Rights of minorities ? In my opinion there shouldn't be any "minorities", join majority or go away - this is what I think about "Russian minority" in Latvia, "Polish minority in Lithuania" and any other "minority" anywhere. Is this "Soviet mentality" ? I don't think so.
BTW Americans created many great principles connected with moder democracy or "free society", but situation in every country is a little different. For example in both Poland and Russia freedom of speech in American meaning doesn't exist. In Poland you should better be very careful If you want to criticize John Paul II, while in Russia you should better be very careful If you want to criticize Vova Putin and it seems that both nations enjoy it.
Rights of minorities ? In my opinion there shouldn't be any "minorities", join majority or go away Or die, I suppose. What do you propose we do in the US with certain groups, such as Black Americans, that cannot join the majority? What should be done with the Roma minorities in Eastern Europe?
For example in both Poland and Russia freedom of speech in American meaning doesn't exist.
There is no such thing as an "American" freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is a universal concept, it is just that some governments (such as Poland and Russia, according to you), have chosen to deny their citizens that right.