In the Case of Pussy Riot, Everyone Is Wrong

In the Case of Pussy Riot, Everyone Is Wrong

 

All over the world, the heavy hand of the Russian justice system is being criticized for the martyrdom of three innocent angels, only practicing the freedom of speech that is guaranteed them by the Russian constitution. At least that is the line pushed by foreign governments and their lapdog medias. While there is a kernel of truth, there is much more to consider.

 

On the side of the Russian state, what should have been a minor incident, has been blown up into a daily circus. At the center of this, in all truth, is a simple case of criminal trespass and disturbing the peace. This should have been punished with a stiff fine and a few hundred hours of community service, picking up trash or feeding orphans. Instead, by pursuing very harsh criminal charges and treating these hooligans and glory hounds as desperate criminals, they have created martyrs out of petty criminals and glory hounds. In all truth, this is exactly what these girls wanted. A nothing band, known only to a few hundred or thousand, is now a world wide name, all thanks to their prosecution. Petty criminals are turned into glorified martyrs all over the world. In turn, this feeds into the anti-Russian line that the West loves to play upon. This time, however, they do not have to dig deep or spin reality in to the anti-Russian fantasies, this time their dinner comes on a silver platter, brought to them by the Justice Ministry.

 

The Church too is very much in the wrong. While they are right in their assessment of Pussy Riot, who pulled the stunt first and foremost for their own glorification and attention and with little care for those whose lives they disturbed or the rights of those they trampled on, the Church has acted absolutely unChristian. I say this as a true believer who wants the Church to lead society morally. However, one of the tenants of Christianity is forgiveness, something preached by Christ and by the Fathers of the Orthodox Church. Christ stated plainly that those without sin cast the first stone, but in a time when the Church is full of corrupt men driving expensive cars and wearing expensive jewelery, it is hardly sinless. The Church has burned through the sympathy it first garnered by trying to emulate the American Salem witch trials. It should have taken the higher moral ground, the high road. It should have publicly condemned the actions of these foolish girls, read them a lecture about their hate filled souls and forgiven them, even asking the State for leniency for these foolish sinners. Did not Christ say, in His last breath, upon the Cross "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do?" in reference to the Jews and Romans who had just murdered the Messiah?

 

On the side of the girls, Pussy Riot's trend of conducting impromptu "protest" concerts demonstrates not a defense of rights or freedom of speech, that is, not anyone's but Pussy Riot's. What it does demonstrate in this is a total contempt for the concept of other people's rights, to include the right to private property and freedom of worship. Least we forget, and it seems everyone in the Russian opposition either has or is to ignorant of our history to know, the tactics used by Pussy Riot are the exact same tactics employed by the Communists in the 1920s to intimidate and drive away believers from churches and other places of worship. Their tactic is loathsome at best and is criminal, in this case of disturbing the peace and gross criminal trespass.

 

While Pussy Riot has the right to love or hate President Putin all they want, and the right to protest him, they do not have that right, without express written permission, on private property. The Cathedral of Christ the Savior, is private property, owned by a private entity called the Russian Orthodox Church. While one may argue that it is open to the public, it is no more open than any store or other private venue. That is, they are open as long as you obey their rules and they have the riot to bar you and your impromptu to, unasked for, and unwanted "performance" at any time, as they are private property. The private organization has the right to evict you at any time. Try this in an American or German shopping center or church and watch how quickly you will be placed in handcuffs by the police.

 

Any group that does not understand or care for the rights of private property are not an opposition movement for freedom but one that would bring about their own tyranny, if given the chance. To idolize the likes of them, only demonstrates the low understanding of what freedom is and the responsibility it brings, both here in our Russia and abroad in the morally collapsing West.