Thursday, January 18, 2018

Three New and Instructive Russian Political Anecdotes



Paul Goble

            Staunton, January 18 – The anecdotes Russians tell one another are often more instructive about what is going on in their minds and in their country than any news item or commentary. Three new ones, offered by blogger Aleksandr Maysuryan, are especially useful in that regard (publizist.ru/blogs/109404/22736/-?utm_source=politobzor.net):

·         “The Russian press is filled with rumors about the firing in the new year of 10,000 traffic police officers … Where will they go: to the Russian Orthodox church since 3,000 new churches are being built … They can wear the same uniforms, collect offerings and officiate at these common ceremonies while standing … And they won’t be needed as policemen because the price of gas is rising to much that no one will be driving.”

·         “How are ordinary Russian citizens affected by the new American sanctions if these sanctions affect all of 50 people from among the most important officials and businessmen? The answer is that then these 50 Russians will affect all the 140 million Russians.”

·         “Father Frost comes to the Central Election Commission and asked to be registered as a presidential candidate. Ella Pamfilova says ‘Are you in your right mind? You live in your very own world and do not have any knowledge about how ordinary people live! When you  arrive everything is clean, the tables are full of food, all is in order, and you think that everything always lives that way! … And besides no one has seen your program.’  But then she suddenly stops and, looking with amazement at the face of Father Frost, says that ‘well, everything is in order, let’s get you registered.’”

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