One of the most important targets of propaganda is dehumanization of adversaries, opponents, enemies.
When your opponents are properly dehumanized, you perceive them as Untermenschen, subhumans. And, e.g., information about bombing and shelling those subhumans comes in easier: killing or oppressing subhumans is not a tragedy at all, they are not like us, they are worse, those bad guys well deserve what they are getting...
The current propaganda of Kiev (Kyiv) regime reached great success in dehumanizing of mostly ethnically Russian* population of Eastern Ukraine, especially of the unacknowledged Donetsk and Lugansk Republics. And 'vatnik'** or 'kolorad'*** are one of the softest terms they use for their formal compatriots that have enough nerve not to share with Bandera-followers their Western Ukraine-born extremely nationalistic ideology.
Wake up and see. Population of one part of Ukraine that came to power by means of a coup d'état (mistakenly taken by many for the 'Revolution of Dignity') does not want let another part live as they want. Using a real doublespeak they equated aspiration for federalization of Ukraine to separatism (which was 100% stupid, yet proved to be a very effective step in the direction of dehumanization of opponents), and that started the so-called 'Anti-Terrorist Operation' (against those who absolutely do not comply with the term 'terrorist'). Namely, a civil war.
It's not easy to see common people among those declared subhumans, yet they are. They want peaceful life, jobs, social protection. And waht seems (but just seems) to be a stumblig stone — they want to be a part of Russian World (including Russian language education), which is quite understandable, as this land for centuries was a part of the Russian Empire and than the USSR.
Evidently, some people really think the Germans in Belgium or the Swedes in Finland have more rights, because the Germans and the Swedes are first class humans, and those in Eastern Ukraine are not. In fact, following Hitler/Goebbels and their predecessors.
I hope the majority of people world wide do not share this pretty racist viewpoint, and sooner or later it becomes evident through democratic procedures.
Because people of Eastern Ukraine are just like you.
And here is a really nice proof of what I say. I do not remember who said music is a universal language, but I agree it definitely is.
Two retirees from Donetsk play music. Donbass Arena are Anatoly Bukhtiyarov (accordion, 74 y.o.) and Nikolay Gladkov (drums, 72 y.o.); they can play almost anything from Russian folk songs to classical music and hard rock.
Since this video was recorded in August, some things have happened, press says. A mortar bomb exploded 25 metres away Anatoly's house, he was contused and a splinter cut his eyebrow. He is a lucky one in comparison with hundreds of mostly civilians who have not survived the war. The civil war.
And the brave retirees go on playing in Donetsk every Saturday and Sunday (except for some days when there were heavy shellings). They complain now their open air concerts attract hundreds people (before the war there were thousands coming to listen and see), but hope that music will help Donetsk people to survive and remain who they are: humans.
Neither 'super', nor 'sub'. Just humans.
______________
* Regarding ethnicity and nationality while discussing Russian and Ukrainian matters, please follow this link.
** Please read the footnote to this post.
*** 'Kolorad' has nothing to do with Colorado river. It's derived from Russian words for Colorado potato beetle as a derogatory and offensive term for those bearing so called 'ribbon of St. George'. In Ukraine, the ribbon became a symbol and distinction sign for those who stand against Ukrainian Nazism.
When your opponents are properly dehumanized, you perceive them as Untermenschen, subhumans. And, e.g., information about bombing and shelling those subhumans comes in easier: killing or oppressing subhumans is not a tragedy at all, they are not like us, they are worse, those bad guys well deserve what they are getting...
The current propaganda of Kiev (Kyiv) regime reached great success in dehumanizing of mostly ethnically Russian* population of Eastern Ukraine, especially of the unacknowledged Donetsk and Lugansk Republics. And 'vatnik'** or 'kolorad'*** are one of the softest terms they use for their formal compatriots that have enough nerve not to share with Bandera-followers their Western Ukraine-born extremely nationalistic ideology.
Wake up and see. Population of one part of Ukraine that came to power by means of a coup d'état (mistakenly taken by many for the 'Revolution of Dignity') does not want let another part live as they want. Using a real doublespeak they equated aspiration for federalization of Ukraine to separatism (which was 100% stupid, yet proved to be a very effective step in the direction of dehumanization of opponents), and that started the so-called 'Anti-Terrorist Operation' (against those who absolutely do not comply with the term 'terrorist'). Namely, a civil war.
It's not easy to see common people among those declared subhumans, yet they are. They want peaceful life, jobs, social protection. And waht seems (but just seems) to be a stumblig stone — they want to be a part of Russian World (including Russian language education), which is quite understandable, as this land for centuries was a part of the Russian Empire and than the USSR.
Evidently, some people really think the Germans in Belgium or the Swedes in Finland have more rights, because the Germans and the Swedes are first class humans, and those in Eastern Ukraine are not. In fact, following Hitler/Goebbels and their predecessors.
I hope the majority of people world wide do not share this pretty racist viewpoint, and sooner or later it becomes evident through democratic procedures.
Because people of Eastern Ukraine are just like you.
And here is a really nice proof of what I say. I do not remember who said music is a universal language, but I agree it definitely is.
Two retirees from Donetsk play music. Donbass Arena are Anatoly Bukhtiyarov (accordion, 74 y.o.) and Nikolay Gladkov (drums, 72 y.o.); they can play almost anything from Russian folk songs to classical music and hard rock.
Since this video was recorded in August, some things have happened, press says. A mortar bomb exploded 25 metres away Anatoly's house, he was contused and a splinter cut his eyebrow. He is a lucky one in comparison with hundreds of mostly civilians who have not survived the war. The civil war.
And the brave retirees go on playing in Donetsk every Saturday and Sunday (except for some days when there were heavy shellings). They complain now their open air concerts attract hundreds people (before the war there were thousands coming to listen and see), but hope that music will help Donetsk people to survive and remain who they are: humans.
Neither 'super', nor 'sub'. Just humans.
______________
* Regarding ethnicity and nationality while discussing Russian and Ukrainian matters, please follow this link.
** Please read the footnote to this post.*** 'Kolorad' has nothing to do with Colorado river. It's derived from Russian words for Colorado potato beetle as a derogatory and offensive term for those bearing so called 'ribbon of St. George'. In Ukraine, the ribbon became a symbol and distinction sign for those who stand against Ukrainian Nazism.
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