I strongly disagree with Rick Martin's
letter in The Post on the 21st August regarding Pussy Riot's imprisonment. The
Russian authorities should not be applauded for carrying out what was obviously
a show trial by a kangaroo court. The court's refusal to hear many defence
witnesses attests to the fixing of the trial from the start. The draconian
sentencing was a statement made by the ruling clique of Russia that dissent
against the country's 'managed democracy' would not be tolerated.
I take issue with the point Mr Martin said about the "older and
religiously devout" being traumatised by Pussy Riot's protest. You need only
take a glance at Russia's modern history to see economic collapse, enforced
athiesm, war, terrorism and the choatic collapse of a police state. Amid all of
this I am sure many elderly Russian worshippers would have seen more disturbing
sights than Pussy Riot.
To dismiss Pussy Riots' protest as disrespectful religion is to miss
the point of their protest entirely. Pussy Riot chose the cathedral in question
as a venue because of alleged support that members of the hierarchy of the
Russian Orthodox Church had given to Vladimir Putin's candidacy for the
Presidential office. So far I haven't heard any messages from the hierarchy to
object to the authorities' over-reaction.
I find it ironic that Mr Martin's remedy for the alleged ills for
Pussy Riot is to force these feminists to read a book promoting patriarchy. As
an athiest I find his assertion that a lack of religious leaning breeds bad
behaviour offensive.
I commend the efforts of Pussy Riot to strike a blow for freedom. It
is they who should be applauded, not the Thug-in-chief Putin and his minions in
the Russian government.
Regards
Zachary Barker
