By Michael Averko
Latvian commentator Askolds Rodins refers to Russian "double standards" as he sees it.
Permit me to address the greater double standards that regularly go unchecked from English language mass media outlets. Namely, how Russocentric views are kept under greater watch for good manners in addition to being underrepresented when compared to anti-Russian commentary.
I've experienced numerous instances where well meaning Western analysts inform me on how I can and cannot present my views. They immediately drop such suggestions when I give examples like Mr. Rodins' prose.
In his commentary, Mr. Rodins refers to the democratically elected Putin administration as a "regime." In modern day political usage, "regime" refers to non-democratic states with authoritarian practices. Unlike the current American president's 2000 election experience - Russian President Vladimir Putin won the popular vote in a multi-party process. Russians voted en masse as opposed to either staying at home in protest or favoring another candidate. Putin continues to enjoy higher popularity poll ratings when compared to his Western peers (notably George Bush and Tony Blair).
Mr. Rodins describes the Dmitriy Rogozin led Rodina Party as "chauvinist." This strident observation is ironic coming from a Latvian source. On the American public television aired European Journal, there was a feature about how buildings and homes in Latvia are required to fly the Latvian flag, with fines levied if there're any irregularities in the specifications. Russia has nothing close to resembling this kind of a flag waving nationalism. As a comparison, one has to ask just how "chauvinist" is Rodina?
Mr. Rodins' characterization of Russian media is flat out wrong. The more well informed critics of Russian media acknowledge the existing differences among the three all news Russian television networks. Moreover, some of the other Russian television channels (Russians typically receive 16 to 17 channels, with the number gradually rising) provide news coverage where one can find hard hitting journalism critical of the government. Russian radio, print and electronic media are a free for all, where one can find plenty of criticism of Putin, with much of it being unfair.
On the subject of Latvia, Russia, the West and double standards, awhile back, there was a feature at the George Soros funded International Crisis Group web site which advocated Macedonia granting greater rights to the Albanian language used by about 1/3 of that republic's population. The ICG never answered my e-mail querying them on their stand on Russian language rights in Latvia and Estonia.
Hopefully, the day will come when those harboring views like Mr. Rodins' are more readily challenged in English language mass media.
Editor's note: I regret not being able to link and-or post Mr. Rodins' commentary (that particular JRL issue was mistakenly deleted and the JRL search engine is coming up blank under Mr. Rodins' name). MMA
