What Orthodox Jew would quibble with Putin’s restrictions on freedom of expression? What mainstream Jewish organization would not support criminalizing Holocaust denial?<\/p>\n
When free speech is good for the Jews, Jewish organizations push it. When it is bad for the Jews, Jewish organizations push censorship. <\/p>\n
Judaism is Jewish nationalism and a self-identifying Jewish nationalist should be easily able to understand other nationalists. What we find hard to understand is the pathological altruism of whites and Christian Zionists. <\/p>\n
Forward.com<\/a>: Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Monday making the denial of Nazi crimes and distortion of the Soviet Union\u2019s role in the World War Two a criminal offence punishable by up to five years in jail. What Orthodox Jew would quibble with Putin’s restrictions on freedom of expression? What mainstream Jewish organization would not support criminalizing Holocaust denial? When free speech is good for the Jews, Jewish organizations push it. When it is bad for the … Continue reading
\nThe law, described by critics as an attempt to curb freedom of expression to appease conservative Russians, the ex-KGB spy\u2019s main support base, also criminalises the public desecration of war memorials.
\nThe Kremlin has used World War Two as a pillar to unite a society that Putin has said lost its moral bearings following the 1991 Soviet collapse.
\nIt has become increasingly risky for Russians to dispute an official line that glorifies the wartime achievements of the Soviet leadership and plays down its errors.
\nThe new law would ban \u201cwittingly spreading false information about the activity of the USSR during the years of World War Two\u201d.
\nRussian officials and media have raised the spectre of Nazi Germany repeatedly during Moscow\u2019s confrontation with the West over Ukraine, calling the overthrow of a Russian-allied president in February a coup carried out in part by \u201cneo-Nazi\u201d forces.
\nIndependent channel Dozhd (TV Rain) was taken off the air earlier this year after asking viewers whether Leningrad, now St Petersburg, should have been given to German troops to save lives during its 872-day siege during World War Two.
\nViktor Shenderovich, a blogger critical of the authorities, came under fire from Kremlin supporters in February after comparing the Sochi Olympics to the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, used by Adolf Hitler to burnish the image of the Nazi Germany.
\nIn a comment posted when the legislation was first introduced, veteran TV host Vladimir Posner said he believed its aim was \u201cto shut the mouths of journalists, historians and writers\u201d.
\nHe said he feared it would \u201cpractically ban criticism of Stalin\u201d for \u201cgrave mistakes that led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of our soldiers\u201d.
\nIt was unclear whether the wording of the bill had been changed since its introduction and Posner could not immediately be reached for comment.
\nKremlin critics say Putin, in power since 2000, has used legislation, court cases and other levers to tighten control during his current term, which he won despite large opposition protests in 2011-2012. Putin denies the accusations.
\nSeparately on Monday, Putin signed a law imposing fines for the use of expletives on television, radio and in films shown in theatres. Music and movies containing foul language will have to have a warning on the label, state-run RIA news agency said.
\nPutin also signed a law imposing stricter rules on bloggers, which opponents say is aimed at suppressing criticism on the Internet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"