We heard President Joe Biden announce during the State of the Union address Tuesday night that he was closing American airspace to Russian jets, something many European countries had already done. The idea is to isolate Russia to rebuke Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine. A lot of people are having ideas of how they can sanction Russia in their own ways, like refusing to buy Russian vodka. Some people are taking things too far, though. We didn’t believe it at first, but a university in Italy has reportedly posponed the teaching of Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Italy’s main University in Milan just banned teaching Fyodor Dostoevsky because he’s a Russian writer.
Dostoevsky was sent to a Siberian labour camp for reading banned books in Tsarist Russia.
We are reaching levels of hatred and stupidity that I thought were never possible.
— Alessandra Bocchi (@alessabocchi) March 2, 2022
The news is true but not exactly how reported. They did not ban teaching Dostoevsky, they delayed a 4-lessons course to 'avoid controversy'. The decision was indeed stupid, and after some debate on socials raised by the professor, they came to senses and confirmed the course.
— Desirée Brambilla (@DesyBra) March 2, 2022
They're cancelling Dostoevsky???
— EMRMusk (@Mehitabel1234) March 2, 2022
We are entering into dark days, ironically forecasted by Dostoevsky himself.
— Thomas Ryan (@thomasryan_bcn) March 2, 2022
Just ban the periodic table of elements already 😂
— Bobstar 🐵🙈🙉🙊🐒 (@bobstar_m) March 2, 2022
This is the problem with today’s culture: long on virtue signalling, short on substance. We no longer have the patience to weigh complexities; instead, we react theatrically to information we’ve gleaned from headlines.
— Scout Gilmore ☕️ (@gilmore_scout) March 2, 2022
In Scotland, the Glasgow Film Festival has announced that it is withdrawing two Russian titles from the program. “We just believe that it would be inappropriate to proceed as normal with these screenings in the current circumstances,” reads a statement.
Recommended
https://twitter.com/glasgowfilmfest/status/1498315807176073219
Banning books, films, athletes, musicians, students and everything else simply because they're Russian achieves absolutely nothing positive for anyone – just a little social media clout – but creates a toxic climate designed to foster the darkest and ugliest instincts in humans. https://t.co/I7iOUwzoFL
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) March 2, 2022
So, banning the works of some Russian Indie filmmakers who probably hate Putin more than anyone in the West hurts Putin HOW, exactly?
— THE Crapplefratz (Accept no substitutes) (@Crapplefratz) March 2, 2022
Boy, I didn't realize fighting for freedom & democracy entailed all this censorship and going after artists.
— ~Syl (@MMOsyl) March 2, 2022
Right after few complained about sending athletes to compete at the Genocide Games in China.
— Οὖτις 🇺🇸 God Bless America. I identify as Οὖτις (@Call_Me_Outis) March 2, 2022
The Russian conductor of the Munich Philharmonic was sent packing for refusing to denounce Putin:
Russian conductor Valery Gergiev has been fired from his post with the Munich Philharmonic for not rejecting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Rotterdam Philharmonic in the Netherlands also cut ties with Gergiev. https://t.co/FWVsDnZoQ9
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 1, 2022
And we’re hearing from Chinese state-owned media that Russian cats are being banned from international competition:
Sanctions on cats? 🐈
Russian-owned cats have been banned from international competition following the invasion of Ukraine. FIFe (Fédération Internationale Féline) has also ruled that no Russian-bred cat can be imported and registered in its pedigree book outside Russia. pic.twitter.com/8CBHfgGTOZ
— CGTN Europe (@CGTNEurope) March 2, 2022
https://twitter.com/adler_jd/status/1499132111982411785
https://twitter.com/RieggerRie1/status/1499133382361587712
is this satire?
— Leigh, ghost seal enthusiast (@freckle_red) March 2, 2022
https://twitter.com/EbrahimDarsot23/status/1499110866565967877
This becoming like a joke now
— Clayton (@Clayton09934928) March 2, 2022
And a Philadelphia bar owner knew he couldn’t do much, but he tried to persuade fellow bars from serving “Moscow Mules.”
From a bar in Philly area. They are now trying to change the name of the “Moscow Mule.” This is so stupid pic.twitter.com/qQ9KVsJEV7
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 1, 2022
Im old enough to remember “Freedom” Fries.
— Shaun (@DubbleH33lix) March 2, 2022
Freedom Fries energy
— JerseyTerp93 (@nopolit11310698) March 1, 2022
Freedom Mule!
— Angus T. Kirk (@angusparvo) March 1, 2022
In light of this news, WW3 has been cancelled.
— Memphis (@Randall__Raines) March 1, 2022
They should just invent a slight variation and name it the Kyiv Kicker.
— AmishDude (@TheAmishDude) March 1, 2022
Can’t believe this cocktail, made with vodka, lime and ginger beer invaded Ukraine.
— fiiaammettaa (@Nickoooch) March 2, 2022
https://twitter.com/MacGruber44/status/1498776477868961796
They don’t even drink Moscow Mules in Moscow LOL.
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) March 1, 2022
Should have stopped at “this is a ridiculous way to spend my Saturday night”
— Ryan (@Rtbuff) March 1, 2022
If we see any more cultural bannings of all things Russian (or Russian-sounding) we’ll let you know.
Related:
‘Heartbeat away, folks’: Kamala Harris breaks down the situation in Ukraine, ‘a country in Europe [that] exists next to another country called Russia’ https://t.co/ye1vhfHoBS
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 1, 2022