illumineerima

I’ve received a question in response to my emails to friends and family about the riots, and I’ve decided to answer it here: No, I am not making plans to return to the U.S. Things would have to get much, much worse for me to consider that.

Which is not to say I’m happy about the current situation. There are two issues (for me) that have been brought to the fore.

One: Americans don’t give a damn. Their media coverage of the situation is pathetic. After I sent out emails saying the riots where over, I received responses from people saying they were relieved everything had settled down. Just because the riots are over doesn’t mean things have settled down, people. Things have just been taken to a different level, with the government of one country trying to interfere in the operations of another government. As someone with an MA in Eastern European History and a European mother, perhaps I’m more sensitive to the world stage, but I cannot comprehend why people don’t make an effort to keep themselves informed.
Two: Russia hasn’t changed. And maybe it won’t ever change. Maybe it can’t change. The various political systems it has tried out are stymied by an underlying stream of cruelty (whether aimed at its own people or the peoples of other nations).

I suppose there’s a third issue, too: That there isn’t much I can do about it.