Russian and non-Russian Slavs are facing discrimination and harassment in the United States over the war in Ukraine. Washington Post. Russian themed restaurants have faced harassment and even vandalism, sometimes even when the owners and employees are non-Russian Slavs, including Ukrainians. Russian Americans are also reporting that their children are being bullied in school. Many Americans do not distinguish the actions of the Russian government and the beliefs of Russians in America, many of whom do not support the invasion of Ukraine.
My Comment:
Fairly disgusting behavior and I blame the media and big tech companies for stirring up hatred against Russia without even the appearance of objectivity. They have demonized Putin and Russia to the point where anyone that even sounds like a Russian is getting attacked, even the Ukrainians the people are supposed to be supporting!
Obviously this is totally unacceptable. Attacking people for their beliefs is terrible. Attacking people because you think they believe something is even worse. Attacking someone who just looks like someone you might disagree with but is actually someone you are supposed to be protecting? Utter insanity.
There is quite a contrast here between what happened with ISIS and al-Qaeda and the greater Islamic world. When ISIS was cutting off peoples heads, crucifying people and launching major terror attacks the media couldn't help but to say #notallmuslims and shame anyone who blamed Islam as a whole, to the point where you couldn't criticize Islam at all.
I also have to say that the situation mirrors what happened to the Sikhs in the aftermath of various terror attacks. Sikhs are an Indian group that wears turbans, and that often gets them mistaken for Muslims, and lead to some harassments and even some violence. The same thing appears to now be happening to non-Russian eastern Europeans. I also don't trust the people hyperventilating on Twitter to know the difference between a Russian, a Ukrainian, or even Czech. If you have an Eastern European accent you could be at risk
I have to say that I give respect to the Washington Post for putting this article out there. I normally don't use them for a source since I don't consider them reliable source and they are basically the State Department's mouthpiece, but this kind of article needs to be amplified.
I do worry things will get worse before they get better. Not only do I think that the hysteria is increasing I think things will get even worse as Russia advances. Russia seems to be winning the war, which according to the media narrative, is impossible. A lot of people want Russia to be humiliated and Putin to be sent to the gallows and I don't think that is going to happen. They will likely win the war against Ukraine and when that happens the people whipped up into a frenzy will be furious. And I can see them taking it out on innocent people.
What disturbs me is that I think I could get people on board to not harass non-Russian Slavs. And many could be convinced to not harass Russians who disagree with the invasion. But what about people that do support Russia? Or what about people that don't care either way or are critical of Ukraine?
I worry about myself. Though I have been critical of Russia's invasion, I'm on record on hoping that they win since I think it's inevitable and ending the war quickly will lead to the fewest casualties. I'm also very critical of Ukraine's government, who I view as the moral equivalent of Russia's government, with the only difference being they didn't start a war of choice. Does that mean I'm going to be silenced, harassed or even killed? I just don't know anymore.
What I do know is that people are getting totally unhinged. People are calling for active war against Russia, which I shouldn't have to remind people is an extremely bad and suicidal idea. Do these people realize that they are risking a nuclear war? Or maybe they do realize it and just hate Russia so much that they think millions of people dying in a nuclear war is worth it.
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