Nostalgic Russians venerate Stalin on anniversary

allesennogwat · 03-07-2011, 04:35 PM

MOSCOW – Several hundred Russians gathered in Moscow's Red Square on Saturday to lay flowers on Stalin's grave on the 58th anniversary of his death.

The crowd, most of them elderly, waved red flags and held photographs of the Soviet dictator in his military uniform.

"I am here because for me Stalin is the equivalent of God for believers," said one woman, who declined to give her name, adding that she believed Stalin-era repressions were deliberately overstated.

"It is very exaggerated. It is propaganda to fool people," she said.

Stalin is respected by many Russians for his role in winning World War II, but his regime caused the deaths of millions in Gulag labour camps and in a forced collectivisation drive.

Pensioners praised Stalin, saying his regime imposed law and order.

"Under Stalin, it was paradise, freedom. Those who were harmful to the Soviet authority were killed, criminals and thieves," said pensioner Antonina Medvedeva.

"Life was very joyful under Stalin. We had a future, there was no unemployment," said another, Vladimir Maloshonok.

"We have come to ask forgiveness from Stalin for the betrayal of his efforts by those who have been in power over the last 30 years," said Yelena Kropotova with tears in her eyes.

Nostalgia for the period when Stalin ruled with an iron hand is still widespread in Russia, where a process to reevaluate history was never completed after the fall of the Soviet regime in 1991, according to rights groups.

Last year Russian President Dmitry Medvedev denounced the "totalitarian" regime of the Soviet Union and Stalin's "unpardonable" crimes. But at the same time, some school textbooks give a positive evaluation of the Soviet leader.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/2011030...y-6b0205e.html

Pvt.Joker · 03-08-2011, 12:15 AM

And yet they seem to fail to recognize the key irony in that THEY are allowed in the non-soviet Russia to meet and "venerate Stalin" despite the government's rejection of him- whereas UNDER Stalin, any such dissent would have been met with a bullet to the back of the head, or a one-way ticket to a slave labor camp in Siberia...

dethangel · 03-08-2011, 08:59 AM

Probably some who had it better then than now. Those that didn't aren't around to protest.

Geist762 · 03-08-2011, 02:09 PM

shitlicks

Tomfoolery · 03-08-2011, 11:20 PM

It's the same here though. You ask Americans how they feel about FDR and they'll get down on their knees and like the boots he didn't walk in.

England is the same with Churchill.

Quite the trio of statist douchebags imo.

03-07-2011, 04:35 PM	#1
allesennogwat Curio & Relic AKaholic #: 3738 Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 32,181	Nostalgic Russians venerate Stalin on anniversary MOSCOW – Several hundred Russians gathered in Moscow's Red Square on Saturday to lay flowers on Stalin's grave on the 58th anniversary of his death. The crowd, most of them elderly, waved red flags and held photographs of the Soviet dictator in his military uniform. "I am here because for me Stalin is the equivalent of God for believers," said one woman, who declined to give her name, adding that she believed Stalin-era repressions were deliberately overstated. "It is very exaggerated. It is propaganda to fool people," she said. Stalin is respected by many Russians for his role in winning World War II, but his regime caused the deaths of millions in Gulag labour camps and in a forced collectivisation drive. Pensioners praised Stalin, saying his regime imposed law and order. "Under Stalin, it was paradise, freedom. Those who were harmful to the Soviet authority were killed, criminals and thieves," said pensioner Antonina Medvedeva. "Life was very joyful under Stalin. We had a future, there was no unemployment," said another, Vladimir Maloshonok. "We have come to ask forgiveness from Stalin for the betrayal of his efforts by those who have been in power over the last 30 years," said Yelena Kropotova with tears in her eyes. Nostalgia for the period when Stalin ruled with an iron hand is still widespread in Russia, where a process to reevaluate history was never completed after the fall of the Soviet regime in 1991, according to rights groups. Last year Russian President Dmitry Medvedev denounced the "totalitarian" regime of the Soviet Union and Stalin's "unpardonable" crimes. But at the same time, some school textbooks give a positive evaluation of the Soviet leader. http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/2011030...y-6b0205e.html __________________ Daraclor: A brand of anti-malaria pills which we had to drink every week while on the border. Legend had it that these would make you turn yellow and that you wouldn't be able to tan.

03-08-2011, 12:15 AM	#2
Pvt.Joker Curio & Relic AKaholic #: 8956 Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 5,171	And yet they seem to fail to recognize the key irony in that THEY are allowed in the non-soviet Russia to meet and "venerate Stalin" despite the government's rejection of him- whereas UNDER Stalin, any such dissent would have been met with a bullet to the back of the head, or a one-way ticket to a slave labor camp in Siberia... __________________ Here richly, with ridiculous display, The Politician's corpse was laid away. While all of his acquaintance sneered and slanged I wept: for I had longed to see him hanged. "Epitaph on the Politician Himself"- Hilarie Belloc In the end, those who felt the "need" to make better choices for the rest of us should be told that they have a choice between going to the gallows, or being fed chocolate cake. But WE get to "make the BETTER choice" for THEM for once.

03-08-2011, 02:09 PM	#4
Geist762 Psalms 149 AKaholic #: 4163 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Standing in the gate. Posts: 6,194	shitlicks __________________ Geist762 Jer 48:10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

03-08-2011, 08:59 AM	#3
dethangel Senior Member AKaholic #: 31932 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: mobile,AL Posts: 536	Probably some who had it better then than now. Those that didn't aren't around to protest.

03-08-2011, 11:20 PM	#5
Tomfoolery III% AKaholic #: 155777 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Indiana Posts: 3,533	It's the same here though. You ask Americans how they feel about FDR and they'll get down on their knees and like the boots he didn't walk in. England is the same with Churchill. Quite the trio of statist douchebags imo.

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