The recent post about Gorbachev's un-death brought up an interesting point. To the West, Gorbachev is a hero who brought down the Soviet Union and ushered in an opportunity for freedom and capitalism.
But in Russia and many other parts of the former Soviet Union, Gorby is very unpopular and seen as a traitor that ruined millions of lives. Our Kazakh/Russian reader Sanchez put it this way:
"Gorbachev is a miserable person. There is a reason why everyone hates him. Should have never ruled any country, not even talking about USSR. The fact that the person of his caliber showed up in Louis Vuitton travel bag advertising proves that. A sellout."
It's a perspective that we in the West don't often see. Just look at the Reagan cowboy hat picture. A Russian must see that as a total capitulation to Reagan. Just imagine if the roles were reversed. Both in Russian fur hats with the snowy taiga in the background, Reagan about to turn Iowa farms into vast collectives. How would we feel about the Gipper then?
And this, the LV ad. Imagine Reagan, living out his retirement, without dementia, doing an ad for Hungarian buses or Cuban sugar.
Der Spiegel story on Gorbachev as a traitor, courtesy People's Wheels, another Commie blog.
Absolutely agree, for all of us, former USSR citizens Gorbachev is murder, poor politician destroyed one of the most powerful countries in the world.
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