The grandfather of Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s deputy prime minister, worked for a Nazi newspaper that recruited for the Galicia Division of the Waffen-SS — the same division as Yaroslav Hunka, the Nazi who was recently honored by Canada’s Parliament.
Calling either Russia or Ukraine Nazi is just historically incorrect. Neither are run by national socialist workers parties, which is what Nazi used to mean.
Of both only one is the aggressor in a bloody war against their neighbor, seeking territorial gain. The to and fro accusations of being Nazi really don’t help. There’s racist people in both sides some who actually think Nazi insignia are bad ass.
What really matters is actions, and from my limited understanding, that needs research after this had finished, is that the Russian side is more involved in cruelty, and that the Ukrainians show restraint and try to step up to try and uphold war conventions.
Actions are more important than words. None of them are Nazis, some of them may act like them.
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I’ll return the favor. I agree that Russian goverment is totalitarian and autocratic, with a touch of cult of personality. I’d consider it fascist and blatantly racist. But not Nazi, there’s no need for that term.
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Yup, fascism is a way better term. Doesn’t get confused with other political blends.
For instance Stalin and Putin have very different political ideologies (and Hitler for that matter) however the term fascism fits them all.
Gets rid of the historical discussion of both Russia and Ukraine being on which side as well.
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Stalin believed he was a communist. Some people even but into that today. He actually wrote a lot to have communism fit his particular brand of authoritarianism.
Putin is more nihilistic. He believes that he can recreate tsar Peters’ Russia. Or so I think, he doesn’t really publicize his ideas.
Of course calling each other Nazi is absurd. Why not Putinist? Why did evil today need bear the name of what evil was ninety years ago? Call them murderers racists, kidnappers. Why do we feel we need the term Nazi?
Look if they all start wearing SS uniforms, singing the Horst Wessel song, start obscure groups of Germanic mythology and read mein Kampf, then you can call them Nazi. This is an evil that needs a new name.
Because otherwise the other side will always point at the Ukrainians that did help the Nazis and say ‘you did that too!’ And that’s a useless discussion.
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That’s exactly what I say.