For the emotional retards who are told to hate all people and things Russian when they had no issue with "flexibility" or the invasion of Georgia or the previous partial invasion of Ukraine:
Russian restaurants in the U.S. have had windows smashed in and received bomb threats—when their owners have not only condemned the war but aren't even from Russia. Buildings with Russian cultural ties have been defaced. Much of the world is severing academic and professional ties with Russians, employing a nationality-based litmus test to punish people for a war they did not start and may not support.
The world of classical music took another embarrassing turn in that narrow-minded direction last week when a 20-year-old Russian pianist lost a string of engagements across Canada, with both the Vancouver Recital Society and the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) saying it would be inappropriate to host a Russian artist at this time or in the near future. "Considering the serious impact on the civilian population of Ukraine caused by the Russian invasion," the OSM wrote in a statement, it "must announce the withdrawal of pianist Alexander Malofeev."
There are several immediate problems with that approach, but the most glaring: Malofeev condemned the war in Ukraine—not an easy task for someone who lives in the heart of a murderous authoritarian regime where dissidents are sometimes imprisoned, poisoned, or killed. It should be difficult to sell repackaged racial and ethnic discrimination as a brave stance against oppression, but, somehow, people are buying it.
That this is what's happening is not really up for debate. For its part, the Vancouver Recital Society originally nixed Malofeev under the guise that he hadn't spoken out forcefully enough against the war. Then he did. But while the organization said they "appreciate his words"—words that can come with quite the high cost—they stood by their decision. The society notes that it will stand in solidarity with Ukraine, apparently by ostracizing and alienating all Russians, making them global pariahs, and thus driving them further into the arms of President Vladimir Putin. ...
"I still believe Russian culture and music specifically should not be tarnished by the ongoing tragedy, though it is impossible to stay aside now. Honestly, the only thing I can do now is to pray and cry," Malofeev said in a Facebook post last week. "It would seem that there are obvious conclusions: no problem can be solved by war, people cannot be judged by their nationality."
Choosing to travel the latter road that Malofeev describes—one where someone is deemed complicit because of their birthplace and heritage—is bigotry masquerading as bravery. Courage is rebuking a dictatorial regime in spite of your nationality. Terminating someone because of their nationality? That's nothing short of cowardice.
Cowardice is what Canada does best.
One day, Canada will be judged on what it has done to its own people and to those like Malofeev.
It will have nowhere to hide, even as it sputters weak defenses of its horrid actions.
**
Yuri Gagarin, the first person to journey to outer space, has had his name removed from a fundraising event amid Russia's aggression towards Ukraine.
Futurism first reported the story.
The US-based nonprofit Space Foundation announced on its website in a now-deleted note: "In light of current world events, the 2022 Space Foundation Yuri's Night is renamed 'A Celebration of Space: Discover What's Next.'"
It added: "The focus of this fundraising event remains the same – to celebrate human achievements in space while inspiring the next generation to reach for the stars."
The Space Foundation did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside of normal working hours.
The fundraiser will celebrate the wonders of space and the 10th anniversary of the organization at the Space Foundation Discovery Center. The event will include "astronaut meet and greets, a drone obstacle course, a silent auction, and more."
As a Soviet cosmonaut, Gagarin traveled to space on April 12, 1961. He orbited Earth once in 108 minutes and landed back in the Soviet Union.
Following his space journey, he was awarded the Order of Lenin and given the titles of Hero of the Soviet Union and Pilot Cosmonaut of the Soviet Union.
The move to change the name of the fundraiser comes amid a series of sweeping global sanctions recently imposed against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Many brands have pulled their business from Russia and Western countries have removed Russia-manufactured or branded products from stores.
Because that's helpful.
Were we always at war with Eastasia?
Does anyone really think that erasing history will change or stop the morally repellent things that Putin has ordered his troops to do in a country no one really cared about before (Walter Duranty, anyone?)?
How interesting that no one felt that way before.
I guess a distraction is needed from a pandemic that petered out and convoy crushed by a dictatorial government.
I wonder how everyone will feel when China attempts an invasion of Taiwan.
How much will Europe help?
How quickly will Canadians wave the Chinese flag in support of that bloodbath?
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