[billakay]

But there is so much poison from the past corroding through the fabric of society still. And the psyche of the country is still troubled and it was only compounded by Putin with all his Soviet-throwback nationalism nonsense...The culture overall has bee. devoid of meaningful self-reflection and criticim over the troubled aspects of their past.

To some degree, I agree with you. Although, one important point to make is that Russian nationalism, sort of like Trump-style American nationalism, is about country and patriotism, rather than really about one particular "natisya" or ethnicity. Billboards/other advertisements for "United Russia" talk about how all citizens are Russians, regardless of their "nation" or ethnicity.

My in-laws are not Russians, but rather Armenians (amusingly, as a third-generation American with Ukranian/Russian blood, I am more Russian than they are!), but one of the most poignant points they make about Putin's rise was the almost overnight crackdown on tolerance for "nationalists" who liked to attack/rob/kill those who weren't "Russian", i.e. them.

On the other hand, the only arguably non-establishment (would-be) candidate for President, Alexei Navalny, comes from the "Russian for Russians" camp, and has been quoted as saying that "the best way to deal with immigrants is with a pistol". This is not the direction I think anyone wants to go. I'll take Putin-style patriotism any day of the week over this kind of BS.

[GoldenState_Rose]

You’re Armenian? You will understand this statement then:

At the moment, the current, sorry state Russian nationalism is like TURKISH nationalism. Hinging on rotten ideologies and a fierce denial of the past in efforts to rewrite their roles in history and gloss over/sugarcoat inconvenient realities. (In Turkey’s case: the Armenian genocide, in Russia’s the crimes and final defeat of the Soviet Union.)

Trump is NOT Putin. What an insult! Trump is way out of Putin’s league in terms of class and honor. And this applies to every American president. Because the US presidency is bigger than any one personality.

Putin can never stand up against the moral weight and dignity of the republic which American leaders represent.

Very few world leaders can hold a candle to the sacred traditions and institutions which bring every American leader to power.

America is not perfect, but what we stand for is golden. Our people are free. And our willingness towards self-reflection and self-criticism are some of the keys to our enduring strength. We confront our history and learn and are ever moving forward through its darkest pages in the spirit of open and transparent debate.

I agree Navalny is no Trump. Far from it.