Could Russia really be considered as a democratic state?

[paxmao]

the US democracy which now has literally a one party rule

Yeah, one party. I mean, look at US presidents over the last 30 years...

Clinton (Dem)
Bush (Rep)
Obama (Dem)
Trump (WTF Rep)
Biden (Dem)

I hate it when it's the same party that wins every time. Outrageous!

is it Tchaikovsky's fault that his works are removed from the repertoire of European orchestras?

Is this a widespread thing, or is it just that Cardiff orchestra? I know they decided to stop playing the 1812 Overture, but AFAIK that's more because it features Russians firing cannons, so might be considered to be in poor taste.

Absolutely. Just imagine if there are actually Ukrainian musicians there. No way they are going to celebrate anything that looks Russian nowadays and even in the future.

[af_newbie]

Is it logical?

No.

While I don't support harassing ordinary Russians, there is a huge difference between someone being oppressed and unable to elect their government, and someone who openly and deliberately supports Putin's fascist Z-regime, such as yourself. It's funny how Putinists adopted the "cancel culture" meme, which is really a snowflake's way of saying "why can't I make everyone shut up and not point out all the false shit I'm peddling".

I am not so selfish as to ask the West for any preferences for myself. But what the hell is Gagarin guilty of, that they are trying to erase him from history as the first man in space? Or is it Tchaikovsky's fault that his works are removed from the repertoire of European orchestras? Or what is the fault of the ethnic Germans from Kazakhstan, who emigrated a long time ago to Germany and are now being accused of being allegedly Russian? It really comes to such an absurdity.

Anyone who supports Putin's terrorist regime should be investigated to see if they provide material support to terrorists.

Supporting war crimes and ethnic cleansing is not exactly kosher in Germany, so they might get arrested.

German citizens can protest as long as they don't break any laws in Germany.  I am not sure if support for the Soviet Union or Communism is
allowed in Germany.  In the former Communist Eastern European countries, they would arrest your ass in a New York minute.

Does it make sense morally to support Russia's terrorist activities in Ukraine? Of course not.

[be.open]

is it Tchaikovsky's fault that his works are removed from the repertoire of European orchestras?

Is this a widespread thing, or is it just that Cardiff orchestra? I know they decided to stop playing the 1812 Overture, but AFAIK that's more because it features Russians firing cannons, so might be considered to be in poor taste.

Greece banned the broadcast of the Swan Lake ballet, and Sweden banned the performance of a local folk group in a concert in support of Ukraine, because the instruments include a balalaika. The books of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are not yet being burned in the squares, and that is nice.

Anyone who supports Putin's terrorist regime should be investigated to see if they provide material support to terrorists.

Supporting war crimes and ethnic cleansing is not exactly kosher in Germany, so they might get arrested.

German citizens can protest as long as they don't break any laws in Germany.  I am not sure if support for the Soviet Union or Communism is
allowed in Germany.  In the former Communist Eastern European countries, they would arrest your ass in a New York minute.

Does it make sense morally to support Russia's terrorist activities in Ukraine? Of course not.

In Latvia, I would also face up to five years in prison for openly supporting the operation in Ukraine. Convincing victory of democracy over freedom of speech, it's good that I'm not in Latvia.

[af_newbie]

Anyone who supports Putin's terrorist regime should be investigated to see if they provide material support to terrorists.

Supporting war crimes and ethnic cleansing is not exactly kosher in Germany, so they might get arrested.

German citizens can protest as long as they don't break any laws in Germany.  I am not sure if support for the Soviet Union or Communism is
allowed in Germany.  In the former Communist Eastern European countries, they would arrest your ass in a New York minute.

Does it make sense morally to support Russia's terrorist activities in Ukraine? Of course not.

In Latvia, I would also face up to five years in prison for openly supporting the operation in Ukraine. Convincing victory of democracy over freedom of speech, it's good that I'm not in Latvia.

Support of state terrorism is illegal in most civilized countries.

[Cnut237]

Greece banned the broadcast of the Swan Lake ballet, and Sweden banned the performance of a local folk group in a concert in support of Ukraine, because the instruments include a balalaika.

Okay, so let's add this up... one orchestra in Wales, one ballet in Greece, one folk group in Sweden... so three countries each have one single instance of banning something? Around 1.5% of countries in the world? And not even the whole country, it's not all of Sweden, it's one single folk group? You make a compelling case. 

The books of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are not yet being burned in the squares, and that is nice.

It's nice that this thing I've just imagined, which hasn't happened, which shows zero likelihood of happening, which no-one has suggested should happen... hasn't happened.
It's great that crocodiles can't fly isn't it? But I've thought of it now... so it's only a matter of time before that becomes reality, right?

[teosanru]

What happens when too much power is given to one individual? Autocracy slowly and gradually creeps in.
Power should belong to the people as it is the people that is being governed. It is the people who elects principal officials into sensitive positions that can affect either positively or negatively. And that is why power isn't held by an individual. Russia may be considered as running a democracy cause they hold elections in which the people appear to have a say in who governs them but the actions of the present government tends to say otherwise. Laws are being put in place to silence and tighten the grip the government has on the general populace. The news media is heavily censored and citizens cannot have accurate news but propaganda that the government spreads in order to deceive the people.
Too much power shouldn't be in one individuals hand cause most likely, there would be misuse of that power.
Power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely

Actually you must have heard that old saying that Opposition is the 4th pillar of democracy besides Parliament, Executive and Judiciary. If any of The 4 pillar is missing it can't really be called a democracy and this is really the situation of Russia right now, it has no genuine opposition in reality which is why Putin is continuing as a President for this long and this is why his powers are immense and he has no real threat to be overthrown.

[suchmoon]

The books of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are not yet being burned in the squares, and that is nice.

Just give it time and you'll see it out of your window. Or perhaps you'll be the one burning them.

Police officers from the Khamovniki police department in Moscow drew up a report on the “discrediting” of the Russian armed forces (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation) for a poster with a quote from the writer Leo Tolstoy
[...]
“Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, according to historical facts, is a historical figure representing the conditionally called “mirror of the revolution”, a well-known fact that the author’s works severely criticized the ruling regime,” the protocol says.

[af_newbie]

The books of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are not yet being burned in the squares, and that is nice.

Just give it time and you'll see it out of your window. Or perhaps you'll be the one burning them.
...

+1, LOL.

"Пaтpиoтизм в caмoм пpocтoм, яcнoм и нecoмнeннoм знaчeнии cвoeм ecть нe чтo инoe для пpaвитeлeй, кaк opyдиe для дocтижeния влacтoлюбивыx и кopыcтныx цeлeй, a для yпpaвляeмыx — oтpeчeниe oт чeлoвeчecкoгo дocтoинcтвa, paзyмa, coвecти и paбcкoe пoдчинeниe ceбя тeм, ктo вo влacти. Taк oн и пpoпoвeдyeтcя вeздe, гдe пpoпoвeдyeтcя пaтpиoтизм. Пaтpиoтизм ecть paбcтвo." - Лeв Toлcтoй, Xpиcтиaнcтвo и пaтpиoтизм

"Patriotism in its simplest, clearest and most undoubted meaning is nothing else for rulers, as a tool for achieving power-hungry and selfish goals, and for those who are ruled, it is a renunciation of human dignity, reason, conscience, and slavish submission of oneself to those who are in power. This is how it is preached wherever patriotism is preached. Patriotism is slavery." - Lev Tolstoy, Christianity and patriotism

BTW, pro-Putin zombies (including be.open) will be burning Tolstoy's books sooner rather than later.

[yhiaali3]

This saying is absolutely true: “Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts completely.” When power and strength are combined in the hands of one man, the state must turn into tyranny. This is what happened in Russia and many countries of the world. Russia is trying to appear to the world that it is a democracy, but that is  absolutely not true, Russia is a country based on totalitarian autocracy, and all they are trying to do is try to polish this image in front of world public opinion. Putin collects in his hands all the important powers and is the only statesman.

[paxmao]

The books of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are not yet being burned in the squares, and that is nice.

Just give it time and you'll see it out of your window. Or perhaps you'll be the one burning them.
...

+1, LOL.

"Пaтpиoтизм в caмoм пpocтoм, яcнoм и нecoмнeннoм знaчeнии cвoeм ecть нe чтo инoe для пpaвитeлeй, кaк opyдиe для дocтижeния влacтoлюбивыx и кopыcтныx цeлeй, a для yпpaвляeмыx — oтpeчeниe oт чeлoвeчecкoгo дocтoинcтвa, paзyмa, coвecти и paбcкoe пoдчинeниe ceбя тeм, ктo вo влacти. Taк oн и пpoпoвeдyeтcя вeздe, гдe пpoпoвeдyeтcя пaтpиoтизм. Пaтpиoтизм ecть paбcтвo." - Лeв Toлcтoй, Xpиcтиaнcтвo и пaтpиoтизм

"Patriotism in its simplest, clearest and most undoubted meaning is nothing else for rulers, as a tool for achieving power-hungry and selfish goals, and for those who are ruled, it is a renunciation of human dignity, reason, conscience, and slavish submission of oneself to those who are in power. This is how it is preached wherever patriotism is preached. Patriotism is slavery." - Lev Tolstoy, Christianity and patriotism

BTW, pro-Putin zombies (including be.open) will be burning Tolstoy's books sooner rather than later.

Then they would have to go for Dostoevsky afterwards. Crime and Punishment, the story of someone that convinces himself that killing and old lady to rob her is justified in the name of some superior goals and deeds. (Spoiler alert) It does not end well for Putin the criminal.

[tvbcof]

But what the hell is Gagarin guilty of, ...

Cheating on his wife.  That proved more risky to life and limb than getting on top of a 1961 Soviet rocket and blasting into space.

[paxmao]

But what the hell is Gagarin guilty of, ...

Cheating on his wife.  That proved more risky to life and limb than getting on top of a 1961 Soviet rocket and blasting into space.

And drinking. Like, a lot.

[libertasbella]

Russia is a terrorist country, run by a gang of criminals.

Its government resembles a mafia-style organization.

Every government is comprised of its country's dominant gang members.

[Nerdy doctor]

I don't think Russia is a democracy. And I didn't think I implied it was in my original post. A democratic government would not give real possible jail terms to its citizens for protesting on where it's army is and what it's doing there.
It's absurd really..

[tannersimmons78]

there can be no democracy under a totalitarian regime