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Editorial: Blame Putin, not Russians

Whenever a country commits an atrocity or is otherwise responsible for a negative world event, there's a tendency for people to put the blame on the residents of that country.
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Whenever a country commits an atrocity or is otherwise responsible for a negative world event, there's a tendency for people to put the blame on the residents of that country.

After 9/11, people from the Middle East (and arguably, Muslims around the world) were treated with suspicion of terrorism. It's an unfair reputation that is arguably still upheld today.

A similar level of distrust was lumped on Chinese people in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the virus was first detected in that country.

Russians may be the next nationality to face a form of unfair backlash, following the country's invasion of Ukraine. Even though the invasion was an order from Russia's president Vladimir Putin, everyday Russians will likely shoulder some resentment from others. 

In some ways, this guilt-by-association has already happened. In Calgary, a Russian Orthodox church was vandalized last weekend, when the church's doors were splashed with red paint. In television interviews following the hateful act, the pastor of the Russian church said he was from Ukraine, and couldn't understand why vandals who are upset at the ongoing conflict would target a non-political institution that has nothing to do with the war.

It's arguable that most Russians are as horrified by the invasion of their neighbouring country as other nations. Thousands of Russians have risked arrest and detainment in recent days to protest the war. Russian athletes like hockey player Alexander Ovechkin and tennis player Andrey Rublev have used their celebrity voices to speak out and encourage their native country's leaders to pull the plug on the invasion. 

As the conflict continues, our newsroom would encourage our readers to not mistreat someone just because they are Russian. Discourse and empathy are more important now than ever.

 

 


Airdrie Today Staff

About the Author: Airdrie Today Staff

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