VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY

RON RIDENOUR—Finland began following the rest of the West with neo-liberalism deregulations and cutbacks in the 1980s, but has not gone as far as the others yet. One of its hallmarks is education. See Michael Moore’s most recent film (2016), “Where to invade next”. It is an excellent and entertaining source for values in which the US is contrasted to several countries. Finland tops the world for the best education, the best results for its elementary school students, who also rank among the happiest. Its secret: no homework, more time to be young, to play, to relax. Students are motivated to learn in a disciplined way for the 20 hours they attend classes.

MAX PARRY—When Ukraine was incorporated into the USSR, the nationality question was kept under control by the fact that Soviet citizenship was not restricted by ethnic identity and all Ukrainians were citizens of the Soviet Union.

Immediately after Kyiv declared its independence in 1991, ethno-nationalism resurfaced just as it did in nearly every ex-communist country in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, from the breakup of the former Yugoslavia to more than three decades of frozen conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Once the Warsaw Pact disbanded, the West began to absorb all of its former signatories into NATO, reneging on the agreement made between Mikhail Gorbachev and then-U.S. Secretary of State James Baker who promised that it would not move “one-inch to the east.”

Last Wednesday, 4 May 2022, Caleb Maupin filed what is surely one of his most important chats, covering, as usual, a variety of topics, but the outstanding part comprised a couple of subjects rarely discussed with such honesty and lucidity, namely, the issues that define what is being “on the left” in the US, and the urgent need for a completely new approach to regain relevancy. Up to this point, says Maupin, the Right is eating our lunch. While the left has spent much of its political capital on what he defines as depressing and even pessimistic “causes” (abortion rights, overpopulation, anti-imperialist struggles, environmental destruction, etc.), all of which are valid and even urgent, Maupin notes that they also usually trigger a negative reaction in the working class, thereby opening the door to the Right, with its misty-eyed hymns to family, patriotism, praise for the invididual, “democracy”, “freedom”, “free enterprise”, and so on.

Barack Obama recently traveled to Stanford University to deliver a speech decrying the proliferation of lies and conspiracy theories, particularly those promulgated by the right wing on social media. Obama’s proposed solution: more censorship by social media outlets and increased government regulation. Jimmy and American comedian Kurt Metzger wonder at the way so many Democrats have embraced censorship to quash purported “lies and conspiracy theories” while simultaneously spreading so many of their own.

GILBERT DOCTOROW—Over the course of the past six weeks, I have several times pointed to the changing mood of Shakhnazarov with respect to the ‘special military operation in Ukraine.’  At first he was buoyant, then he was fearful that the operation was going badly and running out of control, and finally he appeared to be ‘all in,’ looking for ways for Russia to win decisively and quickly.

Last night, we heard from yet another mood swing.  I bring it to the attention of readers, because it has great relevance to the current complete passivity of our general public in the face of some very peculiar policy decisions with respect to Russia being made at the highest levels in the USA and in Europe, with zero public consultation so far.

To be specific, Shakhnazarov expressed amazement and deep worry that Western leaders have literally ‘lost their minds’ by pursuing measures to destabilize Russia in the hope of precipitating the overthrow of Vladimir Putin and maybe even the disintegration of Russia in a way similar to the dissolution of the USSR in late 1991.