Moscow loosens pursestrings to fight racism and inspire patriotism

[European blood]

Moscow is planning to promote patriotism and combat nationalism – all at the same time.

Two separate public education programs have been announced, one intended to ease inter-ethnic tensions while the other hopes to inspire a love of all things Russian.

Racial tensions have been on the rise in the capital: just this Monday someone threw Molotov cocktails at a synagogue in Moscow, and last December the city saw some of its worst race riots on Manezhnaya.

Now, as well as a 110 million ruble ($3.9 million) anti-racism campaign, there are also plans to invest heavily in national pride.


Millions spent on patriotism

In 2012 the City Hall plans to spend 52 million rubles ($1.84 million) on the old Slavic spring festival Maslenitsa, the “Mastera” city competition will cost 19 million rubles ($670,000) and a patriotic camp called Slavic Unity will cost 90 million rubles ($3.2 million) each year.

These events are aimed at inspiring national pride and patriotism among the younger generations of Muscovites.


Patriotism on the net

The proposed law will also try to incorporate the internet: the “Glory’s Heirs” website commemorating the Great Patriotic War will cost 4 million rubles ($141,000) a year, developing the “Your safety in emergency situations” portal will cost 2.2 million ($75,000).

At the same time 50,000 rubles will be spent on a website on the 1812 war, which, like World War II, is known as a Patriotic War.


Inflated prices

Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International is concerned over the high costs of the project.

“Website support cannot cost more than 4 million rubles a year – this money can be compared to expenditures on holding big mass events,” Transparency International director Elena Panfilova told Izvestia, adding that the numbers and aims of the programme were taken “out of thin air.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if many numbers are written for various youth organisations: they were asked how much they need to hang out with their brother Slavs, and wrote down the voiced sum,” she said.

Transparency International plan to send a query to the Moscow government and follow the budget money spending within this programme.


Anti racism

The department on inter-regional and national policy plans to start a social advertising project “Ne Bolei Rasismom” (Don’t catch the racism bug). All the adverts will cost the city 22 million rubles ($780,000).

“These measures could be effective, depending on how well they hit the target audience,” director of information-analytical centre Sova Alexander Verkhovsky told Moskovskiye Novosti.

“Advertising needs to be set up in certain places for the specific public. In order to reach different groups, the adverts have to be different.”


Insufficient effort?

There have been attempts to fight racism with posters, but critics said it was not enough.

And not everyone is convinced of this program’s success.

“I do not believe in the effectiveness of such measures,” said director general of national strategy council Valery Khomyakov. “First of all, because we have a widespread disbelief to advertising in our society and such banners will look strange. Secondly, because tolerance should be inculcated from childhood.”

Moscow loosens pursestrings to fight racism and inspire patriotism | SOCIETY | The Moscow News

[The Lawspeaker]

I thought the Russians were wiser then this. They are wasting tax payer's money that should have been spend on the needs of the ordinary Russians.

[BeerBaron]

I thought the Russians were wiser then this. They are wasting tax payer's money that should have been spend on the needs of the ordinary Russians.

I think the term "a person is smart, people are stupid" applies. Beyond that it seems a bit late, there is a large portion of muslims in the country and they don't want them causing problems, its doubtful all this money will be of any benefit though.

A better solution would be to put it in a purse for tax refunds for native russians who exceed the average birth rate, imo.

[The Ripper]

Russia surely seeks to re-assert its dominance in non-Russian, former Soviet areas. Ethnic Russian nationalism of the extreme sort must be discouraged, and the imperial idea re-introduced.

[Contra Mundum]

The Russian government is caving to international pressure is all. They're concerned so called racism and intolerance could hurt trade and investment.

[European blood]

This article is interesting because it proves how distinct Patriotism and Nationalism ideologies really are.

Nationalism emphasizes in ethno-cultural collective identity expressed in language, race, religion ... Patriotism is more about the State, the Flag the country Anthem whoever are its citizens.

They have opposing views and one can be used to fight the other.

For some reason the eternal Jew supports left-wing or right-wing Patriotism among white-europeans and condemns Nationalism.

It is a way to exploit our weaknesses, causing divisions and as a mean to instigate fracticide wars among the white nations financed by them.

That is why i don't like or identify myself with patriotards because they are tools of the Jew.

[kamelin]

I don't believe the Russian Government is interested in the Russian peoples survival. I think it's all staged for the most part to look like as if Putin gives a f*ck about his people - appear as a sort of strong leader with ideals and love for his country. There are a lot of TV networks that are owned by Jews too, like they are here in Sweden and of course over in the US. This "anti-racism campaign" is of course a cover to promote interracial relationships. As someone mentioned, it is international pressure to "look good" on the market.

[The Ripper]

This article is interesting because it proves how distinct Patriotism and Nationalism ideologies really are.

They are not really inherently different and at least in Finland used to be more or less the same thing, Finland being the national state of the Finns. The modern style "patriotism" is touted largely because the hoi polloi must be allowed some vent to express their identity en masse. This is why they are very careful to make a difference "good patriotism" vs. "evil nationalism".

[Siberyak]

No need to worry about this. The kremlin can not do anything right and will not stop racist attacks, ethnic fights or anything along those lines. The leaders in the Kremlin are hoplessly corrupt and so are the police. If anything ethnic clashes are gonna get worse. In the past couple weeks there have been numerous plane crashes and a major boat sinking because of the lack of safety violations in Russia. Just look how bad Moscow handeld the forrest fires last year.

[Eldritch]

This article is interesting because it proves how distinct Patriotism and Nationalism ideologies really are.

Nationalism emphasizes in ethno-cultural collective identity expressed in language, race, religion ... Patriotism is more about the State, the Flag the country Anthem whoever are its citizens.

I agree in part -- I've felt a strong aversion to tinpot flag-wavers. But it's also important to remember that civic nationalism can be equally worthless, if not actually destructive.

Anyway I'm lucky enough to live in a country where (ethno-)nationalism and patriotism are still more or less synonymous. No doubt the attempts to dilute it ("Somalis can be Finnish patriots too !!!") will gain momentum in the coming years, but I certainly won't accept it or be fooled by it.