This is precisely what leads to atrocities like Japanese internment camps. We are repeating dark history in real time and it's being actively cheered on by a bloodthirsty mob who have no regard for innocent civilians and kids.
Refugees are human & need help, but it isn't quite the same.
Even if they're anti-Putin and anti-war, if they've been trying for years to change things they can't escape being Russian/Belorusian.
[0]: https://twitter.com/AlinaLeonovaSF/status/149945792856210227...
What are you referring to here specifically? Genuinely curious. I haven’t encountered much anti-Russian sentiment (yet), I’ve only noticed anger towards Putin, his cronies, and their soldiers. As far as I can tell, most understand that the Russian people didn’t choose this despite how little they did (or could do) to stop it.
Ehh, this is nothing compared to Japanese internment camps. And not suggestive of bloodthirst or disregard for children.
> anecdotes of "Russian" restaurants being boycotted vandalized
This is sad. And even sadder, completely unsurprising. But again, a few anecdotes of stupids doing stupid and hatefuls doing hateful, doesn’t qualify as a “bloodthirsty mob with no regard for innocent civilians and children”. Not to minimize the experience of those victims — I’d be furious and concerned about escalation if I were them — but the original comment suggested something much more broad-based and sinister.
(Interestingly, my first reply was downvoted prior to this reply. And this isn’t the first time I’ve been downvoted for an innocuous question related to this war. And no explanation or rebuttal is ever provided. I wonder…)
I just don't feel like catologing every red flag instance on here. It's a more widespread social trend.
>I’d be furious and concerned about escalation if I were them — but the original comment suggested something much more broad-based and sinister.
The comparison was in regards to polarizing dehumanization that's often a precursor to many bad situations. I think you're drawing conclusions from OPs statement that aren't there.
The populist trend to try and deport/target innocent exchange students is definitely a trend in that direction however.
Fair enough, but since this then becomes fully anecdotal and about personal perspective I should share my own: I am seeing far far less ignorance than i’d normally expect. And certainly far less than i‘ve seen the past few years within the US. But, that said, I no longer use Facebook. And I rarely use Twitter. So…maybe that’s why.
> I think you're drawing conclusions from OPs statement that aren't there.
Maybe you’re right. I’ve been seeing a lot of Russian-invasion-related hyperbole on HN; I’m trying to cut through the BS.
> The populist trend to try and deport/target innocent exchange students is definitely a trend in that direction however.
I’m even having trouble finding reference to this online. I see that Swallwell [1] suggested this, but the same article claims it was the first time the suggestion was mentioned by anyone. And I don’t see any other relevant articles at all [2]
[1]: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/swalwell-floats-ex...
[2]: https://news.google.com/search?q=%E2%80%9CExchange%20student...
[0] https://www.newsweek.com/russian-conductor-fired-two-orchest... [1] https://www.npr.org/2022/03/03/1084205316/russian-cats-banne... [2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharysmith/2022/03/01/10-stat...
This is bloodthirst? This is disregard for innocent children?
I must have the wrong dictionary.
[edit:as far as being simply “anti-Russian”, perhaps this qualifies. I can see how it might be concerning and even foreboding. And we should keep an eye on it. But i think it’s a stretch to call it anti-Russian. At this point, it’s really just anti-war and equivalent to communal shaming and shunning. I doubt many poor Russians will be hurt by the cat/vodka ban. And they certainly wont care that a likely-wealthy Putin supporter must now look for another job.]
I don't know what the best course of action is right now, maybe the sanactions are the optimal choice. But afterwards, I hope people remember history and what happens when you kick a country that's already fucked.
Fortunately we aren’t quite at WW1 equivalence yet. And, my history isn’t even close to perfect, but i believe the Germans pre-ww1 were, per capita, much wealthier and much more aggressively nationalistic than your average Russian. They were also much more industrious and threatening (disregarding Russians current world-destroying arsenal and unpredictable leadership).
But you’re right, it’ll be an interesting, precarious situation regardless.
There were a lot of other ones too though like would WWII have happened if the Allies enforced German disarmament?
The world is different now today though and far more global. Post WWII, West Germany and Japan became Western success stories by integrating them into the global economy.
I suspect future post-war reconciliation will like more like WWII than WWI.