Where is the Russian flag on social media!?! A foreigner's perspective...

[peacetraveler22]

After the tragic attacks in Paris last week, there was an outpouring of grief on social media. Immediately profile pictures on Facebook were changed to display the French flag in a symbol of solidarity and support for Parisians. Of course, this outraged many people on RuNet. I watched closely the outpouring of yellow headlines and anger that flowed over the weekend. So many nasty and angry posts questioning why foreigners didn't display the Russian flag on social media after the Sinai plane bombing. What about Beirut? How about Turkey! Both countries also were victims of terrorist attacks in the last few weeks, though on a much smaller scale. Even more outrage when LiveJournal displayed the French flag on the homepage for several days. As a foreigner and tourist to both France and Russia many times, the reasons for the disparate public reactions are quite obvious to me.

France has consistently ranked as the most visited country by foreign tourists, with the USA in second place. I looked at the tourism figures for 2014, and again France is in first place - 83.7 million tourist arrivals last year. In the USA, there were 74.8 million. Now, let's compare these figures to tourism in Russia. In 2014, only 29.8 million tourist arrivals, a miniscule amount in comparison to the French statistics. So, you must understand that foreigners don't equate the loss of Russian life in the Sinai plane crash to be lesser than the victims of Paris. The difference is that large numbers of tourists from all over the world have visited Paris, have walked its cozy streets, and thus have vibrant memories and connections to the country. And this makes the grief much more tangible and personal. We don't grieve for the loss of a stranger in the same way as we ache when a family member or loved one dies. And to many foreigners, Russia is a stranger, a distant land upon which they have never walked nor explored. Moreover, it was not readily apparent that the plane crash over the Sinai was an act of terrorism. Your officials admitted this only a few days ago, and the Egyptians still refuse to accept it. With the Paris attacks, there was no doubt.

When Russia opens its arms and builds proper tourism infrastructure such that people from all over the world will come to visit and explore, it too will enjoy the widespread outpouring of grief and support that recently fell upon the French. I am certain of it. For me, the reaction and grief for the Metrojet and Paris victims doesn't differ. I have close friends, memories and experiences in both nations, and had actually just returned from France a week before the attacks. So it all seems very real and personal...however, to live in fear is not an option. This will never be me, and it's not in my spirit to doubt the goodness of humanity, which still strongly outweighs the horror. I am drawn to both France and Russia, though for different reasons. Each nation holds a special place in my soul and mind, and neither terrorist attack does anything to change these facts or feelings...

How about you? Were you offended by the display of the French flag all over social media and LiveJournal?

Comments

[ggreminder.livejournal.com]

I would not offend Russians about having a "chicken brain" (probably because I understand them better, our nations have similar mentality). I think you might have heard about the "Blasphemy law". Although the law itself was issued not a long time ago the principle that religious feelings are more important than freedom of speech were and are the basis of these events. Many people really think that way and you can imagine how it feels: my parents (born and raised in atheistic USSR!) try to interrupt me when I say I don't believe in god. They are not true believers but it's considered that you believe in what most people believe, that you should go to the church and observe the religious holidays.
So, yes, they do not think "Charlie Hebdo" might have existed in their society.

P.S.: I read one of your previous posts about a girl from a Russian village and I readily believe what she's saying is mostly true (as a rationalist I always leave a room for uncertainty :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

This term "chicken brain" wasn't written by me. I was merely quoting a comment I read in another blog. Yes, I've heard about the "insulting religious feelings" law. I think I even wrote a post about it one time, but I'm too lazy to dig for it.

[janelight.livejournal.com]

These particular Russians who do not understand the situation around Charlie Ebdo - they do have chicken brains, believe me :) I mean those who do not understand that they might not like it - but it has all rights to exist. And moreover - such magazines have to exist in a healthy society.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Totally agree!

[aavenger.livejournal.com]

I have to disagree. Charlie Hebdo is actually one of the greatest system errors, simply cowards without balls intentionally insulting weak (to their understanding) people, shielding themselves with so called freedom of speech.

If they are brave and towards good, why don't they draw anything "funny" about Holocaust victims (not denial, as it is illegal, but they still have got an enormous place to maneuver)? Maybe because they perfectly know - they will be punished: either with a new and severe law with ex post facto, or Mossad will simply eliminate all of them. Jewish people are not those to swallow such an insult.

[janelight.livejournal.com]

It is not an error. You (and I) might not like what they are drawing, but much more important is the fact they CAN draw it. And, too many Russians overestimate the significance of the magazine for French. They do not care about these cartoons. But they care about liberty.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

We can't regulate speech in this manner. From a legal perspective, how do you determine what is "offensive?" For instance, I don't find it offensive when cartoons or satirical publications make fun of Jesus freaks because I'm strongly opposed to organized religion. Yet hardcore believers would be offended. I don't care about porn, and am not offended by it, however others are. So, it should not exist? :) We must take the ignorant, stupid speech with the intelligent, emotional and positive press. It's the only way the system can work. However, I realize you may not agree. :)

[aavenger.livejournal.com]

Of course, as a systems engineer with many years' experience - I will not agree :) Not that we cannot - we have to regulate speech and many other aspects of our lives in much more restricting manner than we currently deploy. The Universe, Shannon, does not care what we like and what we do not like. Systems are designed to perform at some optimal level, where less load means less output and less working cycle, and more load means very short usage timeframe and critical conditions. Both less and more load situations are unstable, potentially leading to a large-scale disaster.

And our primary task (if pretend to call ourselves Sapiens) is to be contiously improving the system. I see nothing offensive in satyrical cartoons about religion - if such are not addressed to any god in particular. No problem with porn until it does not hit one's eye at every step. No problem to discuss death - but for sure not victims of tragedies like terroristic acts, natural disasters, crimes, etc. Lack of morals (even seemingly tiny) is actually a powerful bad seed for both "bastards and saints", and this seed will lead to an eventual clash between the two camps, resulting in much ore blood we can imagine. And the Law has to smoothen sharp sides of our lives, rather than encourage bad seeds. Preventive treatment is better (even if of a bitter taste) than emergency reanimation.

Freedom and independence actually do not exist. The Universe is the most sophisticated and entangled system based on enormous number of dependencies. And we have to act accordingly all together, of course, if we strive the humankind to survive.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Well you certainly have a persuasive manner of writing and exceptional logic and ability to express yourself. You almost convinced me to change my mind...almost! :)

[aavenger.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Your Honour! :)))

Actually, I am not to convince or force anyone to share and follow my point of view, I simply provide facts and sequences - and walking in these shoes to make conclusions is definately not my responsibility :) It's impossible to describe how tastes food without actually allowing someone to taste it, isn't it? :)))

And, finally, we may be wrong: you, me, others - this is all the science all around us - the path of mistakes and discoveries :)))