Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Putin's propaganda finds willing listeners
news-record.com/blogs ^ | April 10, 2014 | Doug Clark

Posted on 04/11/2014 12:39:54 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper

I remain amazed by the self-proclaimed conservatives who have become so enthralled by Vladimir Putin -- especially those who see the Russian president as a defender of traditional Christian and family values.

Pat Buchanan seems to be their leading spokesman:

"In the culture war for the future of mankind, Putin is planting Russia’s flag firmly on the side of traditional Christianity. His recent speeches carry echoes of John Paul II whose Evangelium Vitae in 1995 excoriated the West for its embrace of a 'culture of death.'

"What did Pope John Paul mean by moral crimes?

"The West’s capitulation to a sexual revolution of easy divorce, rampant promiscuity, pornography, homosexuality, feminism, abortion, same-sex marriage, euthanasia, assisted suicide — the displacement of Christian values by Hollywood values."

Much is made of the fact that an organization called the World Congress of Families chose Moscow as the site of its next annual conference.

But this WCF has close ties to Putin's regime, according to Accuracy in Media. In February, it published an article by Cliff Kincaid titled "Putin poses as defender of Christian civilization."

The key word being "poses."

Writing about Alexey Komov, a Russian representative for the WCF, Kincaid writes:

"Komov was pressed repeatedly on his backing of the Putin regime and its oppression of the Russian people. I personally presented him with a list of political prisoners being held in Russia and asked him to seek their release.

"Trying to turn the tables on the questioners, he brought up such topics as:

"Racism in America

"Treatment of the American Indians

"Giving California to Mexico and Alaska back to Russia

"The alleged murders of witnesses to the JFK assassination

"The U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan

“'Political prisoners' in the U.S., such as the terrorists at Guantanamo Bay

“'Who did 9/11?'”

This "Alaska back to Russia" topic ought to worry Sarah Palin, among others, given recent Russian advances into Ukraine.

On the other hand, who knows? Maybe Alaskans will welcome the Russians. Maybe they'll demand the Russians. Putin is more their kind of guy than the president they have now, right?

Or maybe they'll see through this malarkey.

Russians have long practice in mind manipulation and image control. While the tales of Potemkin villages in the Crimea during the reign of Catherine the Great may be apocryphal, the desire to deceive has always been very real.

In the early Soviet era, countless Western visitors were overly impressed by what they saw as the construction of a workers' paradise. In turn, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Andropov, Gorbachev, Yeltsin and finally Putin all appeared to progressives as friendly to Western values -- until it turned out they weren't so much.

There's really just one reason so many American conservatives have begun to cheer for Putin.

It's not because he's even demonstrated any actual Christian devotion or family fidelity -- he's just divorced a wife after a long estrangement, during which time he's been linked to other women, and his children are never seen with him.

No, it's simply because he's promoted anti-gay measures.

Yet, now that he's initiating aggressive actions against neighboring countries, and showing no sign that he'll be satisfied with annexing only a small slice of Ukraine, he's clearly trying to weaken American opposition.

What better way to do that than to win over some Americans to the notion that he's fighting to reclaim territory for Christian Russia from the decadent and godless West?

And some Americans already seem to believe it.

Maybe it's no surprise, though, because Russians have always found their полезные дураки.


TOPICS: Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: ukraine
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last
полезные дураки
1 posted on 04/11/2014 12:39:54 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

“I remain amazed by the self-proclaimed conservatives who have become so enthralled by Vladimir Putin — especially those who see the Russian president as a defender of traditional Christian and family values.”

You are not alone.


2 posted on 04/11/2014 12:47:43 AM PDT by Grzegorz 246
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grzegorz 246

Useful idiots one and all. Liberals love to give the whole “fascism wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross” line to smear conservatives, which is completely untrue since American patriots and Christians are pro-freedom and liberty. But Putin IS exactly what that line is talking about, a tyrant that uses jingoism and state worshiping pseudo-religion to tyrannize people domestically and abroad. Yeah, a KGB spook is the guardian of Christianity. Ahmadinejad is a better Christian than Putin, because he atleast believes in God and because the Iranian state murdered alot less Christians than the KGB.

Anyone who craves a leader like Putin is basically wishing to be ruled over by Saddam Hussein. You cannot be a patriot and support this KGB ghoul.


3 posted on 04/11/2014 1:23:33 AM PDT by BurningOak (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2830849/reply?c=1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: BurningOak

Traditional Americans have more in common with the traditional Orthodox Christian people of Russia than the Mexican, Chinese, and Indian immigrants moving in and voting for communism. Russians have a leader that loves his country and looks out for their best interests, such as having a flat tax and no requirement for most people to file a book thick pile of tax forms on April 15th. I’m having a hard time getting lathered up anymore about people that are genetically and culturally not too different than me. The reason they are are a competitor is that they are actually competitive.


4 posted on 04/11/2014 2:06:50 AM PDT by Reeses
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

You have to have an extremely disreputable American president to suggest any appearance of respectability in Putin.


5 posted on 04/11/2014 2:11:58 AM PDT by clearcarbon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Reeses

“culturally not too different than me.”

You mean Russians... ?


6 posted on 04/11/2014 2:16:58 AM PDT by Grzegorz 246
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Reeses

That’s like siding with Mussolini over the Ethiopians that he was gassing.


7 posted on 04/11/2014 2:22:12 AM PDT by Corporate Democrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Reeses
culturally not too different than me

Have you ever dealt with Russians in a professional or personal capacity? I think not.
8 posted on 04/11/2014 2:33:54 AM PDT by Chad_the_Impaler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Grzegorz 246
You mean Russians... ?

Yes, we're both Caucasians from Caucasia, the most powerful race to ever walk the face of Earth. We took care of the Neanderthals. You're welcome.

9 posted on 04/11/2014 2:38:21 AM PDT by Reeses
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Reeses

If you think that Russia is a free nation you are sadly mistaken. A Russian needs to give 12 bribes to open a car garage. Bureaucracy and corruption are everywhere. On top of it Russia is a tyranny with no civil liberties. Try owning an assault rifle or having an anti-government demonstration in that country.

As for the Russian Orthodox Church, the people may be OK but the organization is utterly corrupt and basically serves to convince people that Putin should stay in power. It is an arm of the Kremlin government. I missed the part where the Russian Patriarch condemned Putin for aggressive war or for establishing a dictatorship.


10 posted on 04/11/2014 2:38:37 AM PDT by BurningOak (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2830849/reply?c=1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Chad_the_Impaler
Have you ever dealt with Russians in a professional or personal capacity?

I work with people born all over the world including Russia. While I may have just sampled the people that successfully escaped communism, some Russian and Ukrainian women are beautiful and smart and have wonderful attitudes. However they wouldn't be my first choice to get into a fight with.

11 posted on 04/11/2014 2:46:53 AM PDT by Reeses
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: BurningOak
establishing a dictatorship

They used to be called kingdoms. What was nice if you hated the king you only needed to move once. If you liked the king you were set for life.

12 posted on 04/11/2014 2:51:07 AM PDT by Reeses
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Reeses

The Russians once knew how to deal with a king too big for his breeches. As did the Americans.


13 posted on 04/11/2014 2:56:00 AM PDT by BurningOak (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2830849/reply?c=1)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Reeses
LOL ! Russians are Asiatic, they have much more in common with China and all these -stans than with western culture (the real one, not the homo/global warming/tree hugging nonsense). Just look at politics, 85% of people over there support a guy, who has been in charge since 15 years (and very likely will stay until he reaches room temperature) and his party, United Russia, has been holding majority of places in the Parliament. At the same time government over there is shutting down few remaining independent news entities and people there enjoy that...

Can you imagine the same in the north with “United Canada” in charge ? Of course not because pluralism and individualism are the core western values. Russia is and has always been totalitarian and collectivistic.

Orthodox Christian thing is mainly about national identity, not much to do with real religion.

14 posted on 04/11/2014 3:09:28 AM PDT by Grzegorz 246
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

If he was muslim, everyone would say he’s a radical Islamist and must be stopped.


15 posted on 04/11/2014 3:11:09 AM PDT by ari-freedom (Obama is the biggest joke. But I can't laugh.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grzegorz 246
Russians are Asiatic, they have much more in common with China

Yes, you can see it slightly in her eyes.</s>


16 posted on 04/11/2014 3:19:50 AM PDT by Reeses
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper
The type of conservatives who support Putin are the type that latch onto one issue and believe his support for it makes him a conservative. It's like the loons in the Westboro Baptist Church are now posting on FReeRepublic that Putin's their man. It's as if those who were against abortion were to support Ceaușescu's government because he allowed none. So these simple-minded "conservatives" buy into the "at least Putin is a Christian" nonsense despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.
17 posted on 04/11/2014 3:35:51 AM PDT by elhombrelibre (Against Obama. Against Putin. Pro-freedom. Pro-US Constitution.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Berlin_Freeper

It’s easy for a fascist leader to take upper the banner of “Defender of the Faith” when it’s been left unattended, laying on the ground.


18 posted on 04/11/2014 3:47:23 AM PDT by SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Grzegorz 246
Orthodox Christian thing is mainly about national identity, not about real religion

I see them more as being devoutly religious AND maintaining cultural traditions through church associations. I was brought up by a Russian Orthodox mother, and as a child much preferred Russian Orthodox services and cultural/social events.

19 posted on 04/11/2014 4:00:09 AM PDT by grania
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: grania
Orthodox liturgy, architecture etc. are impressive but...

“I see them more as being devoutly religious AND maintaining cultural traditions through church associations.”

...who are “them” ? Majority of Russians are non-religious, abortion, porn, prostitution, plenty of that over there. Russia is populated by many ethnic groups, being Russian Orthodox (which often has little to do with practicing actual religion) largely means being... Russian, while ethnic non-Russians living there are usually Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Buddhists etc. Their approach to Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) has much more to do with it being Russian than Church. It plays a similar role as Catholic/Protestant identity in Northern Ireland.

20 posted on 04/11/2014 4:29:25 AM PDT by Grzegorz 246
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-24 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson