Pussy Riot

fossiltooth · Post by **fossiltooth** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 8:21 pm

Very cogent and a compelling read, mr vvv!

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Fri Aug 17, 2012 9:01 pm

Thanx, but I blame it on the Jameson's!

joelpatterson · Post by **joelpatterson** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 5:18 am

I thought, for some perspective, I'd google "two year prison sentence" to see what you got to do in our country for an equivalent punishment. Finally, on the sixth page, there was a reference to something OTHER than the case at hand: Ja Rule wlll spend two years in the hoosegow because police discovered a loaded handgun in the back seat of his limo.

I was hoping for some tidy, metaphorical connection, I guess not. A first amendment case, in a land without any amendments, and a second amendment case for a fourteenth amendment kinda guy.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Sat Aug 18, 2012 9:26 am

But not a bad thing, that.

As a self-conscious and over-reaching "arteest", I deliberately try to find parallels and inspirations in my everyday world, including my addiction to news and world events.

And when the overlap is so strong, as in the Pussy Galore story, I take special notice, even starting TOMB threads and such ...

There's a pretty interesting analysis on CNN today, here.

And I will admit, there is a romantischism in my interest, in that it doesn't hurt the story that the principals are young and reasonably attractive females ... what, I hasten to point out, is a fact consciously utilized by them (their appearance), and even part of their motivation (their gender).

(I love this photo, BTW: the fat, almost masculine guard, the pretty defendants, the reflection of world media ...)

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 9:34 am

source

A not-inconsistent Russion issue story: Anti-gay Russian activists sue Madonna for $10 million
""Maybe someone does not see the link but after Madonna's concert maybe some boy becomes gay, some girl becomes lesbian, fewer children are born as a result and this big country cannot defend its borders - for me it causes moral suffering," said Alexei Kolotkov, another of the activists who filed the suit."

fossiltooth · Post by **fossiltooth** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 12:36 pm

Once again, yes, that sounds totally f*d and intolerant. But a little context does help: Russia has been going through a major population decline which is expected to continue for another few decades. At the current rate, they're slated to lose almost 30% of their population by 2050. That's giving a lot of people over there the heebeejeebees.

I'm not saying that fact excuses intolerance or frivolous, backward-looking lawsuits like this one, but the context does help us understand what's going on. And maybe helps to steers people toward real solutions as well?

(For the record, a little population decline might not be a bad thing -- but it does raise unexpected issues and can have much broader cultural and economic ramifications than most people would imagine.)

chris harris · Post by **chris harris** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 3:34 pm

But, the population decline is really irrelevant to homosexuality. And, it's wholly irrelevant to whether or not Madonna plays a concert there. I don't really need to consider or be sensitive to the rationale of bigots if it's illogical, irrational, and offensive.

However, Justin, I do appreciate KNOWING the context. It just doesn't change how I feel about it at all.

joelpatterson · Post by **joelpatterson** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 5:48 pm

What is the guy planning on doing with the $10 million? Adopting a few million orphans and send them to boot camp???

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 6:31 pm

"...if they won the case, the money would be sent to orphanages." cite

fossiltooth · Post by **fossiltooth** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 9:01 pm

chris harris wrote:But, the population decline is really irrelevant to homosexuality. And, it's wholly irrelevant to whether or not Madonna plays a concert there. I don't really need to consider or be sensitive to the rationale of bigots if it's illogical, irrational, and offensive.

However, Justin, I do appreciate KNOWING the context. It just doesn't change how I feel about it at all.

I hear ya. And obviously, yes -- you and I know that homosexuality is basically irrelevant to population decline. We know that because we're into science and empiricism. A surprising number of people aren't, and to them, linking the two seems natural, even though we know it's kinda dumb.

I guess my point is that it's good to know the full context of where people are coming from if you want to talk some reason into them. I mean, that's the whole goal, isn't it? Otherwise, people just end up shouting past one another. (Or just end up showing off how much they already agree with eachother's politics, like we all are here.)

Anyway, maybe I am being too devil's-advocaty on this one. I'll bow out. And like I said, I do hope they get out sooner.

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Mon Aug 20, 2012 9:37 pm

When the going gets tough, the tough get reactionary. I think we've seen this many times throughout history.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:16 pm

Craig Ferguson's monologue 2nite was (in part) about Pussy Riot. In their honor, he sang, "Oh, Putin you're so fine, you're so fine, you're so fine, hey, Putin" to the tune of Tony Basil's, "Hey, Mickey!"

FWIW, they announced yesterday that the other two band members who participated at the church had fled the country. cite

Re the Madonna "tat", he said, be sure to read both arms.

blungo2 · Post by **blungo2** » Sat Sep 01, 2012 7:27 pm

I was hoping that single would be buyable or even downloadable somewhere?

honkyjonk · Post by **honkyjonk** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 3:50 pm

(I'm not sure what the public opinion is in Russia concerning this, but public opinion aside) Perhaps in terms of governmental defiance, an equivalent scenario in the U.S. might be a band called "The Terrorists" rawking some sort of anti-imperialist message on the twin towers site, which I personally think would be awesome because it would spur all sorts of discussion concerning who the real terrorists are.

If that happened, I'm guessing there would be no shortage of people and agencies calling for their heads, and in terms of the law of the land, nowadays all freedoms fly out the window when the "T" word gets thrown into the mix. There might be no trial. Just indefinite detention.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:26 pm

First, I like the Dune sig.

But, while I understand your sentiment, respectfully, your analogy fails on multiple levels.

The issues here are akin to our 1st amendment, to women's rights/suffrage, to separation of church and state, to right to legal representation, fair trial and fair sentencing, etc.

"Terrorism" implies violence, with all of its related issues, none of which are present here; even the Russians call it "hooliganism", not "terrorism". I submit we'd call it "activism", at worst, "disturbing the peace" or even "trying to incite a [pussy] riot".

Fight "the man", "fight the power", but choose your weapons, your issues, and your fights wisely.

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