I do agree with this author that it is particularly surprising how un-surprised everyone is that such as astoundingly large portion of the Russian population voted to forgive “Uncle Joe” Stalin and elect him as country’s most popular historical figure. (read more on the subject here.)

What would we think if Germans voted Adolf Hitler one of the most popular leaders in its history? We might wonder about its implications; a German move to the extreme Right, and the failure of all the educational efforts made since the end of World War II to educate the current generation about Germany’s dismal past. We would despair over what it might mean for minorities in Germany, especially the many new Jewish residents from the former Soviet Union who migrated to Germany in hopes of starting a new life.