We’re hardly approaching peak jingoism but
last week’s downing of a Malaysia Air flight over Ukraine has
brought out the inner nationalist in some people, with Russia
reprising its Soviet-era role of the anti-America enemy. The
Russian government’s transparent attempts to shield pro-Russia
separatists from responsibility even as the evidence overwhelmingly
pointed to pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine as the missile
launchers certainly helped play into the idea that the Russian
government was going retro. We
may be living in Mitt Romney’s America after all.
Nevertheless, as you may know, Russia is a country full of
people. Though its government is elected the people don’t agree
with everything their government does, just like people the world
over don’t. The Russian government, like any government, is
an organization, one that’s separate from Russian culture and
society even if it tries to claim dominion over both. It’s
important to remember things like that when the political class in
Russia and the U.S. both see demonizing the other’s country as a
useful way to gain support at home. That way, things like
this don’t happen,
via TMZ:
David Duchovny says his beer commercial musing about living
his life as a Russian does NYET mean he supports Russian politics
— especially the invasion of the Ukraine.Duchovny’s statement to TMZ comes in the middle of a flurry of
criticism over his commercial for a Russian Siberian beer —
Siberian Crown. Duchovny wonders in the spot what his life would be
like if he was Russian … fantasizing about being a cosmonaut, a
ballerina, and other Russian stuff.The actor tells TMZ, “I am proud of my Russian, Ukrainian,
Scottish and Polish heritage as I am proud of my American
heritage.”Duchovny goes on, “But being proud of one’s ancestry is not a
political statement on any current government or public
policies.”
No shit. Love your country, hate your government, an old
American (and Russian) tradition.
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