During the slow to arrive spring in Petersburg, I had yet to experience spring rain. Or at least what I thought felt like spring rain and it arrived on April 20th ... on Hitler's birthday of all days!!! Woohoo!! Let's celebrate by getting funky with our best goose-stepping and erotic, World War II themed tributes to Eva Braun! I'll be your wenig cupcake if you'll be mine!! Let the party be-gin! Seriously though, my sarcasm is merely a segue to something more serious and one of the most profound reasons I don't like Saint Petersburg -- racism.
Although racist and neo-Nazi attacks have gone down in Petersburg in recent years, as with most of Russia, it is by no means a sign of new-found tolerance here. It's here, but almost eerily and contradictorily so. How could there be this growth of neo-Nazism and racial hatred in country where MILLIONS were killed fighting off the Nazis in World War II??? I've read about and researched the growing racist sentiment in Russia and still haven't grasped the answer to that. Perhaps I never will. But one assumption I can make is that in a country where there is weak political leadership and devoid of much of a civil society, millions of Russians look for something or someone to believe in since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the country's might.
For the majority, thankfully, that does not mean idolizing White supremacy. Racists groups are seen as menacing forces to be avoided ... and rightfully so. Yet, there are thousands of, as my grandparents might put it, wayward youths in Russia looking for something strong to believe in while also feeling threatened by the changing racial composition of Russian cities. Aryan pride and brotherhood is their way of finding strength and guidance when they are likely so socio-economically downtrodden. What other choices do they have? Who will stop them? What do they have to lose? Why are ethnic minorities taking advantage of a newly capitalized Russia while they aren't? These are the questions that play over in their minds and they decide to act out aggressively and threateningly to gain a foothold in society they once, or even never, had. Whastever the reasons, there are segments of Russia's population looking for something to believe in: some have chosen racism.
Whoa. All serious-like now. I should say that walking on the streets of Petersburg is probably as safe (or dangerous) as many cities in Europe and North America. If you have a dark or swarthy complexion in those places, you're most likely not going to be randomly attacked. And just like I wouldn't tell people it's not worth visiting New York or Paris, I wouldn't tell anyone to skip a trip to this city (Living in it is another story). But I would tell people to see as many parts of this city as they can before calling it wonderful. It's not all Nevsky. It's not all the Hermitage. It's not all the canals. It's actually less of those things. Love it or hate it, Petersburg is at least entertaining. Why simply cry when you can laugh at things like a crazy person???
Although racist and neo-Nazi attacks have gone down in Petersburg in recent years, as with most of Russia, it is by no means a sign of new-found tolerance here. It's here, but almost eerily and contradictorily so. How could there be this growth of neo-Nazism and racial hatred in country where MILLIONS were killed fighting off the Nazis in World War II??? I've read about and researched the growing racist sentiment in Russia and still haven't grasped the answer to that. Perhaps I never will. But one assumption I can make is that in a country where there is weak political leadership and devoid of much of a civil society, millions of Russians look for something or someone to believe in since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the country's might.
For the majority, thankfully, that does not mean idolizing White supremacy. Racists groups are seen as menacing forces to be avoided ... and rightfully so. Yet, there are thousands of, as my grandparents might put it, wayward youths in Russia looking for something strong to believe in while also feeling threatened by the changing racial composition of Russian cities. Aryan pride and brotherhood is their way of finding strength and guidance when they are likely so socio-economically downtrodden. What other choices do they have? Who will stop them? What do they have to lose? Why are ethnic minorities taking advantage of a newly capitalized Russia while they aren't? These are the questions that play over in their minds and they decide to act out aggressively and threateningly to gain a foothold in society they once, or even never, had. Whastever the reasons, there are segments of Russia's population looking for something to believe in: some have chosen racism.
Whoa. All serious-like now. I should say that walking on the streets of Petersburg is probably as safe (or dangerous) as many cities in Europe and North America. If you have a dark or swarthy complexion in those places, you're most likely not going to be randomly attacked. And just like I wouldn't tell people it's not worth visiting New York or Paris, I wouldn't tell anyone to skip a trip to this city (Living in it is another story). But I would tell people to see as many parts of this city as they can before calling it wonderful. It's not all Nevsky. It's not all the Hermitage. It's not all the canals. It's actually less of those things. Love it or hate it, Petersburg is at least entertaining. Why simply cry when you can laugh at things like a crazy person???
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| "Tol-er-aaannce is comin' straight to the ghet-tooo" ( For the melody, listen to this song by Snoop Dogg -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVkg5FM59NA) |
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