Thursday, October 03, 2013

For once, I side with the Russians.

So, a couple of weeks ago, those annoying self-appointed do-gooders known as Greenpeace got tired of bothering Americans and other industrialized European or Asian governments and businesses and decided to go board a Russian oil rig in Russian waters to get the attention that their parents never gave them as a form of protest. They actually hung off the side of the Russian platform for several hours despite efforts of the Russian crew to get them to leave, but finally the Russian crew captured two and drove the rest of them off.

No surprises here. This is what the Greenpests do. They bother people and disrupt things and then go around telling everyone what a great thing they've done. But this time, they messed with the wrong country. No sooner had they sailed away and began congratulating themselves then the Russian Coast Guard popped up and boarded their ship, taking it and all of them into custody.

Whoops!

Now the 30 Greenpests find themselves incarcerated in Russian jails awaiting trial after having been charged criminally, and now reality is sinking in on these poor, sheltered first-world wanna-be crusaders.

Greenpeace crew in 'shock' in Russian jails

So 30 special snowflakes are just now figuring out that jail isn't a fun place to be, particularly Russian jail.

"Many of them are in a state close to shock ... They had never expected that they would face such consequences for their peaceful protest in a democratic state."
Yeah, because whoever thought that the Russians would ever do anything harsher than give them a scolding and send them home after a snack of cookies and warm milk?

The foreign detainees are struggling to make themselves understood since virtually none of the prison staff speaks English."
Hmmmm. Sounds to me like an expected risk of getting locked up in a nation where a language other than English is spoken.

Several of the foreign nationals have been placed in cells with Russians. A Polish activist is sharing a cell with four Russians, while one of the British activists has two Russian cellmates, both accused of robbery.
Who did they expect to be imprisoned with? The Moscow University Glee Club?

Several non-smoking activists also complain of being placed in cells with chain-smokers.
Again: it's prison. In Russia. They smoke there and everyone knows it. So why the pretense of surprise and/or outrage?

Greenpeace spokesman Aaron Gray-Block said in e-mailed comments that several of the detained activists "need prescription medication".

"A number of others are taking over the counter medications such as paracetamol for problems such as mild arthritis and back pain," he said.
While I'm sure that most of Mommy's little snowflakes are on trendy ADHD drugs, I find it hard to believe that all of these twenty- and thirty-somethings who were all set to scale oil rigs just days ago are now semi-invalid cripples. However, I'm sure that if they have legitimate medical needs, even the Russians will give them basic care. But they really shouldn't expect too much more by way of luxury.
A young Finnish female activist is a vegan and unable to eat prison food, Paikacheva said, adding that prison officials had denied her request for vitamins to be delivered to her.
Actually she probably can eat the prison food. At present she just doesn't want to. I'm suspecting that this will change when she gets hungry enough.

"Our activists have been charged with a crime that did not happen. They are accused of an imaginary offense," Greenpeace International Executive Director Kumi Naidoo said Thursday.
Yeah, but they're being held in very real jail cells, and that kind of trumps any rhetoric now, doesn't it?

Maybe the rest of the Greenpests will remember this the next time that they decide to go attention-whoring, and they'll stick to bothering American corporations that won't do anything to them, or maybe those nice Israelis.

OK, maybe not them. They don't seem terribly soft and cuddly, either.

14 comments:

  1. Да, я согласен.

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  2. First time I read that article, I had pretty much the same reaction. Sorry, but you interfere with a business, and they can charge you with whatever they want. Russia doesn't have an ACLU, guys. Enjoy Siberia. Don't pet the bears.

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  3. "The Finnish activist lacks a thyroid gland and needs to take medicine regularly -- hard to do without a watch."

    "A number of others are taking over the counter medications such as paracetamol for problems such as mild arthritis and back pain."

    Back in the days when we had a military draft, how many of these Greenpests, who participated in this military-style assault, would have been whining that they are unfit for military service?

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  4. Anonymous1:35 AM

    Priceless!

    gfa

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  5. Moscow State has a Glee Club? Who knew?

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  6. Give 'em an extra 10 years for criminal stupidity.

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  7. "So, a couple of weeks ago, those annoying self-appointed do-gooders known as Greenpeace got tired of bothering Americans and other industrialized European..."

    Other industrialized European?!?

    Two Words: "Rainbow" and "Warrior". ;)

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  8. @ Tam: Yeah, I should amend that to "industrialized European nations and the French". Props to the French for sinking them back then though. And did you know that the captain of this ship now detained by the Russkies was also the captain of the Rainbow Warrior when it was sunk? Some people just don't learn.

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  9. "And did you know that the captain of this ship now detained by the Russkies was also the captain of the Rainbow Warrior when it was sunk?"

    I did not know that! I nearly peed myself laughing, though. :D

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  10. They never learn... They SHOULD have paid attention when the French blew up their ship...

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  11. If Putin would jail 'Pussy Riot' for making fun of him why would he not jail these greens for obstructing is precious oil projects?

    These nutjobs don't see that most of the world is not as nice as the USA. Well they just found a little piece of reality.

    Bet when they get out they will go back to protesting but ONLY against 'nice' people.

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  12. Anonymous6:21 PM

    Don't drop your soap in the shower.If you have a shower or soap

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