Quote of the Week

"Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greatest good of everyone.""
-John Maynard Keynes

Sunday 22 December 2013

"Political Prisoners" In Russia: Is Pardoning Them a Political Stunt?

QUESTION (from idebate.org, Alex Helling):
Russia is considering pardons and amnesties for many of the high profile cases that have brought criticism from the west such as Pussy Riot and Khodorkovsky. After a very successful year on the global stage where Putin has succeeded in facing down the United States on Syria and the win Ukraine over to his side in competition with the European Union Vladimir Putin is showing a conciliatory side – or possibly is being magnanimous in victory.
There have been several high profile cases where the Russian state has jailed people when that westerners have often considered to be unfair; Khordorkovsky is often considered to have been imprisoned due to his wealth and beginning to looking like a viable opposition leader – the west has never really bought the idea that he was somehow more corrupt than other oligarchs. More recently Pussy Riot highlighted the issue of freedom of speech in Russia. And only this year Greenpeace activists attempting to highlight oil drilling in the arctic were detained after an assault by the Russian military.
 Now there is to be an amnesty as a part of the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Russian constitution. The amnesty will pardon non-violent first time offenders which will apply both to the Greenpeace activists who clearly have no criminal record in Russia as they are from outside the country as well as the members of Pussy Riot who are still in jail as a result of their stunt in Moscow’s cathedral of Christ the Savior with a song calling for Putin’s removal from power. Putin points out that the amnesty was not specifically aimed at either of these two cause celebres.
Putin wrote:
"It is neither linked to Greenpeace, nor this group [Pussy Riot]. I was not sorry that they ended up behind bars. I was sorry that they were engaged in such disgraceful behavior, which in my view was degrading to the dignity of women. They went beyond all boundaries "
The BBC says it covers “at least 20,000 prisoners, including minors, invalids, veterans, pregnant women, and mothers.” However Russia’s Human Rights Council estimates that the amnesty will free less than 1500 prisoners out of a prison population of 700,000 making it rather fortuitous that it covers many of the best known cases outside the country.
If Pussy riot and the Greenpeace activists being freed is merely coincidence then one pardon does appear to be intentional. Khodorkovsky’s current jail term is not his first so he is not eligible for this amnesty yet Putin has announced in his annual news conference that he will be pardoned. The reasoning is Khodorkovsky
Putin wrote:
"has already spent more than 10 years in prison, this is a serious punishment. He is citing humanitarian circumstances, his mother is ill, and I think this is grounds for making a decision, and a decree about his pardon will be signed in the nearest future."
yet Khodorkovsky’s legal team know of no request for clemency leading to the supposition that Putin may simply have decided that now is a good time.
Many will consider that the imprisonment of all of these groups was political, and therefore their being freed must also be political. It is notable that the winter Olympics in Sochi are just around the corner; taking place in February of next year. Already leaders of major countries are declaring that they will not attend such as Francois Hollande of France and German President Joachim Gauk saying they would boycott the games  while US president Obama has been a bit more ambiguous about his motivations simply saying that there scheduling difficulties meaning he cannot attend. Putin might therefore be calculating that by showing a willingness to free those who are considered to be the opposition he might pre-empt a more general boycott.
Debatabase debate ‘This House believes the imprisoned members of pussy riot should be considered political prisoners’ http://freespeechdebate.idebate.org/debatabase/debates/freespeechdebate/house-believes-imprisoned-members-pussy-riot-should-be-considered-polit

ANSWER FROM ME:
It is obviously a political stunt, and the question itself is unnecessary.  The women, Greenpeace and Khordorkovsky are different people with different crimes to their names, thus they may or may not all be political prisoners.
Pussy Riot, in my opinion, deserves punishment. As much as they may try and deny that they were trying to inflict any sort of hatred with their performances, they obviously were. The simple fact that their performance was staged at a church demonstrates that. Even though I am not religious myself, it is clear to see that they were degrading religion by using The Virgin’s name and parodying a holy prayer.  Though I believe the punishment was over exaggerated and that it was in part fuelled by the subject matter and the fact that they were opposing the state, I still do not believe that they should be considered political prisoners. Western organizations like Amnesty International have reason to deem the Pussy Riot performers as political prisoners. Since they do not support Putin’s regime, it is in their interest to call the women political prisoners and attract negative attention to Putin’s government.  Try to disregard the media, which are constantly telling us that these women are not political prisoners, and ask yourself if they did indeed commit some sort of crime. Even in a democratic state, they did. They firstly disturbed the peace by screaming and attracting attention in public, they secondly were blasphemous, by degrading the name of what is holy to people, at a holy place. They offended a lot of people, which was wrong.
What Greenpeace did was not that bad, and I don't agree with the decision to jail them. I am not informed about Khordorkovsky and I thus cannot make statements about him. 
There are different forms of protest and the form they did was not the most potent. It degraded the women themselves and something holy. They could’ve performed protest without degrading something holy.
Truthfully, they probably wouldn’t have received such a harsh punishment had they protested the opposition, but that is the same in all places, even in the West.  The most basic form of ruling states that the opposition needs to be eliminated; it is the goal of all leaders. Naturally, you want more supporters and fewer opponents, so it makes sense that Putin wanted to get rid of them.
They weren’t jailed politically, but because the West made their jailing political, the release will be political. Whether or not Putin is being magnanimous in having such a successful year politically, or if he simply wants to do the best for his country by releasing the women and giving incentive for western leaders to attend Sochi, is questionable.  

Saturday 14 December 2013

Stars

Stars is a word that most people associate either with the tiny yellow things that we see in the night sky, or celebrities. Stars however, is so much more than that. Stars is a band from Toronto. They aren't words to describe the love I feel for them. Using the words amazing, incredible, sublime, perfect etc., are all understatements. Stars are beyond perfect, they are the best band to ever release music. Even their music is not worthy of being called music - it is art. Auditory flowing gold, and saying anything else would be an offensive remark. I know, I'm a hipster because I adore them, right? Sure, I don't mind, call me what you will.
I first heard Stars perfection two years ago. Changes was the first song that I was ever honoured/blessed to listen to. I watched the video, and even though she is naked, it didn't take anything away from the song. It is such a poetic song with beautiful lyrics. The music, though monotonous, is impeccable. Changes encouraged me to look into this new band, which would later grow into an obsession. Honestly, I didn't think that there was going to be any song with the ability to match up with Changes, but I was wrong. I also thought that Changes was a one off, and that maybe they got lucky with the song. Once again, I was wrong. Changes was only a gateway to some of their even more wonderful music for me.
The next song that I discovered has been my favourite for the two years now: Your Ex-Lover is Dead. These lyrics are so moving and fantabulous that they actually made me bawl my eyes out. Like a lot of their music, the lyrics deal with death. But this is not the kind of death music that you'd expect. It is so pretty and perfect. The video is also sweet. It is a little bizarre at first glance, but looking at it again makes you see more.

The final song which I fancy A LOT was Dead Hearts. My dad introduced me to this song after watching Like Crazy, and hearing the song. He thought it would be my style, and he was right. Apparently, he had no clue that Stars was my favourite band - which I still slightly doubt. Anyway, I listened to the song on repeat for the rest of the day. It was SO good! The lyrics deals a little with mortality, as do many of their songs. Regardless, there is something beautifully haunting and enchanting about both the voice and the music, which actually really suits the lyrics.

Stars continual ability to match lyrics, with vocals, with music, perfectly makes them the best band ever!!

Stars have not come close to receiving the attention they deserve. Stars has made this world a better place with their music. Stars deserve to be stars, yet society does not recognize them. Perhaps they will be like all great minds - appreciated enough only after they are dead. Too bad. 

A Poem to the Love of My Life

This is a poem that I have written to the love of my life. Considering the fact that I've used some give away names in the poem, I've decided to black them out. 


Forever and eternally, my heart shall be yours. 
My affection is in your hands. 
My devoted soul rests upon your bosom. 
Adoration beyond my heart's limit overflows towards your beauty. 

When I see you, it is like I see the sun,
For your consistent grace gleams into the very depths of my retina.
Your magnificent blue eyes penetrate my aura
They encourage me to be a better person each day.

In times of hardship, a simple glimpse of your well being is enough to repair my troubled soul.
Your fair skin cuts through the crowd and makes it's way to my marrow
Your sandy mane stands out amongst the rest
When I am lost, it guides me back to you 

In my darkest hour and day
A simple look at you makes me gay
I sneak a glance, hoping you don't notice
For I will never be good enough

Your gentle voice whispers stories
About Siberia, about morning glory 
I learn your life, I learn to forgive
I learn to love,  I learn to live

I feel the passion burn like a fire
My need for thee is dire
Each day without you is a death
Each day with you is my heart's content

I spend each eve in a desperate search
For a way to come close to you - a towering birch
Playing fruit ninja upon you navel
Was like drinking honey from a ladle

You are like a god to me
Perfect in every way
If only you would see
The love which lay - 

In the crevasse of my heart
A cavity filled and dripping
As if penetrated by a dart
Ready for you to take by ripping

Do not be enticed by mafiosos called dfsbjdh
They will never care for you as much as the llama
The llama I am, which mines endlessly for your love
The mafioso called sdfshdjb, who flys away like a dove

Do not let your love sag to another
Cherish our time together
Though there is temptation like fdbjvdf
The love we have is forever