Much talk this week, and some resentment about all the coverage, or attention Pussy Riot is getting, as if they were the perceived wrong choice on American Idol. Yes, many brave dissidents don’t receive the recognition they should, or the assistance they need, but I don’t see how that takes away from this outfit’s struggle for freedom of expression. Their actions effectively draw attention to the fact that in Russia, church and state are in collusion, though that is nothing new. Putin’s relatively recent crackdown on protest is, and what the group, along with thousands of other Russians, are reacting to, and against.

I even got into a discussion about their deliberately provocative name. Pussy Riot is not about sex, or being sexy, it’s a way owning the word, much the way feminists have reclaimed cunt and slut. At least the group puts its money where its mouth is, the women committed to do the time for their civil disobedience crime.

This is important but I have an aversion to bandwagons. Though it is rather lame to post Facebook memes in alignment with a cause, not everyone can, or aspires to be, an activist. Many people are busy with the business of survival and if things aren’t that dire, it’s always a good idea to clean up one’s own backyard first.

Freedom is everything.  Don’t think it can’t happen here. The writing’s on the wall, probably spray painted by hooligans. We might work on dealing with that as well.

BY ANY OTHER NAME

Shoot the Messenger. Burn the Witch.

Jesus Palace. Auto Nuns, soldiers, cops

Mash heads, mangle blue baklavas with red,

Heat working to freeze tongues.

No way to dodge rain, Sluts smoke

Beneath the bellowing chimney,

Head-gear-removed-strip show.

Wet. Bare. Shamefaced. Silent. Nyet.