Posted on 02/03/2005 12:46:37 AM PST by familyop
MOSCOW - A visit to Auschwitz has prompted President Vladimir Putin to do something he had never done over five years in power, admit that anti-Semitism rages on in Russia and must be stamped out, amid a rare public debate on the once taboo subject.
Jews were mistreated throughout much of the Soviet era, with dissidents sent by Stalin to gulags and Jewish students barred from entry to the more prestigious universities.
Nationalist rhetoric largely graduated from that era to post-Soviet Russia amid concern and blame- seeking over the demise of its superpower status.
A poll this week by the Levada Foundation found that 59 percent agreed with the sentiment "Russia for Russians".
A March 2004 study by the Expertiza foundation found 45 percent thought Russia was anti-Semitic while 42 percent said Jews ought to be barred from power.
But Putin, who rose to the presidency on a strongly nationalist ticket, and his entourage avoided the subject even as Washington expressed growing alarm over a recent rise of hate crimes against Jews.
Two events appeared to change that this month: The first was a letter signed by 20 parliamentarians demanding that Jewish groups be banned across Russia for their "radical" views. The second was Putin's trip to the Auschwitz memorial on Thursday.
"Just a short time ago, the German chancellor said he was embarrassed for the past. But this is the past," Putin said at the poignant 60th anniversary ceremony marking the notorious Nazi concentration camp's liberation by Soviet troops.
"But we have to be embarrassed of today, because even in Russia, which has done the most to defeat fascism, to liberate Jews, we see frequent signs of this disease," he said in the first direct reference to anti- Semitism from the Kremlin this decade.
"We must proclaim in one voice: no one has a right to be indifferent to anti-Semitism, xenophobia and racial intolerance."
Moscow newspapers, some of them state-run, fawned over what they saw as a courageous and even historic pronouncement.
"Putin is embarrassed by anti- Semitism," the Izvestia daily wrote.
"The concentration camp no longer exists but Nazism lives on" in Russia, the government's Rossiyskaya Gazeta wrote in giving a synopsis of Putin's speech. - Sapa-AFP
ping
Well, admitting they have a problem is a good step. However, as long as they are able to find "friends" in China, Europe and ME countries, they'll assume their hatred for Jews is justified.
When David Duke got elected, did that mean America was anti-Semetic?
Lets not forget that 1. China is our Most Favor Trading Nation, 2. We are allied to the fount of Islamic radicalism Saudi Arabia and the creators of the Taliban: Pakistan and we still support the KLA and send money to the PLO while arming the Egyptians and the primary owner of Al Jazeer, the Sultan of Qatar is our ally.
Furthermore, we are also allied to most of Old Europe and Bush is heading over to "mend" fenses with the French and Germans.
Does that make us anti-Jewish?
Reinstate the law they had in 1919, make anti semitism a felony, punishable by hanging. That ought to do the trick.
No, just pragmatic on diplomatic methods, discomforting as those alliances may be. However, my commentary is really about Russia NOT being discomforted with the anti-semetism that abounds in her allies. She will find solace in their shared hatred for the Jew.
Putin has done more to promote Jews and Judaism than any other Russian leader in history.
She will find solace in their shared hatred for the Jew.
Besides the fact that the PM is half jewish (second one who is) hell, we've yet to get anything even close in the White House. The head of the anti-semites is also half Jewish. Go figure. Most Jews in Russia are mixed blood and so many "Russians" are part Jewish. Most of the Pogroms also happened in western Ukraine, Yushchenko's stomping grounds, which is why most of the Jews of Ukraine live in eastern Ukraine.
Problem is, that law only held to racism, the very makers of that law, (mostly Jewish bolshaviks of that era) murdered religious Jews almost with as much glee as they murdered Christians.
My comments weren't about Putin per se. However, if anti-semetism doesn't exist in Russia, then what would be his motivation to lie about it?
http://www.fjc.ru/news/newsArticle.asp?AID=258172
Jewish Community Mourns Sudden Loss of Georgian Prime Minister
Thursday, February 03, 2005
The late Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania lighting the Menorah in his office, together with Rabbi Avraham Michaelashvili earlier this year.
TBILISI, Georgia – Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, who was fundamental in the change of governmental regime in this South Caucasus country several years ago, died today in Tbilisi by an apparent gas leak in the apartment he slept. Zhvania was one of the key leaders in the economic reform effort that has been underway in the country since that time, not to mention his role in strengthening civil society and religious freedom.
"The Jewish community mourns the sudden loss of Zurab Zhvania. As a Jew, he had a close relationship to the Jewish community in Georgia," expressed the Chief Rabbi of Georgia, Avraham Mikhailashvili. "He was a great friend and a genuine national leader, whose reforms led to the strengthening of the Jewish community and other religions in this country," asserted the Chief Rabbi.
Today Rabbi Mikhailashvili met with Zhvania's mother, who is Jewish, to extend his condolences and to offer her comfort in her time of grief. He has also been in touch with the authorities with respect to the preparations for his funeral.
The Prime Minister had provided assistance to the Jewish community with respect to the centennial anniversary of the Great Synagogue of Tbilisi, following in the path of supporting the community set by grandfather, Mikhael Goldbaum, who had served as a warden in the Synagogue.
"The Jewish community would like to express our sympathy to the people of Georgia and to the family and loved-ones of Zurob Zhvania, who was a true leader and unique individual. He will be sadly missed," stated Avraham Berkowitz, the Executive Director of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS.
Born in Tbilisi in 1963, Zhvania began serving in parliament in 1992. He became parliamentary speaker in 1995 and led the moderate United Democrats opposition party. As a national leader, Zhvania followed a relatively conciliatory path, taking a moderate approach of consensus. He then helped lead the revolution that toppled the regime of Eduard Shevardnadze.
Zurab Zhvania is survived by his wife and three children.
It does exist, it exists here in America too. It is being blown way out of proportion by a leftist or globalist MSM as an attack on Russia which has moved heavily towards capitalism and now even leads in many portions of government, such as taxation and hands off government in many industries (granted video media and oil are not two of those).
Jewish life in Russia has improved dramatically over the past ten years, while anti-Semitism is on the rise in formerly "safe" countries like France, Canada and the UK.
No one has said that anti-Semitism does not exist in Russia. It has existed for a thousand years. What is significant is that Putin has acknowledged that it is a problem and that he is determined to make things safer for Russian Jews.
If every person who has been accused of anti-semitism were hanged there wouldn't be enough trees to handle them all. Here on FreeRepublic alone we'd be diminished by hundreds.
You'll have to excuse me....I don't trust him.
lady...That law was passed by a minority in Russia.
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