The State Duma elections are coming up on December 4th. The power party, United Russia, has produced a video ad that they have since adjusted to take the mickey out of their political opponents, Fair Russia party. The original ad ran without a post scriptum. Now, I and many others who watched it were instantly of the opinion that, willingly or not, the United Russia ad playfully promotes the breach of a constitutional right to the privacy of one’s political opinion, as well as falls short of downplaying the whole “political business” to sexual adventure. The message adds to the ambiguity: “Let’s do it together“. The Quickie and Some Like It Hot instantly come to mind.
The question that concerns everyone is whether or not they should go to vote. With the President already clearing the way to the Prime Minister to run for presidency, the question is – what’s the point? Everything seems to have already been decided.
To me, this is very simple. By going to the polling station and filling in a paper, we use our right to express our political will. If this will is then compromised, then we have the leg to stand upon: because we actually were there, we voted, and we are being taken for a ride. If, on another hand, we stay at home and sabotage the elections, then we don’t use our constitutional right, and we thus delegate our political will to whichever political party that comes to power.
In the first case, we can argue for re-elections; in the second case, we cannot demand any more rights because we don’t want to even use the most important one we’ve been given.
The rest is simple. If we consider ourselfves individuals, then we can play an active part in the political life of the country. If we withdraw – for whatever reason – then we are just a part of the mass that breeds rhinos.
As for me, I’m a human.
By the way, if someone thinks that a Russian ad is daring, watch this Catalan video. Careful… don’t show it to your kids (unless they know something about adult sexuality already).
http://videosostav.ru/swf/hplayer.swf?fname=666fc5572a381141e471839edb1f4444
На русском/In Russian
Вопрос “идти или не идти” я решаю просто: идти. В данном случае наше главное право – это право выразить свою собственную политическую волю. Реален этот выбор или номинален зависит, в первую очередь, от нас самих. Мы настолько скептически ко всему относимся, а между тем все прорывы совершаются романтиками: не витающими в облаках “розовоочкариках”, а теми, в ком есть страсть и вера.
Если к нашему выбору не прислушаются, у нас, по крайней мере, будет повод для недовольства. Если же мы будем сидеть дома и саботировать выборы, тогда мы попросту не используем наше конституционное право, а заранее делегируем его любой партии, которая может победить на выборах. В первом случае, население может потребовать перевыборов. Во втором случае, оно вообще ничего не может требовать, т.к. оно не в состоянии и не имеет желания пользоваться самым главным своим правом.
Дальше все просто. Если каждый из нас – индивид, тогда мы можем брать слово и играть политическую роль в обществе. Иначе мы все – одна большая масса, из которой иногда рождаются носороги.
