Communist symbol returns to Russian Army's flag

AuBC News ^ | Saturday, May 5, 2007. 12:06pm (AEST)

[james500]

Russia's Parliament has voted to restore the communist-era hammer and sickle to the official flag of the Russian Army.

It is expect President Vladimir Putin will ratify the move in time for next week's commemorations marking the end of World War II in Europe.

If so, Russians will again have the Soviet version of the victory banner for next week's Victory in Europe parade in Moscow.

For many Russians, especially the elderly, its symbolism is immense.

The red banner, together with the hammer, sickle and a white star, was the one raised on the Reichstag roof on May 1, 1945.

Millions of people all over the world know that photograph, but in Russia its significance is much deeper, with the Soviet victory over fascism in World War II remaining something seen in almost religious terms.

[instantgratification]

Jade, I agree 100% with your post. But we are wasting bandwidth with these idiots. I am coming to the conclusion that nobody who did not live in the USSR can really understand the ugly face of communism. No one can understand the nuances of say, knowing just by clothing, who was nomenklatura and who was not. No one can know what it meant to be stopped by a Komsomol patrol for wearing "bourgeois nationalist clothes" or having the wrong haircut. In my family, everyone kept a packed suitcase beside the door in case a Chaika appeared in the middle of the night. Those didn't disappear until the late 1970's.

I agree 100% that to equate Russia today to communism, even in its fading days, demonstrates an ignorance about the societies in question. It is akin to trying to describe quantum physics to a 3 year old (and that's about the mental level we're dealing with here).

[instantgratification]

I don't need to "fool" anyone.

Uchitisya brate moyi
Dumayte, chytayte,
Svoho ne tsurate
Bo xto matir zabuvaye
Toho Boh karaye
Chuzhi liudu tsurayutsya,
V xati ne puskayut.

Every Ukrainian school kid, especially in North America, can recite this by heart. Now, Sherlock Holmes, care to tell me where that came from? Do you think Putin would know it? LOL

Russians, incidentally, were also victims of the Bolsheviks.

The Germans killed over 10 million Ukrainians. The Bolsheviks probably killed over 15 million. So yes, they did kill more Ukrainians. I never asserted otherwise. Only that your view that they "deserved it" was disgusting. Incidentally, there is a difference between "Russian" and "Bolshevik". Not all Russians were Bolsheviks.

[instantgratification]

There were foreign observers who monitored the elections. Unlike the situations in Cuba or Iran.
I'm afraid you'll have to do better if you wish to prove my "dilution".

[instantgratification]

Most Russians are not communists. If they were, they would not have protested against the coup.

[instantgratification]

Heh heh

BOO! There's a communist under the bed. Just waiting to destroy American freedom.

Ukrainian, Russian - what's the difference to the "enlightened" posters we encounter here.

I take it you were born in the USSR? I was not. I am the descendent of Ukrainian pioneers - fifth generation.

[instantgratification]

The subject at hand is not Russian historians. We are dealing with the current Putin régime and the most fanatical spokesmen for that repressive régime still lurking on FR...such as yourself for instance. Wrong. You stated nobody in Russia acknowledges the existence of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Treaty. I stated they do. You again denied. In fact, there is a significant body of work on this treaty. So, you were mistaken.

As Jade stated, I have not posted about Putin at all. What I have stated is that today's Russia is not the USSR. That is a fact. A fact known to anyone who knows anything about today's Russia and yesterday's USSR. That leaves you out. Are you paraphrasing, or directly quoting KGB Putin? No, I'm paraphrasing your post. You're the one threatened by those with differing opinions. How unAmerican. Where is that do tell? None of your f###ing business. But I'll give you a hint. I watch 60 Conan O'Brien at midnight. Under the current threatening situation with the Neo-Soviet KGB controlled police state, the sole mode of travel to Russia should be in one of these ....... In other words, never. So you are talking out of your as##. And your "opinions" to use the term loosely, are useless.

[instantgratification]

100% wrong. The Duma was controlled by communists throughout the entire Yeltsin presidency. What do you think the second coup was about?

The oligarchs were all former commies - Berezovsky was an interior KGB field officer. Khodorkhovsky was a prominent Komsomol leader. Those are but 2 examples.

Throughout his presidency, Yeltsin had to fight these commies who wanted to destroy Russia, because their motto is "the worse, the better for us". That is why health, education, housing, pensions, salaries were non existent and state assets stolen to enrich a few.

[M. Espinola]

Do not post anything to me again, you pro-Putin KGB sob!

Anything further from you will be considered stalking and will be reported.

[instantgratification]

I have had relatives killed by the NKVD. I have had relatives beaten by the KGB. Therefore, your flames is out of line. Can you say the same thing? How many of your relatives were raped by gulag officers? How many of your relatives had their livers lacerated by KGB beatings? How many of your relatives hid in Siberia for 8 years because eveyone else in their family was liquidated by the NKVD? The truth is you know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about this subject, as evidenced by the responses (not only by me) to your posts. Now that may hurt your fragile ego, but if you were a real man you'd be able to handle it. So, go ahead and report me. Responses in a particular thread, made in direct response to your posts, do not constitute "stalking". If you don't want me to respond to your misinformation, then don't post. Your posts are not exactly an enlightened discussion, and I will certainly report them in response.

[M. Espinola]

I told you to stop posting anything to me, you refuse, you are out of control, leaving me no alternative but to report this form of brazen stalking. Whatever transpires hence forth, you only have yourself to blame.

[spanalot]

“Not all Russians were Bolsheviks.”

Hey everyone - here’s another one that thinks there were no Russians in Russia in the 20’s and 30’s.

So Instant, how far do you have to go from the Kremlin before you find Russians?

[instantgratification]

Stop posting to me and I won’t post back. It’s that easy.

[instantgratification]

I never stated that there were no Russians in Russia. Do you have difficulties with reading comprehension, or are you merely disingenuous?

The Bolsheviks were comprised of many nationalities. If we look at the first Central Committee, the members are Lenin was of mixed ancestry - Kalmyk/German/Russian/Jewish. Trotsky, Sokolnikov, and Zinoviev were Jews from Ukraine. Kamenev was half Russian/half Jewish. Stalin was Georgian. Bubnov, Rykov and Bukharin were Russian. Sverdlov was Jewish. Dzerzhinsky, was Polish. Smilga and Berzin were Latvians. Need I go on?

Jews were disproportionately represented in the Bolshevik (and even more in the Menshevik) Party. This is not surprising, given the discrimination they faced in Tsarist Russia. Yes, there were Russian Bolsheviks. And Ukrainian Bolsheviks. And Belarussian Bolsheviks. And Latvian Bolsheviks. And Lithuainian Bolsheviks. And Georgian Bolsheviks. Point being, not all Bolsheviks were Russian. History proves this. You can't deny it.

[instantgratification]

So Instant, how far do you have to go from the Kremlin before you find Russians? You should spend less time here and more time reading history books. Ever compare a picture of Nicholas II and George V? Where was the Tsarina Alexandra born? What was the language of the Russian court?

[M. Espinola]

The Putin promoting lap dogs keep lurking in here, but then again they are following orders from their beloved Kremlin.

Putin, EU leaders trade barbs at summit

'Make my day you little KGB punk! :)'

[spanalot]

A mix of garyspfc and jb6?

[M. Espinola]

I believe you are correct, it's those two infamous members of the lurking Russian Wives Club :)

"Vlad is our hero."

[expatguy]

The bear was not dead he was just hibernating.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

[autumnraine]

It’s so funny to look back in time.