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This anti-Russia thing is going too far. It's beginning to sound like racism.

Yuri Gagarin, the first person in space, has had his name removed from a Space Foundation fundraiser, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Yuri Gagarin has had his name removed from the US-based Space Foundation's fundraising event.

The Soviet cosmonaut was the first person to fly to space on April 12, 1961.

The nonprofit organization decided to change the name of the fundraiser amid "current world events."
Except that Russian isn’t a [b]race[/b]. It’s an ethnicity, or a nationality. If you think the people are being unfairly discriminated against because of Putin’s actions, [b]there[/b] you’re probably not wrong. 🙁
DrWatson · 70-79, M
I do agree that this is going too far!

Just as Russian immigrants to this country should not be blamed for the invasion of Ukraine, and Chinese immigrants should not be blamed for Covid, and middle Eastern immigrants should not be blamed for 9/11, German immigrants should not have been blamed for Hitler, Japanese immigrants should not have been interred, etc.
newjaninev2 · 56-60, F
@DrWatson Yuri Gagarin immigrated, did he?
DrWatson · 70-79, M
@newjaninev2 Not at all. I never meant to imply that he did.
Dshhh · M
the Russian people are not to blame,

The Russian heroes of space, and many others are very worthy
the [b]men of Chernobyl[/b] that gave their LIVES to prevent half of Europe from being contaminated.

the Russian people [i]including apparently their own cosmoneaughts[/i] that are speaking up in spite of closed news outlets, papers tv and radio ARE Heroes.

resisting aggression is not racism, don't go there. I dont think you have the experience basis
@newjaninev2 Chernobyl is in Ukraine but the accident was when Ukraine was part of the USSR, so Russia gets blamed for it.
Dshhh · M
@LeopoldBloom and yes it was the SOviet Authorities, that were in charge of and CAUSED that disaster.
@Dshhh Yes, that same mentality of lying to please the higher ups. The plant manager insisted on running the test even though the results would have been worthless due to the low power from reactor core poisoning. But he wanted the brownie points from being able to say he ran the test anyway.
BlueVeins · 22-25
I agree that this is a stupid, virtue-signally move, but it's important to remember that Gagarin journeyed into space in service of the Soviet government, while the latter was explicitly occupying numerous countries and enslaving tens of millions of foreigners. I still think he should be honored because his accomplishments were truly a milestone for the human race -- just as Nazi innovations in rocketry ought to be -- but characterizing it as racism misses the bigger picture.

That said, there have actually been cases of explicit racism against Russians since the invasion started, such as the recent slurry of vandalisms against Russian-owned restaurants in New York. It's particularly disgusting because this kind of behavior buys into the same ethnonationalist ideology Russia's used to justify its interventions in Donbass and Crimea.
JimboSaturn · 51-55, M
I don't see that Yuri Gagarin has any connection to the current events. He was actually an ok guy and should not be thought of poorly because of some future dictators actions.
Right now no one cares…and it’s not fair but blame putin for that. @JimboSaturn
No big deal…another victim of the cancel culture mentality, aka “woke”. This behavior surprises you?
DCarey · 46-50, M
Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space. Nothing can change that fact.
[quote]It's beginning to sound like racism.[/quote]
No, it's beginning to sound like there are consequences to being a murderous bully in today's world. And that's a good thing.
@SW-User [quote]It would be like me blaming you for your bloodthirsty government waging constant war in the middle east. [/quote] Feel free to institute sanctions against the US. I'll accept that. No more Irish whisky? I can deal.
@ElwoodBlues Okay, sanctions in Russia itself is one thing. But firing individual Russian citizens who work in other countries, because of their president’s actions ?
@bijouxbroussard I think I can agree with that.
SW-User
FFS. This is NOT THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE's FAULT😡
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Really · 80-89, M
@CookieLuvsBunny You still don't get it.

England [u]IS[/u] part of Britain, AKA the 'United' (debatable as in the US) Kingdom. Millions of British citizens, sometimes referred to as 'Brits' are NOT English.
Thevy29 · 41-45, M
People do f#cked up shit when a war is on. I read somewhere during WW2 in some towns in Australia they killed all the German Shepard dogs to voice their disproval of the German's...
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@Thevy29 [quote] they killed all the German Shepard dogs to voice their disproval of the German's...[/quote]
That’s got to be the most irrational, illogical thing I’ve ever heard. 😱
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
@bijouxbroussard Extreme, but I wouldn't be surprised it it were true. I remember anything German made had to be hidden away. I was too little to remember, but was told later about how I asked Santa to bring me a toy piano. My mother assured me that Santa probably would, and my father asked her if she was crazy; that even if they were available, they couldn't afford one. She reminded him that my late sister whom I never knew had had one and they had stored it away because it was German made so I had never seen it, but now that the war was winding down it probably was OK to bring it out. So Santa brought me my sister's piano.
Diotrephes · 70-79, M
If the Ukrainians are successful in repelling the Russians they should never, ever, allow another Russian to set foot on Ukrainian territory. This is the second time Russia has engaged in genocide against the Ukrainians in the past 80 years.
CassandraSissy · 26-30, TVIP
Hmmmmm....Racism or just plain trying to put their noses out of joint? I'm more inclined to believe that it's all about the latter, sweetie!

You get respect by showing respect; if you refuse to acknowledge a country that I feel that they have have the right to refuse to acknowledge them.

Simple! Russia's not being respectful. They feel that they are a big name in the world. How to hurt them? Cut them down to size...to see just how insignificant that they are. Hit their ego.

Putin's got a huge ego.

'nuff said!

☺️
newjaninev2 · 56-60, F
@CassandraSissy I wonder if russians realise that the entire global community of nations holds them in contempt for their barbarism in Ukraine
CassandraSissy · 26-30, TVIP
@newjaninev2 I think some do, hun...

There's been a variety of hacking of Soviet internet sites and of the media, plus the various reports of telephone calls from the frontline back to families in Russia...plus their own protests....

They truly are the pariah's of the world at the moment...

🤔
Oster1 · M
Let's just say, "propaganda, at it's best propagation".🤔
Oster1 · M
@RocktheHouse Exactly! we should have partnered together, much earlier!
newjaninev2 · 56-60, F
@RocktheHouse It’s not russophobia... it’s global contempt for russia’s murderous invasion of the sovereign democracy of Ukraine, and for the lying war criminal putin who leads russia.
SW-User
@newjaninev2 what does any of that have to do with a cosmonaut who has been dead since 1968?
4meAndyou · F
Technically wildly inaccurate...unless we are being "racist" toward ALL the ethnic groups listed on this link.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_groups_in_Russia

I assume that the same people who call every freaking thing "racist", are also the same people involved in what is known as "cancel culture".

What is happening, it seems, is that ALL of Russia is in process of being "cancelled" by the same people who brought you the cancellation of Christopher Columbus and Teddy Roosevelt.
Elena05 · F
this isnt so much agaisnt the private person gargarin who happens to be russian... this is to disrespect russian achievements which is fair game. russia doesnt want to be part of the world community anymore.. so fuck them and their petty state
Really · 80-89, M
When people declare that parts of the Ukrainian population "are Russian" do they ever pause to wonder what they mean by that? Are they talking about birthplace, geopolitical history, nationalist sentiment, ethnicity/DNA, ancient migrations, dislike of western democracy, what?

What kind of biopsy or brain-probe determines that someone "is a Russian"?

That's just politically expedient rhetoric.
Really · 80-89, M
@CookieLuvsBunny When people declare that parts of the British population "are English" I think they are usually referring to place of birth, upbringing, perhaps domicile and/or immigrant decision. There's little chance of geographic ambiguity because England and its borders have existed virtually unchanged for hundreds of years; unlike Russia, Ukraine, or most of Europe. There's nothing particularly admirable about this. It's just geopolitical history, aided by the fact that England's at one end of a long narrow island and has short, easily defended land borders.

The thing about third parties declaring people 'English', 'Russian' etc. is that it doesn't identify any actual persons & ask them how they describe themselves and why. Without those it's political rhetoric.
Really · 80-89, M
@CookieLuvsBunny Note that the various parts of Britain do not issue separate citizenships. All - even those calling themselves 'English' are legally just 'Brits'; as I believe even 'ethnic' Hawaiians are legally Americans. (But we don't call you Washingtonians if you're from Honolulu.) Please don't confuse British with English.
Really · 80-89, M
@CookieLuvsBunny [quote]When people declare that parts of the British population "are English" do they ever pause to wonder what they mean by that?[/quote]
Probably not, and that's exactly my point, but made in the Russia/Ukraine context which is the topic here.
Budwick · 70-79, M
Some innocent Ukrainians were hurt too.
Yuri will get over it and he isn't in any danger!
[hE DIED 7 YEARS AFTER HIS MISSION]
smiler2012 · 56-60
[@rockthehouse ] i think any wrath towards the russian people should be aimed at the little gremlin in the kremlin and his inner circle . this guy was part of the old soviet space exploration and a hero and legend in this field to help man explore outer space and other planets . in a way it seems a little petty and childish . this thing against russian people is going to far as a lot are against the little gremlin in the kremlins invasion of ukraine
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Viper · M
They're begging for money, they need to put on the best face they can to get their money.

So what if they change name...

Bottom line is they're still begging for money no matter the name. Why does the name of the begging matter?

If they think a name change will help them, then why not?
Yeah, it seems a bit “propaganda” like to turn on the Russian citizens for the actions of the Russian government. It’s not like the Russian government has a history of lying and intimidating its citizens.
DrSunnyTheSkeptic · 26-30, M
Hate the Russian government and the Russian people who support the war, nothing "racist" about it.
I don’t like russians anymore 👎
@SW-User …I’m seeing their years of bullying and oppression more vividly now.
newjaninev2 · 56-60, F
@Vivaci You’re not alone in that.

The global community of nations condemns their barbarity in Ukraine. On the up-side, they still have North Korea and Belarus as friends
@newjaninev2 All communists cum autocratic peas in a pod. 🙄

We should put them all in a spaceship 🚀 and blast them into space like General Zod trio…
the ministry of truth strikes again.

good job Winston..
SW-User
@TheOneyouwerewarnedabout I hear the clocks striking thirteen somewhere
@SW-User 100 years from now they'l teach it was mickey mouse first in space. after disney buys the rights 😏
Adaydreambeliever · 56-60, F
well maybe but honestly, it's not like Yuri Gagarin is going to care if his name is removed.
ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M
Stupid. :( Well, unless they were getting threats or something?
FreestyleArt · 31-35, M
Just waiting for the right moment while most are too quick to Judge.
Human1000 · M
I appreciate his protest.
SW-User
Some people like nothing better than mistreating someone in the name of a good cause.

I'm pretty sure Huxley said something to that effect in one of his novels.

Regardless, this kind of thing is stupid. It implies collective guilt, which only a fool would believe in.
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@Human1000 That’s the stupidity of racism, in a nutshell.
DrSunnyTheSkeptic · 26-30, M
@CopperCicada can't express how moronic that was, not only racist but also ignorant because morons can't tell a sikh from a muslim
Budwick · 70-79, M
@CopperCicada It's OK to come out your Mommy's basement now Copper.
Everyone still calls 'em French Fries.

 
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