Two Pussy Riot members flee Russia

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Guardian

Two members of Russia's anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot have fled the country to avoid prosecution for staging a protest against Vladimir Putin at a church altar, the band said on Sunday.

A Moscow court sentenced three members of the all-female opposition band to two years in prison on 17 August for staging a their song Punk Prayer at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in February and calling on the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin.

>

Police said earlier this week they were searching for other members of the band.

"In regard to the pursuit, two of our members have successfully fled the country! They are recruiting foreign feminists to prepare new actions!," a Twitter account called Pussy Riot Group said.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/aug/26/two-pussy-riot-flee-russia

[Vidar]

1. Glad they made it out.

[Iggy]

2. They Aren't Welcome in the U.S.

let's face it.. if I went in the main cathedral in Boston or NYC and did what PR did.. I'd
be arrested and heavily fined, too.

[cali]

3. that's probably right. You'd be fined.

do you not get the difference between two years imprisonment and a fine? Oh, and YOU have no fucking idea how much you'd be fined. Love that you think you can speak for the entire country, honey. you fucking well don't speak for me.

[Igel]

4. My problem's more in the realm of principle.

They intended to give offense. That's their schtick. They have a right to offend whoever they want to, wherever they want to, whenever they want to, and pretty much however they want to. There's a long tradition of this in "subversive" intellectual movements in Russia. You want to slap the public, dolt-slap the majority, because, well, you're just so much better than they are. It relieves them from any obligation to be respectful of their fellow citizens. The Supermen are ever thus.

However, many of the dolt-slappers of bygone years realized that if they gave offense they should be ready for when offense is taken. I mean, they want to be successful, you plan for success, right? They're claiming to be intellectually and/or morally superior. They know they can't pretend to have IQs in the single digits when people are suddenly offended and decide to respond in fairly predictable ways.

If you set out to catch a tiger by the tail, saying that not only are you an expert catcher but also well versed in tiger physiological and habits, you can't suddenly tremble in you boots and play the fool. "I thought it was an heirloom carrot. But I meant every word I said."

They did something. They were stupid enough not to figure out how it would work out--or believed themselves to be under some sort of divine grace because they're so morally superior. Yet they have no integrity. They believe themselves exempt from moral and legal judgment. They have belief in their goodness but aren't willing to play into the rest of the Russian schtick: That you must be willing to suffer for your principles if they're all that good.

If you're not willing to suffer for them, you've said they're worthless. That means the Pussy Riot folk on the run are either the equivalent of home-grown mercenaries and not true members of society or they're just cheap PR hussies on a kind of thrill ride. "Huh-huh, huh-huh. Got you to say 'pussy', Beavis."

[randome]

6. I'm not sure if anyone could have foreseen a 2 year sentence for making a statement.

Regardless of how one thinks that statement SHOULD have been made, they did not deserve this draconian treatment.

[Iggy]

26. Great Points.. Thanks

most of which I agree with.

If you're not willing to suffer for them, you've said they're worthless. That means the Pussy Riot folk on the run are either the equivalent of home-grown mercenaries and not true members of society or they're just cheap PR hussies on a kind of thrill ride.

Let's not judge PR members who bailed out of Russia so harshly.. until we know what's coming next.

think about it.. they have Sting and Sir Paul McCartney advocating for them and for the Russian court system
to be lenient.. how many times has McCartney played in Russia? they freakin love the Beatles there and they love him.

easy to predict this scenario: the PR members "on the run" hook up with Sting and/or McCartney.. they put some
music out together which calls attention to the "little" problem of Mr. Putin and how Russians are sick of
his BULLcrap. tons of media attention.. worldwide. Putin is made to look like a horse's ass.

the movement in Russia to be rid of him picks up steam.. isn't this exactly what PR members and their supporters in
Russia and elsewhere want?

[xtraxritical]

20. I think Iggy's post is perfectly reasonable and yours is rude.

[Iggy]

27. Thank You

apparently this person is having a bad day.

I think I can accurately say that almost all of the so called democrats in congress do not want subversives
like the PR members in the U.S.-- because obv they have the balls to speak out against what's wrong with
statism.

[Iggy]

25. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

nice whining. very nice.

I'm "probably" right about the heavy fine?? what a weak load.

[Kolesar]

8. Sometimes you have to go where you're really not wanted

--Sid Vicious

[NYC Liberal]

24. Doesn't mean it'd be right.

[valerief]

5. I heard they were waving their Mary-imprinted slices of toast as they fled.

Their destination? Hollywood, Florida, the Mary Toast capital of the world.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4019295.stm

[formercia]

13. Some very powerful people resent the Mary Toast.

There are some toes you don't want to step on too hard....

[valerief]

15. They should say the Mary Toast prayer

Hail Mary, full of jam, the Loaf is with thee; toasted art thou amongst women, and toasted is the Pop-Tart of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, buttered by God, pray for us croutons, now and at the hour of our pop-up. Ramen

[formercia]

19. Bless You, my child.

In the name of the Pasta, Sauce and Holy Meatball.

Ramen

[treestar]

7. So they were not in custody when sentenced

Where's the third? Hopefully will get away too.

[LisaL]

10. No, the convicted three aren't going anywhere.

But there were more than three involved.

[treestar]

12. Oh

How come they never got charged likewise?

[LisaL]

14. Police probably didn't know who they were.

If you look at the photos, these women have masks on during these performances.

[treestar]

17. I saw the video, with the masks

But hadn't realized there were more than 3 there.

But it's a band, so don't people know who they are? They'd have performed enough to be relatively famous? Maybe not.

[NYC_SKP]

21. There are at least seven members. Moscow police are still looking for members to "question".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/aug/20/russian-police-hunt-pussy-riot

Here are seven members:

[ismnotwasm]

9. Good

I hope they asylum somewhere.

[randome]

11. "Band on the run."

Sort of.

[truthisfreedom]

16. Good news.

[OverBurn]

18. They can crash at my place.

[limpyhobbler]

23. k/r I was just gonna say that

[gauguin57]

22. I'd like to see them perform at the GOP Convention.

The GOP needs a group called Pussy Riot to shock some sense into them!

[PD Turk]

28. Go!!