The Horror of Russia's "Nashi" Youth Cult, Revealed in English for the First Time

Publius Pundit ^ | June 3, 2007 11:10 AM | Kim Zigfeld ·

[BenLurkin]

Through the good offices of La Russophobe's translator we are able to open a window into neo-Soviet Russia that would otherwise be closed to the non-Russian speaking world. In our "Articles" blog, you will find extensive translated extracts from the unabridged Nashi manifesto direct from Nashi's website. You can see the unabridged version in Russian, the juicy bits from which are translated below, here, and the shortened, brochure-like screed in Russian is here (a comic book version of the manifesto has been published and distributed by Nashi as a propaganda leaflet; it was translated into English here, but then the translation was mysteriously withdrawn; the Nashi website itself, as we previously reported, was blocked for a time from Western browser access, but at least for now is available; our prior commentary about the leaflet version is here). Click here to read Nashi's propaganda in its full, horrifying glory in our Articles blog. Just for instance, Nashi claims that the USSR simply "decided" to give up the arms race because of its own enlightenment, and likewise "decided" to allow German reunification on the same basis (and note too its obsessive focus on the idea of counterrevolution, now styled as "colored revolution," and the demonization of the U.S., linking Russia's "liberals" to foreign spies looking to subvert Russian independence). It attempts to take sole credit for the defeat of Hitler for Russia, implying that Russia saved Europe, yet does not mention Stalin's secret deal with Hitler selling Europe down the river.

As you see Vladimir Putin channel the ideology of Vladimir "Lenin" Ulyanov, creating a brand-new "Komsomol" organization for youth indoctrination in ideology, you see the final nail struck into the Neo-Soviet coffin of Russia. Some have misled us, claiming that the new Russian dicatatorship lacks the ideological underpinnings of the old USSR. Nobody can read this translation and still think so. How long before this ideology makes its way into text books, how long before a "party" requires indoctrination in this ideology before assuming the mantle of power? How long before it becomes a crime, punishable by gulag, to publicly criticize this ideology or those who espouse it? NOTE: If you are interested in reading translations straight from the pages of the Russian press, check out LR Translations, La Russophobe's translations library, which contains nearly two dozen articles from the Russian press that you will find nowhere else. If any Russian-speaking reader is aware of Russian material that is a good candidate for translation, please let us know.

[BenLurkin]

Don't know anything about this blog or how reliable it is or isn't -- but the Nashi movement is apparently a very real thing.

[1rudeboy]

I think these were the guys who were piling-into buses and traveling to Estonia in order to protest the removal of that statue.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

To be fair on one (one) point: in the United States, there is sometimes the tendency to act as though it was the United States who singly won World War 2--so it could be a tiny bit hypocritical to criticize this group on that one point.

[BenLurkin]

Tue Jul 17, 1:35 PM ET

"Activists of the pro-Kremlin Nashi (Ours) youth movement attend an open air lecture at their summer camp near to Lake Seliger, some 450 kilometers (281 miles) northwest of Moscow, Tuesday, July 17, 2007. The movement claims to enlist tens of thousands of supporters throughout Russia and positions itself as a youth wing of the United Russia ruling party." (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev)

"Members of the pro-Kremlin youth movement "Nashi" practise with rifles during a military lecture in the Nashi summer camp on Lake Seliger some 300 km (186 miles) north-west of Moscow July 17, 2007. Some 10,000 youths from all over Russia live for up to two weeks in the camp, where they do sports and attend political and socially oriented lectures, the organisers said." REUTERS/Thomas Peter (RUSSIA)

"Members of the pro-Kremlin youth movement "Nashi" and instructors perform martial arts at the Nashi summer camp on the Lake Seliger, some 300 km (186 miles) northwest of Moscow, July 17, 2007. Some 10,000 youths from all over Russia live for up to two weeks in the camp, where they do sports and attend political and socially oriented lectures, the organisers said." REUTERS/Thomas Peter (RUSSIA)

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The EU did a relatively puny job defending Estonia (a member state) over that. Though there was some criticism from the EU leadership.

[JSDude1]

Looks like the Soviet Union is baaaack!..

[brigadoon]

Having read through this manifesto, a consistent theme of “not allowing foreigners to interfere with the national sovereignty” emerges. The FSB obviously recognizes foreign interference in domestic politics as the greatest threat to it’s own, or any nation’s survival. Through a glass, darkly, they reveal the weapon they are currently using abroad against their own enemies. I wonder to what degree we are experiencing a return of Russian proxy interference in our own internal politics, as occurred under the Soviets. My guess is groups similar to International Answer have been infiltrated and are being manipulated. Considering the degree to which the fringe left now dominates the Democrat party, even demanding the all-nighter at the Senate this evening, it is possible that we are experiencing direct foreign interference in our war effort.

[RedOhioan]

Bush the idiot seems clueless as usual to what’s going on in Russia. I’ll be so happy when Fred replaces him.

[WorkingClassFilth]

They never left.

[familyop]

Ping

[nw_arizona_granny]

Bump....

[nkycincinnatikid]

Think about it though, WW2 began with the invasion of Poland and ended with the surrender of Japan. Russia was there at the start, invading Poland, and at the end assisting the Japs by working for the destruction of the Chinese government that was fighting them. But you are correct that arrogant Americans perhaps overlook the critical role that Costa Rica, and Tahiti, and others played in that conflict. Thanks for reminding us.

[nuconvert]

l8tr

[tetuhe1898]

Russia destroyed up to 80% of German ground forces, and helped the USA to finish off Japs in August 1945 (see Operation August Storm). This contribution can’t be denied.

[BenLurkin]

My guess is groups similar to International Answer have been infiltrated and are being manipulated.

Makes sense.

[schlockandflaws]

Just because a character he once played said, “Russians don’t take a dump, son, without a plan,” doesn’t mean he’s got a good handle on foreign policy.

[RedOhioan]

Wow, that comment is almost as clever as your sig. :rolls eyes:

[schlockandflaws]

How do you reconcile his stated position on immigration with his membership in the Council on Foreign Relations and their “Building a North American Community” document which recommends opening up the border he wants to secure? Given that his Senate experience in foreign policy was short (Senate Foreign Relations Committee 1995-1996) and primarily trade-related (Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, 1999-2002), what leads you to believe he’s so well-equipped to deal with the fractured socio-political situation that exists in Russia, especially with the economically depressed youth? Bush may indeed be clueless, but I’d like to hear about Thompson’s abilities in this arena.