Get Them While They’re Young
How young can a child be before the state begins to incorporate them in political indoctrination programs? Well in Russia, it seems that age has dropped down to just seven. Everyone is well aware of the Nashi’s activities organized by the state, and the recruitment of teens and pre-teens from the regions to come into Moscow to worship the president, celebrate his birthday, or even throw rotten fruit at foreign diplomats. But the latest youth group demonstration organized in front of the Estonian Embassy drops to a new level. RFE/RL reports on a new group known as the Mishki (teddy bears), made up of thousands of Russian children aged 7 to 15. At this particular protest, there were about 20 of these children coloring a giant picture of the Bronze Soldier, in reference to the diplomatic fiasco between Estonia and Russia (which most people thought was over and done with months ago). The utter confusion among the “politically active” children was sadly transparent: