂcy and many othÂer indiÂrect ways of punÂishÂment). This freeÂdom has been conÂsidÂered by many as a strength and a weakÂness.
2 years for someÂthing like this is redicÂuÂous. But what is worse is the underÂlinÂing issue that they HAD to resort to such extremÂism to get attenÂtion. I hardÂly think that this is the same thing as it would be in AmerÂiÂca since there isn’t the same sort of oppresÂsion.
That jail senÂtence is the fuckÂing anti humanÂiÂtarÂiÂanÂism that plagues peoÂple. It’s always top down too, nevÂer (in non-3rd world counÂtries) from the botÂtom up. There is no jusÂtice in these corÂpoÂrate influÂenced jusÂtice. I guess I’ll stop ragÂing and go back to broodÂing with some ChomÂsky book.
@darin… to answer your quesÂtion: posÂsiÂbly (which is unforÂtuÂnate if the US is truÂly comÂmitÂted to freeÂdom of speech). the issue, though, and the mesÂsage that the US and othÂer nations are sendÂing to Putin, is that the punÂishÂment is “disÂproÂporÂtionÂate.”
They defiled holy ground and humilÂiÂatÂed all beievÂers on this planÂet as well as atheÂists who respect the right to believe for othÂers. Two years is a good jail term, in my opinÂion these girls also deserve psyÂchiÂatric treatÂment.
The Good Book says, “Make a joyÂful noise unto the Lord”.