Thread by @cybersoroka

I see many people arguing that Russians have been forced to attend today’s pro-Putin/pro-war rally.

I can’t argue against it because I don’t know 🤷🏼‍♀️

What I will argue, is that none of the previous rallies and supremacists celebrations were forced.

And THAT is a problem

👇

The anxiety about sanction and disappointment about losing this war are being mistaken for moral wake up calls and antiwar moods.

If you think this, you are misinterpreting and projecting your own wishful thinking on Russian people, artist, politicians, activists and media 🔽

For the past 15 years, ever since the Munich SC 2007, Putin has been engaging in international terrorism, starting wars, and annexing territories.

All this time - there was no protests against war. Only against establishment. And for Navalny. Who’s a prominent nationalist.
🔽

The western media had lukewarm coverage of Russia’s involvement in causing humanitarian catastrophes, warmongering and even domestically dangerous cyber attacks (2016 elections, 2020 solar wind etc.)

The western political establishment let Kremlin get away with a lot of crimes.

Has this contributed to the problem? Undoubtedly.

Does it take off the responsibility of citizens of Russia, whose political and moral obligation was to fulfill and defend their constitutional rights and monitor their government? No.

🔽

Do Russias, who soberly evaluate the situation, and understand that an empire as it is now has to either fall or it will continuously resort to aggression in order to sustain itself exist? Yes.

They’re 0,009% of general population. And that makes all the difference.

🔽

We will see many heartfelt (walletfelt) confessions from misguided Russians as the sanctions’ effect will unfold.

We will see pundits, activists, artists and politicians who will gloss over cultural and mindset problems of Russian society and throw pity parties for fascist.🔽

It’s important to cut those off for the time this war is still going and people are actively dying.

War is no time for debates about morals. Or projection of your own goodness on strangers.

You need to save lives first. This should be the focus of any true anti-war person.🔽

This is how history works, this is how psychology works, this is how social dynamics work.

And no amount of altruism, pacifism and wishful thinking can’t influence certain processes.

Healing starts where denial stops.