Stalin voted third most popular Russian

Reuters ^

[The_Reader_David]

I'm reminded of the Niven-Pournelle sci-fi novel (I don't recall whether it was The Mote in God's Eye or the sequel The Gripping Hand) in which mankind has voyaged to the stars, and organized a galactic empire deliberately modeled on the Roman Empire, and the captain of the the starship Lenin, who hails from a planet colonized by Russians, has his bridge festooned with icons.

Only a theology student notice the irony.

[preacher]

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.

[Brad from Tennessee]

The Rossiya State Television Channel—about the same level of accuracy and integrity as the New York Times or Baghdad Bob.
“It drew more than 50 million votes in a nation of 143 million.” Sure it did.

[BallyBill]

Those who forget history...

[Blood of Tyrants]

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.

[relictele]

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.

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.

[Mr. Mojo]

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.

[JCG]

Of all people, how could they have forgotten Mikhail Kalashnikov?

----

Send treats to the troops...
Great because you did it!
www.AnySoldier.com

[rmlew]

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.

[TopQuark]

Russians are schizophrenic as a nation. Seriously, they’re nuts

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.

[When do we get liberated?]

Didnt know that, where was he from?

[elcid1970]

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.

[When do we get liberated?]

if your country lost 27 million peope in an invasion, one that was only the latest of many, you would treasure security

[Kozak]

Uhh, Stalin wasn’t Russian.

But apparently the Russians want to adopt him as one of their own.

[buccaneer81]

Hitler was Austrian.

[buccaneer81]

Stalin was from Georgia.

[DBrow]

“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

[Uncle Miltie]

[Uncle Miltie]

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Irony of ironies (in light of recent events), Stalin was a Georgian