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alex glanz's avatar

Thank you for your beautiful essay. The tandem power of memory and propaganda has certainly served the patriotic Russians of the Great War and those that stood in the cold, long bread lines of the 80's and 90's. But what of the Russians that have only known the autocratic reign of Vladimir Putin? Many have experienced unknown freedoms and benefits of Russia's growing economy. They have websites, Twitter accounts, and access to all Western amenities. In their lifetimes, they may never have experienced the treachery of the war-loving NATO countries. Propaganda often deletes ugliness, regardless of political beliefs. Music and film add another layer of protection. Mr. Putin, however, must experience their lies, their threats and their treachery on a daily basis. He must research all actions and prepare his country's defenses as best he can. I have good Canadian/Ukranian friends, and a brilliant young Russian in my family. We never believed that Russia would cross the Donbass border. The missiles, the troop build-up and the years of carnage pushed the SMO into a protective action. Mr. Lavrov attempted to persuade Kiev to abide by the Minsk Accords. NATO pushed Mr. Zelensky into his full-scale battle, and we have to bear the horror. Please trust that the majority of Americans stand with humanity, and beg to stop this war. However, politicians often are blind and unduly selfish. Hopefully, hands across the oceans will prove stronger. Thank you again for your excellent contribution.

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Kathy's avatar

I don’t know about Russian propaganda, but I know the U.S. propaganda has worked phenomenally well. There is not a single person I know, including my family, that thinks like I do, that we should try for a cease-fire and negotiations in the conflict. People get angry if I say it. Putin can’t be allowed to get away with anything, he will just be emboldened to try and take over more territory. He wants to reconstitute the USSR. He can’t be negotiated with because he is a liar. He will break any agreements he makes. I say Russia is not Putin, that there are 150 million people in Russia. I say I want the killing and destruction to stop as soon as possible. The response to this: why do I support Putin, why do I like him? I give up.

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