Robeson and the USSR

[Chris Doss]

I was here in Russia during the whole controversy over bringing back the
Soviet Anthem. That was when I lost whatever dregs of respect I still had
left for the liberal Russian intelligentsia. You don't nreath a word while
millions of your fellow citizens drop into poverty, and then what do you get
worked up about? A cultural symbol! Scumbags. They won't be happy until the
country is reduced to a little province of Western Europe and they can go be
toasted in Geneva as great fighters for democracy.

Not only is it a great tune, its adoption is a sign of the cultural
reconciliation that Russia desperately needs. Things like this get lambasted
a lot in the West (creeping Stalinism! Oh no!) but they are considered very
precious by millions of people in Russia who don't want to feel that three
generations of their country's history were a total waste. The same goes for
attempts to revive a modified and voluntary version of the Young Pioneers
and, partially, for the proposed return of the name Stalingrad to Volgograd
(mostly in honor of the Battle of Stalingrad, not Uncle Joe).

BTW, if anyone wants a good laugh, plus a reminder of what bullshit the
mainstream media are, check out Time Magazine's.1943 Man of the Year piece
on Stalin.

Chris Doss
The Russia Journal
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Chris Brooke wrote:


>The Soviet National Anthem is back...it is the National Anthem of Russia,
>with new words.

And, blissfully, the new words are written by the same poet who wrote 
the original verse in 1943, Sergei Mikhalkov (b.1913).

I think it's his _fourth_ set of words for the same tune: after 
writing the original words, there was a new verse to get a mention of 
Stalin added a little later, then they were replaced with new words 
which didn't mention Stalin but which had good things to say about 
Lenin; and the new words don't celebrate communism at all but nod in 
the direction of God, the flag, the size of the country, etc.

But it's a fine tune, and it's good to have it back.