Political Ambivalence in Russia Risks a Slide into Fascism and Totalitarianism Claims Mikhail Khodorkovsky in response to a letter from Irina, a Russian national residing in America. Both the original letter Khodorkovsky�s response is published on Irina�s website: "The Khodorkovsky Press Center". Irina has lived in the USA for several years with her American husband. On her website Irina comments on her grievances with what she terms �Russian pseudo-justice�, such as the corruption inherent in the judiciary and the moral ambivalence prevalent in Russian society as a whole. Irina asserts that the reason for the current situation in Russia is the passivity of the average Russian citizen. In a letter to Khodorkovsky Irina proposes that even upstanding, thinking Russians are indifferent to the current state of social justice and fail to consider how the situation might be improved. Many prisoners in the Krasnokamenskaya penal colony, where Khodorkovsky is currently being held, agree with Irina on this point: "Our society is frightened of losing the small improvements in the quality of life brought about the current high prices of raw materials such as oil and gas", asserts khodorkovsky. He is convinced that the efforts of those interested in creating a real civic community in Russia are needed now more than ever: "extreme fascism and totalitarianism is born not of civic activity,� notes Khodorkovskiy, �but of the indifference of the majority, from the readiness to submit and to ignore what is happening in the next street or even the next house.� The same day that the Irina website obtained Khodorkovsky�s letter, the former head of YUKOS was sent to solitary confinement for the second time, notes the Khodorkovsky Press Center. Source: Khodorkovsky Press Center >
Political Ambivalence in Russia Risks a Slide into Fascism and Totalitarianism
Claims Mikhail Khodorkovsky in response to a letter from Irina, a Russian national residing in America. Both the original letter Khodorkovsky�s response is published on Irina�s website: "The Khodorkovsky Press Center". Irina has lived in the USA for several years with her American husband. On her website Irina comments on her grievances with what she terms �Russian pseudo-justice�, such as the corruption inherent in the judiciary and the moral ambivalence prevalent in Russian society as a whole. Irina asserts that the reason for the current situation in Russia is the passivity of the average Russian citizen. In a letter to Khodorkovsky Irina proposes that even upstanding, thinking Russians are indifferent to the current state of social justice and fail to consider how the situation might be improved.
Many prisoners in the Krasnokamenskaya penal colony, where Khodorkovsky is currently being held, agree with Irina on this point: "Our society is frightened of losing the small improvements in the quality of life brought about the current high prices of raw materials such as oil and gas", asserts khodorkovsky. He is convinced that the efforts of those interested in creating a real civic community in Russia are needed now more than ever: "extreme fascism and totalitarianism is born not of civic activity,� notes Khodorkovskiy, �but of the indifference of the majority, from the readiness to submit and to ignore what is happening in the next street or even the next house.�
The same day that the Irina website obtained Khodorkovsky�s letter, the former head of YUKOS was sent to solitary confinement for the second time, notes the Khodorkovsky Press Center.
Source: Khodorkovsky Press Center >
