Ted Rall for August 29, 2022

Love it, the best part was, “they don’t blame us for out government”.

Most Europeans don’t blame us for our government. I’ve worked all over the world, and most of my colleagues just ask “what happened over there?” I have been getting that question since the George W. Bush days, and I rarely have a decent answer, alas. Sometimes I refer people to Democracy in America by deTocqueville, who pretty much had us nailed in 1840.

And in any case, the risk in going to Russia is not from the people, who have historically felt a bond with Americans (for no real clear reason), but from the government itself. But since you work for them now, you were probably safe, Ted.

As it happens, I have not gotten to Russia yet (one client passed on the proposal), but I have been in China, as well as a number of sketchier countries, and I was reasonably certain that I was being watched at all times. I was careful, especially when roaming around Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the like.

People are good everywhere, fascist leaders are crap wherever you go.

People are people… all over the world. I’m sure the people of Russia are just as nice and welcoming as anywhere else.

That doesn’t change the fact that the leader is a tyrannical dictator.

“Safer than N.Y.”… as long as you say the right things. Moscow police detained children for laying flowers at Ukrainian embassy. Outspoken political opponents have “accidents”. But sure, if you keep your mouth shut, it is safer to walk the streets at night alone than N.Y.

My experience is that if you go to most foreign country’s and don’t act all “MAGA” or do what used to be called “acting like an ugly American”, the people don’t have a problem with Americans. I have been asked if I was a Trump supporter by people who clearly disliked him. Thankfully I am telling the truth when saying “absolutely not”.

I lived in Libya during the Reagan years. I was there when they bombed Tripoli. They hated our government, but still welcomed Americans. Most people around the world don’t equate people with their government.

“They don’t blame us for our government.” Note how Ted sneaks that barb in under the radar. There’s far, far less to blame us for concerning our government than there was four years ago.

Oh Ted, come on. We have a good, strong government with good people in it. Are there problems, yes.

But you know what? Most of the folks in the world ADMIRE our government while at the same time are bewildered by our anger at it. They know that we have a good thing and wish that they were us.

Great ‘toon, Ted! Only liberals blame the U.S. for the world’s troubles.

And I’m glad that the traveler didn’t see a reason to necessarily blame the Russians for their government.

NYC is actually very safe.

Personal experience is often the main determinant when we make judgements. Should anecdotal evidence be the SOLE factor in making such sweeping statements?.

They don’t blame us for our government because they know they aren’t to blame for their government. But after seeing Russian news “talk shows” i wonder if they blame us for those senseless scream fests

Stay their Ted. Putin needs more soldiers.

Should’ve tried standing in front of the Kremlin with a “Нет войне!” sign. You are against war, right?

Well yeah, the war is a long ways away from St Petersburg and Moscow. His friend needs to consult a map if he was afraid he’d get bombed. But it can be dangerous for Americans to visit Russia all the same, especially if you have a connection to the American military or the defense sector, as you may be targeted for unlawful arrest either for intelligence gathering or prisoner exchange if they consider you sufficiently valuable. This isn’t something new, by the way; it’s been a problem for a while.

The people are fine. It’s the authorities you need to be careful about. That’s true in a lot of countries.

That said, I do appreciate your honesty in at least describing the war in Ukraine as a war. You would not be permitted to openly do so in Russia, of course, but you safely can do so now that you have returned to the US.

Ted did you question the Russian people about why they allow that $hitty leader to still be in power?:

My day just crashed. Mikhail Serge’ich died last night.

Пусть во веки живет он в память мира и в наших сердцах.