Russian Education Official Urges Teachers to Assist in Cataloging Students at Opposition Protests
25 replies, posted
[URL="https://themoscowtimes.com/news/schools-should-photograph-opposition-students-says-education-memo-59446"]Source[/URL] / [URL="https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/moscow-times/"]Media Bias/Fact Check[/URL]
[QUOTE]A regional branch of the Education Ministry has issued a memo instructing schools to photograph students involved in opposition demonstrations.
[...]
Teachers were urged to take "gigapixel" quality pictures of demonstrators and post them to an anti-opposition website, where demonstrators are outed by matching their pictures to their Vkontakte sites.[/QUOTE]
Very short article, but that is the best I could find in English. [URL="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1684288698309465&set=a.263834593688223.61656.100001850536043&type=3&theater"]The memo in question.[/URL]
But wait, it gets better:
[URL="http://jesuismaidan.com/"]The Je Suis Maidan website, referenced in the memo[/URL]
The site's staff uses publicly availabe press photos of protests, then using the [URL="https://findface.ru/"]FindFace[/URL] app's algorithm, they identify the persons on those photos and link their Vk profiles (which also serves as the basis of the identification).
It's not known who operates the site.
The app is developed by NtechLab, and it uses their own, face-recognition algorithm (70-99% accuracy with a minimum of 40px distance between the eyes). Oh, and it's only $8 a month to hide your identity from searches...
One can only hope one day Russia finally gets a good government, and these bastards are punished.
How close has Russia become now to being just as bad as the USSR? I don't know enough about it, but it seems like a pretty strong revival of Soviet dictatorship.
[QUOTE=Jon27;52852979]How close has Russia become now to being just as bad as the USSR? I don't know enough about it, but it seems like a pretty strong revival of Soviet dictatorship.[/QUOTE]
It never really ended.
[QUOTE=BlackMageMari;52852597]One can only hope one day Russia finally gets a good government, and these bastards are punished.[/QUOTE]
I honestly doubt it, every time it looks like they're going to graduate from a terribly oppressive form of government it just gets worse while trying to pretend to be better. The Soviet Union was a Dictatorship masquerading as a Communist Republic, and now the Russian Federation is a Dictatorship masquerading as a Federalist Republic. Even when Putin dies (god-willing) he's likely to have a successor waiting in the wings to keep the line going.
Because since the creation of Tsardom, Russia had a hard time getting to the western system. The law system under Tsar was horrid, it wasn't based on lawfulness even. You could get arrested and sent to Siberia and it didn't matter, if you were guilty or not. So throughout these ages Russians developed a thought that a strong and firm hand is needed to leas a country. The only time I can think of more successful democratic system were the times of Provisional Government and the period after the breakup of USSR.
So basically history of having authoritarian and totalitarian leaders made them believe that it is an acceptable standard and decisions such as mentioned in this thread are acceptable by the community.
[QUOTE=Mifil;52853065] The only time I can think of more successful democratic system were the times of Provisional Government and the period after the breakup of USSR.
[/QUOTE]
I am sorry, but you lost all credibility in your knowledge about Russian history with that bit.
The period after USSR breakup was the worst time for Russia in modern history. Basically, a bandit kingdom under the guise of "Fuck yeah, democracy!". And it continued long to the 00's.
[QUOTE=Mifil;52853065]Because since the creation of Tsardom, Russia had a hard time getting to the western system. The law system under Tsar was horrid, it wasn't based on lawfulness even. You could get arrested and sent to Siberia and it didn't matter, if you were guilty or not. So throughout these ages Russians developed a thought that a strong and firm hand is needed to leas a country. The only time I can think of more successful democratic system were the times of Provisional Government and the period after the breakup of USSR.
So basically history of having authoritarian and totalitarian leaders made them believe that it is an acceptable standard and decisions such as mentioned in this thread are acceptable by the community.[/QUOTE]
Seems like there's a great deal of apathy among Russians as well - not something I can confirm personally, just what I've observed and heard. I think the majority of Russians don't support the whole "strong-hand" thing, they just shrug it all off as, "well, it's always been this way and there's nothing we can do," so they don't bother speaking up or protesting or even voting. They also know that it would be dangerous to express revolutionary views, whether it was under a Tsar or an authoritarian dictator. People go missing or wind up dead all the time.
It is regrettable, but understandable why the majority would remain silent. Do you stand up for what you think is right and risk your life and potentially the lives of your friends and loved ones, or keep your mouth shut and your head down and try to live your life as best you can? It's a hard choice, and I'd imagine most people would choose the latter.
My parents are not Russian, but they lived in Yugoslavia when it still existed under Tito and his successors (fuck-you-up authoritarian) where it was a similar situation. To go against the state was to invite an early death at the worst, at the least it would make your life much harder. Had they not lived quietly, they might not have had the chance to immigrate to the US with my brother and sister. Not that it's entirely related, but [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslav_Wars"]shit went south really quickly [/URL]just a few years after they left.
[QUOTE=DoktorAkcel;52853106]I am sorry, but you lost all credibility in your knowledge about Russian history with that bit.
The period after USSR breakup was the worst time for Russia in modern history. Basically, a bandit kingdom under the guise of "Fuck yeah, democracy!". And it continued long to the 00's.[/QUOTE]
I stand corrected in that bit and so fault is on my side there. As you're a Russian yourself I give the credibility to you on that one.
However that one failure shall not negate my whole point.
It's a shame Russia never joined the rest of us after the USSR collapsed.
They've definitely learned how to exploit our weaknesses - but if you think about a couple of years about Russia seizing close control over things like vk social media and kicking out foreign NGO's - it's obvious they've been terrified of the return fire of their same tactic.
Sure, the same tactics will never be quite as effective against their second world country, but we can give it a try. I'd suggest any Russian with an ounce of creative, non-authoritarian/mobster talent leave the country and join real human civilisation with the rest of us though, where they can thrive.
[QUOTE=Mifil;52853182]I stand corrected in that bit and so fault is on my side there. As you're a Russian yourself I give the credibility to you on that one.
However that one failure shall not negate my whole point.[/QUOTE]
It’s shouldn’t, it was kinda a knee-jerk reaction from me, to be honest. But it’s a very serious mistake to make, like saying that Great Depression was the best time for USA.
[editline]4th November 2017[/editline]
[QUOTE=SeamanStains;52853269]I'd suggest any Russian with an ounce of creative, non-authoritarian/mobster talent leave the country and join real human civilisation with the rest of us though, where they can thrive.[/QUOTE]
Honestly, I’d prefer them not to. Nothing ruins the country (not the government, they can go fuck themselves in the nose for all I care) faster than it’s brightest minds leaving somewhere.
And it’s not easy to immigrate, unless you have already absorbed some other country’s customs, know their language on at least decent level, and know that you’ll be useful in there.
[QUOTE=SeamanStains;52853269]
Sure, the same tactics will never be quite as effective against their second world country, but we can give it a try. I'd suggest any Russian with an ounce of creative, non-authoritarian/mobster talent leave the country and join real human civilisation with the rest of us though, where they can thrive.[/QUOTE]
Eh, I'm afraid for most Russians, there really isn't anything that appears that interesting in the west, anyway. Most have a living that they would classify as just fine, and the entire outcome of the Russian intervention? It just makes west as fragile and incapable of handling such small things - why would they want to move to the west and leave their lives entirely to whims of luck? They have family, they have friends - they have no reason to lose them all. With them, they can make a living - besides, not like Putin will personally send a kill squad after you, because you're practically just a peasant in his eyes.
[QUOTE=DoktorAkcel;52853106]I am sorry, but you lost all credibility in your knowledge about Russian history with that bit.
The period after USSR breakup was the worst time for Russia in modern history. Basically, a bandit kingdom under the guise of "Fuck yeah, democracy!". And it continued long to the 00's.[/QUOTE]
It [i]was[/i], however, the time where we had the most politically free society in our history. The fact that the economy was in deep shit and many social institutions broke down as a result doesn't really change that.
:bullshit:
[QUOTE=gudman;52856204]It [i]was[/i], however, the time where we had the most politically free society in our history. The fact that the economy was in deep shit and many social institutions broke down as a result doesn't really change that.[/QUOTE]
Total absent of order is no political freedom, it's an anarchy.
Sure, you could ramble about anything on streets without any persecution, but there was nobody legit to hear your complain either way.
[QUOTE=karimatrix;52862442]Total absent of order is no political freedom, it's an anarchy.
Sure, you could ramble about anything on streets without any persecution, but there was nobody legit to hear your complain either way.[/QUOTE]
Or you could go and elect a governor who wasn't appointed straight from the Kremlin, even someone directly opposed to the President, wow! Or even a mayor who opposed said governor. Or become a member of local parliament without paying a large sum of money for it, incredibly enough. Or open a business (pls no "bandits would demand payment", it wasn't as universal as made out to be) and be 100% certain political powers will be on your side if some higher-up official wanted it to himself because it's a bonus point for them to give a shit.
But yeah, bringing the entire political life down to street protests is more convenient to make a point, I get it.
I honestly lost the track. So post-USSR with Yeltsin as a head of state gave more freedom to society, but at the same time his presidenture was unpopular, which created tensions in the government and unrest in Chechnya, which led to bloody war between separatists? I'm not touching economy, because after the fall of USSR it went down the toilet. Could you explain this brief moment of history of Russia to me? One of you?
[QUOTE=Mifil;52862886]I honestly lost the track. So post-USSR with Yeltsin as a head of state gave more freedom to society, but at the same time his presidenture was unpopular, which created tensions in the government and unrest in Chechnya, which led to bloody war between separatists? I'm not touching economy, because after the fall of USSR it went down the toilet. Could you explain this brief moment of history of Russia to me? One of you?[/QUOTE]
He gave more freedom to everyone. Absolutely everyone, including said bandits.
And economy is prefectly tied to it, because everyone was trying to just survive, so all that talk about political freedom fell on ears of people, who struggled to find at least some resources to live on.
This is why bandits had it easy - that freedom basically gave them a free reign to do whatever the fuck they wanted.
[URL="https://www.reddit.com/r/russia/comments/6sjm4j/eighteen_year_old_prostitute_shortly_before_the/dldv0x2/"]This reddit comment[/URL] sums everything up the best.
[QUOTE=DoktorAkcel;52862949]He gave more freedom to everyone. Absolutely everyone, including said bandits.
And economy is prefectly tied to it, because everyone was trying to just survive, so all that talk about political freedom fell on ears of people, who struggled to find at least some resources to live on.
This is why bandits had it easy - that freedom basically gave them a free reign to do whatever the fuck they wanted.
[URL="https://www.reddit.com/r/russia/comments/6sjm4j/eighteen_year_old_prostitute_shortly_before_the/dldv0x2/"]This reddit comment[/URL] sums everything up the best.[/QUOTE]
So a literal anarchy happened. How could I've not known of this...
[QUOTE=Mifil;52862955]So a literal anarchy happened. How could I've not known of this...[/QUOTE]
Many reasons. Mainly because it was hailed at the West as winning of Democracy(tm), and freedom from evil USSR. No one touched upon how a destruction of a country removed everything stable from ordinary people's lives, made them fear for their future, because that would contradict a lot of statements about how Russian people's lives became a lot better once they got free from Soviets.
And precisely why people love Putin - for them, he was the one, who ended this nightmare. How big is his role in all of this is highly debatable, but he is being held accountable for that, and this is all that matters in context.
The West has been lying about the years following the collapse of the USSR almost nonstop, it was a terrible time. The mafia ruled the government, Yeltsin focused more on drinking than actually getting something done, murders were commonplace in the street and elections were constantly being rigged by the mafia or the US.
It was a terrible situation all around
[QUOTE=DoktorAkcel;52863002]Many reasons. Mainly because it was hailed at the West as winning of Democracy(tm), and freedom from evil USSR. No one touched upon how a destruction of a country removed everything stable from ordinary people's lives, made them fear for their future, because that would contradict a lot of statements about how Russian people's lives became a lot better once they got free from Soviets.
And precisely why people love Putin - for them, he was the one, who ended this nightmare. How big is his role in all of this is highly debatable, but he is being held accountable for that, and this is all that matters in context.[/QUOTE]
It would be true in my case if I weren't from Poland. We started to cooperate more with The West until Jaruzelski stopped being president and we appealed for NATO and EU membership.
Maybe it's because Soviets are obviously seen there are the greatest evil right next to Nazis and so the media completely ignored these facts, because "The Soviets lost, that's what is important". And later on media started to write on the "accomplishments" of the new government in Kremlin.
Also I now understand more, why he's seen as the greatest modern Russian hero out there. He gave the people hope of a better future. It's a shame he used his power to establish an oligarchic system later on.
[QUOTE=Furioso;52853120]Seems like there's a great deal of apathy among Russians as well - not something I can confirm personally, just what I've observed and heard. I think the majority of Russians don't support the whole "strong-hand" thing, they just shrug it all off as, "well, it's always been this way and there's nothing we can do," so they don't bother speaking up or protesting or even voting. They also know that it would be dangerous to express revolutionary views, whether it was under a Tsar or an authoritarian dictator. People go missing or wind up dead all the time.
It is regrettable, but understandable why the majority would remain silent. Do you stand up for what you think is right and risk your life and potentially the lives of your friends and loved ones, or keep your mouth shut and your head down and try to live your life as best you can? It's a hard choice, and I'd imagine most people would choose the latter.
[/QUOTE]
Why do I get the feeling that this is what the future in the US will look like after Trump?
[QUOTE=gudman;52862861]Or you could go and elect a governor who wasn't appointed straight from the Kremlin, even someone directly opposed to the President, wow! Or even a mayor who opposed said governor. Or become a member of local parliament without paying a large sum of money for it, incredibly enough. Or open a business (pls no "bandits would demand payment", it wasn't as universal as made out to be) and be 100% certain political powers will be on your side if some higher-up official wanted it to himself because it's a bonus point for them to give a shit.
But yeah, bringing the entire political life down to street protests is more convenient to make a point, I get it.[/QUOTE]
There was nothing noble to be opposing to a tranwreck of goverment that with drunkard in position that is ready to sell out parts of country to foreing agents , you elude youself thinking that anything that was decided on local authority had something profound cause - look where are all the locally elected are now? How much did of a legacy they managed to build? How long did they lasted before they too joined either bandits or became ones themselves?
Did they help to reestablish business? Did they stoped an epidemy of alchoholism? Did they brough any long lasting chage besides foodchain restraunts?
You are bringing down your point to "it was better then" and completely forget that it was not the "political freedom" that allowed us to crawl out from that complete shithole of times. And you cherish those times only because aspect of protesting goverment now is less possible. But even when it was, who used that? Oh yeah, i answered that.
Soo yeah, political life in 90's was whole big scoop of opportunity done nothing but gone wrong.
No, fucking, thank you. Not ever getting through that.
Ukraine is your modern example.
[QUOTE=Gramophone;52863096]Why do I get the feeling that this is what the future in the US will look like after Trump?[/QUOTE]
Which is kinda ironic, considering that Yeltsin was seen by some people as a puppet for his advisers from USA
[QUOTE=karimatrix;52863176]
No, fucking, thank you. Not ever getting through that.
[/QUOTE]
Woooo boy, where to start.
[quote]There was nothing noble to be opposing to a tranwreck of goverment that with drunkard in position that is ready to sell out parts of country to foreing agents , you elude youself thinking that anything that was decided on local authority had something profound cause - look where are all the locally elected are now? How much did of a legacy they managed to build? How long did they lasted before they too joined either bandits or became ones themselves?[/quote]
This doesn't deserve to be addressed, this is barely coherent rambling about [i]foreign agents[/i] buying parts of our country while literal Mad Max tier apocalypse was going on. Yeah, okay, easy there.
[quote]You are bringing down your point to "it was better then" and completely forget that it was not the "political freedom" that allowed us to crawl out from that complete shithole of times. And you cherish those times only because aspect of protesting goverment now is less possible. But even when it was, who used that? Oh yeah, i answered that.[/quote]
I said nothing about "better then" because I make a point in not comparing different situations and different circumstances, political, economical or otherwise. And I don't cherish 90s, where did that even came from?
[quote]Ukraine is your modern example[/quote]
I'd kindly suggest you turn off the TV and also remind you that we're not on r/Russia here and bringing up Ukraine, of which you apparently know next to absolutely nothing about, isn't going to win you any points. That's beside the point that you and I, being citizens of a country that is at an [i]aggressive war with[/i] and currently [i]occupying a part of[/i] Ukraine have no moral ground under our feet discussing their situation.
[QUOTE=Mifil;52862886]I honestly lost the track. So post-USSR with Yeltsin as a head of state gave more freedom to society, but at the same time his presidenture was unpopular, which created tensions in the government and unrest in Chechnya, which led to bloody war between separatists? I'm not touching economy, because after the fall of USSR it went down the toilet. Could you explain this brief moment of history of Russia to me? One of you?[/QUOTE]
You're way better off researching it by yourself using wiki to start with, since, as you see, the topic is quite... divisive and quite muddled with modern mythology.
In essence, there was absolutely nothing in common between the popularity of Yeltsyn and the war in Chechnya. First, he was still quite popular at the time, second - Chechen separatist 'government' didn't question his authority, they questioned the authority of federal government as a whole. Basically, they wanted out and be independent. Which raised two concerns: 1) that Chechen republic might become a failed state, maybe even a terrorist heaven right in our backyard and 2) that it might start a chain reaction and newly-formed Federal republic will quickly dissipate entirely or be left with mortally weakened economy (what was left of it when it turned out that Soviet Union's 'mighty economy' was nothing but shit, some smoke, two mirrors and a whole lot of oil). So the government jumped to solve the problem the only way they knew how - flood it with troops and bring a lot of artillery.
That's [i]very basic[/i] explanation.
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