Posted on 12/28/2008 5:45:05 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Stalin voted third most popular Russian By Dmitry Solovyov Dmitry Solovyov 17 mins ago
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Soviet dictator Josef Stalin was voted Russia's third most popular historical figure in a nationwide poll that ended on Sunday, despite the famine and purges that marked his rule.
The "Name of Russia" contest run by Rossiya state television channel over more than six months closed on Sunday night with a final vote via the Internet and mobile phones. It drew more than 50 million votes in a nation of 143 million.
Millions of Soviet citizens perished from famine during forced collectivization, were executed as "enemies of the people" or died in Gulag hard labor camps during Stalin's rule which lasted for almost 30 years until his death in 1953.
"We now have to think very seriously, why the nation chooses to put Josef Vissarionovich Stalin in third place," prominent actor and film director Nikita Mikhalkov, one of the contest's judges, said after the results of the vote flashed on a screen.
"We may find ourselves in a situation where absolute power and voluntarism that ignores people's opinions may prevail in our country, if a fairly large part of the nation wants it."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
GOD are the Russians that brain washed seem like it
Well this is depressing.
Uhh, Stalin wasn’t Russian.
He’s in such august company with the False Messiah, too.
Notice who came in first and second: a saint of the Russian Church who prevented the forcible conversion of Russia to papism, and an agrarian reformer who cracked down on leftist revolutionaries.
Don’t be too depressed.
Solzhenitsyn didn’t vote in this poll.
Thanks. That was a helpful reminder.
But Stalin???
Quite true. Now notice this disturbing tangent:
Hitler wasn't German.
Obama isn't American.
Just a thought. We're in for some serious pain beginning in three weeks.
Just like here in the US - Russian politics are complicated and the country is split roughly to the left and right. Pray for Russia. Pray for the US.
What about Anna Kournakova?
Stalin’s ghost was quoted as saying, “Damn, if I had only know, I would have killed millions more.”
Was reading the other day about Alexander Nevsky — another Russian so-called “hero”.
In reality he was not so much a defender of Russia as he was an administrator for its Mongol conquerors.
And the famous victory over the Teutonic Knights? His forces outnumbered theirs five to one. (In fact there were only 20 actual Teutonic knights present on the field of battle. )
“At the top of the list was 13th century prince Alexander Nevsky, who defeated German invaders, followed by Pyotr Stolypin, a prime minister in the early 20th century known for agrarian reforms and a clampdown on leftist revolutionaries.”
So they pick an anti-leftist aka ideological opposite of Stalin as 2, but pick Stalin as 3? WTF?
“’We have been living under capitalism for 20 years now and so what? We are now a rank-and-file country, no longer a superpower. Our voice is weak both in economics and politics, and key decisions are sometimes taken without us.’”
That would be the result of a failed leftist system, but as a result they idolize the chief leftist who cause this state of affairs?!
Concusion: Russians are schizophrenic as a nation. Seriously, they’re nuts. There is no other explanation for a nation so blessed in intellect (chess is a major sport there) and natural resouces to be such backwater.
More details in the UK Telegraph article:
At last, Stalin is defeated by Russian voters
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5409349.ece
1 Alexander Nevsky 524,575
2 Peter Stolypin 523,766
3 Joseph Stalin 519,071
4 Alexander Pushkin 516,608
5 Tsar Peter the Great 448,857
6 Vladimir Lenin 424,283
No Natasha Kinski?
Agreed on both counts. America is as infeccted with leftist corruption as Russia, but there is more wealth here to plunder before Atlas truly Shrugs. Unfortunately, we are headed down a similar path.
God help both nations. And us all...
How about Boris Baddenoff?
Only a theology student notice the irony.
It’s likely many Russians haven’t heard of Stalin’s crimes. If the world depended solely on the NY Times reporting & it’s Pulitzer prize winner, Walter Duranty, no one would ever know.
I’ll bet he isn’t that popular with the families of the people he had murdered. Oh wait, he had their families murdered, too.
I attended public school and I am not joking when I point out that even the most basic facts such as these about Stalin/communism were never covered.
Most Russians elevate (perceived) strength/power above all else — above character, morality, and intelligence. Combine that trait with the loss of their superpower status and you get a populace pining for a totalitarian dictator. ...like Stalin. They’re a very strange (to be kind about it) people. Always have been.
----
Send treats to the troops...
Great because you did it!
www.AnySoldier.com
Russians desire oppression so long as they are strong. I find the anti-western strain of Russian nationalism to be little more than a mass psychosis.
It is a tendency of many intelligent men to forgo natural explanations for supranatural. There is no sickness here; just enduring values. Russian people value the presence of a despot. They do not ask whether he is moral and, in fact, will forgive great many personal shortcomings. But he must have power. The second most enduring value is nationalism -- believe in Russian superiority. It is a logical consequence that anyone effectively promoting it is a hero. No need to appeal to pathologies: nations, people have enduring values. Thant's all.
Didnt know that, where was he from?
There’s an excellent discussion on frontpagemag.com by Jamie Glazov about the historic Russian inability to embrace democratic institutions, and Russians’ love for a benevolent strongman who will kiss them and tell them all will be well.
Just not in their past. “Russians missed out on the Renaissance” is what we were taught in high school.
V.V. Putin fits the average Russian’s needs to a T.
if your country lost 27 million peope in an invasion, one that was only the latest of many, you would treasure security
Hitler was Austrian.
Stalin was from Georgia.
“We may find ourselves in a situation where absolute power and voluntarism that ignores people’s opinions may prevail in our country, if a fairly large part of the nation wants it.” -Russian quoted in article
“We cannot continue to rely on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” B. Obama 2008
“Schools that require service as part of the educational experience create improved learning environments and serve as resources for their communities. The Obama-Biden plan sets a goal for all students to engage in service, with middle and high school students performing 50 hours of service each year ...” Obama campaign webpage
I could understand Peter the Great he was greatest Russia Tsar no Catherine the Great where the love
Also where is Tchikerakry did he invented greatest ballet musical ever Nutcracker
Some people just don’t learn from the past.
Stalin is Georgian and was born as Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili. Stalin in Russian means “Man of Steel”. Stalin was consumed with a lot bitterment and self-hate because he was not Russian. Stalin is the personification of evil besides Adolf Hitler, Mao Zedong, Pol Pot, and Osama bin Laden. Saddam Hussein idolized him.
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