Kostia’s not planning to go to the Russian embassy in Stockholm to vote this weekend. Nor is anyone else I know planning to vote. Not because they’re all apathetic, not even because the outcome of the election is already decided. Since the choices are a racist, a communist, Son of Putin and a fake-opposition puppet of Putin, “none of the above” is no longer an option, and write-ins were never an option, there is simply no way for a thinking person to express him/herself in this election.
(All you Nader-haters, take note. Never forget that democracy is first and foremost about having choices.)
6 comments
29 February 2008 at 3:21 pm
Vadik
Today I’ve heard a “funny” story from colleague. His daughter studies vocal in musical school. She was told to go to the voting point this sunday to sing with other girls there. Everybody from this musical school have to take part. Otherwise they could face some problems with school administration.
1 March 2008 at 2:36 am
Global Voices Online » Russia: Election Roundup
[...] Mark MacKinnon writes on the 72 percent “target” for Medvedev; Megan Case writes about the reasons NOT to vote; Robert Amsterdam writes about betting on the Russian election, writer Victor Erofeyev's [...]
1 March 2008 at 8:07 am
don
Thank you for putting me on your side bar. BTW I drove an old corvair across Montana in the middle of winter once. They are safe at resonable speeds. :)
1 March 2008 at 11:02 am
megancase
Vadik, stories like that are the worst part of this “managed democracy” scam. It’s not enough to dominate the media, they have to force schoolkids (and teachers and doctors, from what I’ve heard) to pretend to support this ridiculous system. I really hope your colleague and his daughter refused to participate, but I suspect that, as usual, practicality won over principle.
Don, you’ve been reading and commenting here for a long time; I like your writing; your inclusion in my blogroll is long overdue.
3 March 2008 at 11:02 am
Vadik
Yes, Megan, they didn’t refuse to take part. Girl studies succesfully for several years so parents are afraid to row against the current
3 March 2008 at 12:02 pm
megancase
That’s terrible. If people aren’t even brave enough to say, “No, I won’t force my child to sing in your stupid concert”, then nothing will ever change in Russia.