The wonderful Andy Young at Siberian Light does something that nobody else can really do – sail a straight line right across the vast and often bitter ideological divide in the blogosphere (do we still use that word?). Over the years he has accumulated quite a few interviews with key Russia bloggers, whether you love them or hate them. He even did one with La Russophobe, whose ideas must have seemed outrageous enough for the audience that Andy was prompted to write an explanation note.
To keep some level of karmic balance to the universe, today SL has posted a new interview with the young Anatoly Karlin, who blogs under the title Sublime Oblivion. Karlin is a proudly self-described Russophile (a title which I think shouldn’t necessarily also mean Putin supporter), whose perspectives often conflict sharply with what we write over here, but that doesn’t mean that it is boring to read. Sometimes it’s fun to get wrapped up into the tiny world of fierce politics and deep grudges of the online conversation about Russia … there must be like only 20-30 people who actually pay this close attention to these exchanges.
Anyways, over to Andy & Anatoly. Drop them your thoughts, criticism, congratulations, scorn, etc. With such controversial subject matter, I am wondering when the comments section will heat up.
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8 Comments
Your comments about La Russophobe are offensive. We demand an apology. We think it hardly serves your client’s interests to alienate his potential allies.Your use the word “even” as if our blog were some sort of obscure and extreme footnote where Russia is concerned is bizarre. Nothing could be further from the truth. Compared to us, Mr. Karlin’s blog for instance literally does not even exist.We’ve been cited by the New York Review of Books, the Associated Press, the Moscow Times and a wide array of other mainstream sources. We’ve been noticed by major blogging institutions like Little Green Footballs and Pajamas Media and the American Thinker. We’ve published a wealth of orginal translations from Russian and, as you well know, have been linked to by this very blog on more than one occasion. Our editorial line is highly influential in shaping the West’s attitude towards Putin’s Russia. Indeed, you would be hard-pressed to name any Russia blog that is more influential.We’re one of the most heavily trafficked Russia blogs in the world, the first ever to post 1,000,000 visits on a public counter, and we have published far more comments than any other Russia politcs blog on the face of the earth (at least ten times more than appear on this blog or Andy’s, for instance).What’s more, you fail to mention that Siberian Light is a features blog with virtually no substantive content regarding Russian politics. Andy is a coward who never takes a stand on anything, not a moderate who sees both sides. Most of his content is pablum and drivel, so it’s hardly impressive that he “sails a straight line.” What does Andy have to say about Estimirova or Markelov? Nobody knows, and moreover (as you imply) nobody really cares, nor should they. There is virtually no substantive discussion of really important political issues in the comments section of Andy’s blog and there never will be.Anyone who persuses the psychotic ramblings of Mr. Karlin on the Streetwise Professor blog knows only too well what an utter waste of time interviewing this wacko was. There are many other bloggers of far greater significance who might have been interviewed, but perhaps they can’t be bothered.
OK, I apologize. But I think you are misreading my tone. I didn’t think it would be right to link to the Karlin interview without also linking to yours, to show the wide contrast. When I write “even” and “outrageous” it is with clear irony … I somehow have the feeling that Andy Young won’t be to bullied into publishing an apology/explanation note for having to interview Karlin.Sure, I strongly disagree with lots of stuff published on Sublime Oblivion. There are academic rationalizations of murder published there. But I am not afraid of the ideas.
I appreciate your understanding that political differences, even substantial ones, do not call for impoliteness or personal attacks. This puts RA on an entirely higher plane than the LR collective.Yet speaking of whom, I am truly befuddled by your quiet acquiescence to “her” uncontained ego and blackmail. You know, there’s a reason that “Andy Young won’t be bullied into publishing an apology / explanation note” for interviewing me, and it’s not because I’m a Russophile. To the contrary, the reason he had to give an explanation regarding LR is embedded within these very comments.It is even more disappointing that you are bullied by “her” threats of “alienating” “her” (from the comments at her site, it seems her core supporters are all from the lunatic fringe), into making incendiary statements that I publish “academic rationalizations of murder”. If taking a balanced look at Stalin fits the bill, including noting and attempting to explain his continuing popularity amongst ordinary Russians, constitutes “rationalizing murder”, so be it (after all, rationalizing is understanding, and understanding is forgiveness). I won’t even complain.To the contrary, and using the same style of logic as above: LR has in at least one (I recall more) “editorial” argued that Russians would have been far better of under Nazi rule, than under Stalinism, because the latter supposedly killed far more of them (which is not true). This shows not only a profound historical ignorance (i.e. of Nazi plans to exterminate or enslave all of Slavdom), but in “her” refusal to acknowledge these plans when pointed out to “her”, “she” also implicitly acknowledges that “she” really would have preferred a Nazi victory over the USSR. This is especially pertinent to today, because of “her” quite clear association of Russia’s current political system with Stalinism – so are we to believe that (to take a nonsensical hypothetical) should the US descend into Nazism (exterminating its Jews, blacks, etc) and invade Russia for Anglo-Saxon Lebensraum, “she” would support the US? The evidence suggests that “she” indeed would. (Actually some commentators at LR’s site have explicitly called for Russian genocide without any consequences or even being reproached, whereas in stark contrast any “Russophiles” who set foot into that slimy pit are set upon by a pack of rabid dogs.)So forgive me for thinking that “promotion of genocide” trumps “rationalization of murder”. Understand why I think, James, that your reply to LR is either hypocritical or cowardly (if the latter, quite strange for Khodorkovsky’s attorneys – I don’t support your cause, but I’d have imagined they have backbone). And let me conclude that some “friends” are worse than any enemy.
There is nothing hypocritical or cowardly about my comment. Nor do I recall ever writing that I agree with some argument for genocide.I read La Russophobe frequently, as well as Seans, Streetwise, and many many others. There is valuable information on all these sites. That doesn’t mean I agree with everything published there.One doesn’t get into blogging about Russia with any hope of pleasing an audience. There always going to be readers and commenters who want us to think what they think, write what they write, and do what they do. When that doesn’t happen, the personal attacks ensue. This is the nature of the polarized debate on Russia – so much intolerance of different views.Besides, aren’t we sick of this old discussion yet? I feel like we’ve all done this a 100 times. Yawn.Haven’
I perceived it as hypocritical on the basis that you asserted I post “rationalizations of murder”, without pursuing a similar deconstruction of LR; instead, you apologized to “her” for “her” own egomania and/or lack of reading comprehension.Speaking of intolerance, LR sets the bar for that. “Her” online actions towards those she disagrees with differ little from the purported Kremlin “brigadniki” that you would claim to condemn. Another example of double standards.I have no wish to indulge in such discussions either, but I cannot let a calumny on me in the public domain go unanswered. That is the sole reason I am commenting on this post.
Important: Regarding An Apology for Interviewing Anatoly KarlinSeriously. What was I thinking? So foolish of me. Allowing diverse viewpoints. Never again!!Sorry Kim
Gratefully accepted James, you are a true gentleman.
I just came here through a link on Sean’s blog. The LR comment is truly hilarious.
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