Condeming Russia (or is it Putin) if you are a Russian

 Hi All,

I thought that was clickbait, until it appeared on several news channels and this is the story that Strickly Come Dancing ( a popular and long running Dance show from the BBC) stars have apparently told the two Russian professional dances that they should condemn Russia or 'never come back'.  I have no way of verifying if this kind of attitude is being melted out to other Russians (who aren't Putin supporting  Oligrachs) or not. But it does raise a few interesting points. 

1). It is not as simple as condeming Russian actions and policy -if that is what a person really feels - because Russians take a dim view of freedom of speech .And that is not just about saying stuff from the safety of an armchair or a study in the UK. Russia doesn't just target individuals, they tend to go for wider family which can become a fair target in the eyes of the Russian state. Your condenmation in London, can become a gulag for your brother or sister.

2). If  there is a divide between the west and Russia it must be that we cherish freedom of speech and ergo the freedom to hold a different, however, non-palitable viewpoint it is or appears to be. It is anyone's right to stay silent and not go on social media as a sort of arm chair warrior. 

3).  There is a difference between the actions of a state and its leadership, and becoming hysterical- and sometimes it seems there is a mass hysteria against anything Russian at present-  against a people or persons of a nation. Russians who are protesting against their own government are paying a heavy price, more so that than the western "warriors" on social media, to whom it costs nothing and certainly won't be sent to a gulag.

Having said that I do -of course- find the actions of the Russian leadership and state terrible, but we have to be careful about confusion between the leadership and supporting elite of a country and not try to target individuals because they have a particular ethnic identity.