Requiem for an ex-communist (Yeltsin)
April 23, 2007, 1:47 pm |
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By Andrew L. Jaffee
Boris Yeltsin, former Russian President, has passed away. He led Russia out of communism (e.g., the Russian Empire) into democracy, only to see the man he appointed to succeed him, Vladimir Putin, erase his country’s evolution. Vladimir has surrounded himself with other former KGB goons, so in the Kremlin nowadays, “influence stems from the former Soviet organs of repression.”
Two events define Yeltsin’s commitment to democracy for Russia:
[1] …He won international acclaim as a defender of democracy when in August 1991 he mounted a tank in Moscow, rallying the people against an attempt to overthrow Mr Gorbachev’s era of glasnost and perestroika. …
[2] …Mr Yeltsin ordered Russian tanks to fire on their own parliament in October 1993, when the building was occupied by hardline political opponents [communist die-hards]. …
There were other times Yeltsin went to the mat for democracy:
…After challenging party conservatives and even Gorbachev himself, Yeltsin resigned from the party leadership in 1987 and from the Politburo in 1988. …
…Mr Yeltsin said that the rolling back of democratic rights in Russia would be tantamount to victory for terrorists.
President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced plans to abolish direct elections for regional governors and change voting rules for parliament. …
Perhaps a true measure of a man is a willingness to accept responsibility for his own actions:
…”I cannot shift the blame for Chechnya, for the sorrow of numerous mothers and fathers,” he said. “I made the decision, therefore I am responsible.” …
What will become of Russia with a goon like [Ras]Putin in power? Yeltsin must already be turning in his grave…
Related: Communism / Socialism, Russia