Major Major Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Three female members of a Russian punk band 'Pussy Riot' have just been found guilty of 'hooliganism motivated by religious hatred', after performing an anti-Putin piece in a Moscow cathedral back in February. Their sentences have not yet been announced, but it's believed they will get three years. It appears that their target was not so much the Russian Orthodox church per se, but more the church's unwavering political backing of the hated Putin. Pussy Riot have received support from musicians from all around the world, all to no avail. I'm wondering how people feel about this, and what kind of reaction there would be in the US if musicians (or other activists) were to hold protests in whatever your most sacred holy places might be. Over here for example, gay rights activist Peter Tatchell performed some kind of stunt a few years back in Canterbury Cathedral, I believe. Yet all he received was a slapped wrist. And I would love to have seen our anarcho-punk sweeties Crass invade Westminster Abbey to take a shot at the wretched Labour government & unions who brought the UK to its knees during the 70s. So, are we Westerners too tolerant of protests? Should churches be considered no-go areas when it comes to political activism? Or would Jesus himself in fact have approved, bearing in mind his overturning of the tables at the temple? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookie0024 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I think that Russia has a real, tangible problem with corruption, and there is a distinct tension to any kind of protest that is perhaps absent from similar stunts in America and the UK. If we examine the manifesto of the Pussy Riot campaigners they targeted the church due to its political involvement, the religious significance seemed to be an auxiliary concern. I'm all for highlighting social injustice, and if we need to offend theists to make our voice heard then it is a necessary step. In my opinion the free speech and proliferation of protests found in Western countries is something to be celebrated, as the freedom to voice your opinion is a virtue that is too-often restricted in other countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Melanie Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 IMO if this happened here in the U.S. the band would have been thrown out or arrested but not held without bail. If charges were to be brought up against them I don't think they would get any jail time. I don't think what is going on has anything to do with religion and everything to do with Putin flexing his power, punishing anyone who speaks out against him and his government. I fear that he would like to go back to a more Communist form of government, certainly one that keeps him in power without any opposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillumpuffer Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 2 Years in Prison. About the same amount of time Chas & Dave should have got for ruining my morning at Knebworth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillumpuffer Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 "IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO WANTS TO ROCKABILLY?" Uh, no. No Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillumpuffer Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Nope. The line up - for the audiably insane was: Chas and Dave, Fairport Convention, Commander Cody, Southside Johnny and The Astbury Dukes, Utopia and the Boys. The second show had The New Barbarians - I don't know who dropped out. Could have been any or all of them, except Todd. I have always wondered what Chas and Dave were thinking the night of the 3rd August? Also what would have occured if Chas or Dave had been taken ill? I mean when Cream went off from Coffee and Cream in Pheonix nights Michelle Coffey did a solo spot. She nailed "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chillumpuffer Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Total Eclipse is a great song, although I haven't heard that particular version. Should I check it out? errr no man. It's from Pheonix Nights - The Peter Kay series. The funniest ever series ever and If I'm lying may I be cut up and made into soup btw CP, I'd just like to point out that you're approaching 666 posts. Do you plan to retire at that point, like betteremily did? The Devil I won't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 That Pussy Riot case is a fucking sham and disgrace...just as the phony case the Russians railroaded that oil billionaire on, whose name escapes me and I can't google right now. In fact, he recently expressed sympathy, support and outrage for the Pussy Riot girls. There was an excellent article about the case in the Times a week or two ago. Just goes to show...some things in Russia haven't changed that much from the bad old Cold War days. Oh, and the most awesome version of Total Eclipse of the Heart is by Hurra Torpedo...feast your eyes and ears on GENIUS!!!: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truth and beauty Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I think this whole situation is very Russia-specific. Firstly, it is all about Putin.. he allowed the authorities to anticipate his wishes and crack down hard on Pussy Riot. Then at a late stage he called for leniency ... which meant in practice, two years rather than three. And the Russian Orthodox church has emerged from years of suppression ... which seems to mean the current church practises its views with intensity and conservatism, and is more likely to take offence at this kind of action. Their own belated response was for the church's patriarch to call for leniency too... It's hard to imagine how any of this would translate to other countries: in the UK, what action would simultaneously provoke both the church and the state.. and who would choose BOTH as targets ? In the US, I think some faiths, and some politicians , are sufficiently identified with each other to form one target for protest .. but there's more pragmatism and more perspective in the States : we'd have a media circus for a few days, but I suspect common sense in the way offenders were dealt with .. hard to be certain, because it's hard to imagine translated to the US. Pussy Riot's new release, to coincide with their sentencing, is " C'mon Putin Light my Fire" ...... whoops I meant to say " Putin Lights the Fires" .... IMO it's way more listenable than that stuff they did in the church. Something very deliberate about that too .. PS almost forgot .... that bill at Knebworth : totally soporific ! I went the previous year which was headlined by Genesis and had some great supporting acts, some of which I managed to summon my attention for ! But in 79 you could happily have been unconscious all afternoon . No worries, everyone knew that year it was all about Zep . And wasn't it just. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ady Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagittarius Rising Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 ^^^ Don't know about genius but it is obvious they have a certain disdain for major appliances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagittarius Rising Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 That is fucked up!!! These girls rock and they are making an important statement which that bitch Putin can't handle, but what would one expect for the ex-head of the KGB. Just remember what happened the last time an ex-KGB chief was the Soviet Premier...Good old Andropov miss interpreted the Able Archer exercises in November of 1983 and we came closer to nuclear war than any other time, including the Cuban Missile Crisis. A fact most Americans do not know. It was a General who pulled the plug on the tactical missile launch and saved the world. After that Andropov had a "health issue" and conveniently died paving the way for Gorbachev. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anjin-san Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 >That Pussy Riot case is a fucking sham and disgrace...just as the phony case the Russians railroaded that oil billionaire on, whose name escapes me and I can't google right now.< Mikhail Khodorkovsky Putin- former KGB chairman,why the hell is anyone surprised? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redrum Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 They shoulda been in L.A. for the Rodney King riots. :^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe (Liverpool) Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Pity their music is shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagittarius Rising Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Pity their music is shit. That's what we all love about you Joe, you are always so positive and diplomatic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe (Liverpool) Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 That's what we all love about you Joe, you are always so positive and diplomatic I try my best. Diplomacy though.. NO that was taken away a long time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Well it appears the Russians didn't get all the Pussy. A couple escaped their evil clutches: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-two-pussy-riot-members-flee-russia-20120827,0,3499258.story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrycja Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Madonna's contribution to the topic, as only Madonna can (ACC, Sept. 12, 2012) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redrum Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Looks like a real pussy riot here. :^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juliet Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 I saw one of the band member's husband on CNN...he had his young daughter with him...she wants her mommy and doesn't understand what is going on.. Juliet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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