tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post114683949544525427..comments2023-11-05T09:55:13.077+02:00Comments on Itching for Eestimaa: Dear TassGiustinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04756707910693785516noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-1147716634156105192006-05-15T21:10:00.000+03:002006-05-15T21:10:00.000+03:00It is comforting in a way to read that there are p...It is comforting in a way to read that there are people who actually do understand the grave injustice that has been done to the Estonians in the past and the stupidity of the propaganda that is pouring by the shitloads from the East. You are truly an enlightened man! Marvellous job on the blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-1146919202191545352006-05-06T15:40:00.000+03:002006-05-06T15:40:00.000+03:00Anonymous,I agree some parties can seem more 'nati...Anonymous,<BR/><BR/>I agree some parties can seem more 'nationalist' than other parties.<BR/><BR/>But there isn't one party in the Riigikogu that is planning to even make Russian an official language or extend automatic citizenship to all residents. <BR/><BR/>And that's a rather low rung, considering that Finland has Swedish as an official language even though when it was passed into law, Swedes were 13 percent of the population. Now they are 6 percent.<BR/><BR/>I don't think that many Finns are proficient in Swedish anyway. But that' snot the real point. The point is that all of those parties aren't even willing to do what Finland did for its Swedish minority. <BR/><BR/>They all must retain nationalist 'street credentials' to remain in power.Giustinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756707910693785516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-1146918947504793692006-05-06T15:35:00.000+03:002006-05-06T15:35:00.000+03:00It's all politics. Personally, the image of this o...It's all politics. Personally, the image of this obviously non-Estonian soldier in a Soviet uniform in the middle of the city is a little weird, but it doesn't bother me much.<BR/><BR/>But it helps Isamaaliit score well with their supporters I guess. The same thing could be said of Dick Cheney's speech recently. Everyone thinks that he was in Lithuania to "start a new Cold War" - but in reality his approval ratings, and the president's approval ratings, are in the dismal low 30-percent range. He is VERY unpopular here in the US.<BR/><BR/>Going to Lithuania and warning of Russian backsliding on democracy not only helps Balts like Valdas Adamkus out because they need to remind Moscow that they have some big friends too, but it makes Cheney look good because he is out of Washington and doing something everybody respects him for - being an old Cold Warrior.<BR/><BR/>Hell, I even liked his speech, though I don't think it was done in a way that could ever reach Kremlin ears. It's just a tool for him to secure support among his political base here in the US.<BR/><BR/>All of this crap is just politics.Giustinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04756707910693785516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-1146902080478329862006-05-06T10:54:00.000+03:002006-05-06T10:54:00.000+03:00Old habits die hard, and it seems to be extra hard...Old habits die hard, and it seems to be extra hard for those who had to relinquish some of the previous entitlements and privileges. This all could be kind of funny, if it wasn't such a serious matter. However, I have a sneaky feeling that "the other guys" will not see seriousness or humor in all of this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-1146868053470761232006-05-06T01:27:00.000+03:002006-05-06T01:27:00.000+03:00Giustino - would you send to me an email? I would...Giustino - would you send to me an email? I would like to speak with you more about Estonia and retrieving resources for some writing I'll be doing.<BR/><BR/>Thank you,<BR/><BR/>Jeff<BR/><BR/>jwright226@hotmail.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13406351.post-1146854518477507852006-05-05T21:41:00.000+03:002006-05-05T21:41:00.000+03:00Technically you are correct, however Isamaaliit ca...Technically you are correct, however Isamaaliit calls itself "rahvuslased" which, directly translated is nationalists, but in practice indicates concervatives. The other parties in Estonia rightwing or not do not call themself rahvuslased.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com