There are, and always have been, TWO Russias. There's the Russia of the Tsars, the Soviets and the post-Soviet dictator Putin. Then, there's the people's Russia.

The people's Russia includes the 20-something young men who are ripped from their homes and ordered into uniforms to kill (and be killed by) people who the Russian "leader" deems to be enemies. Today, the are sent to Ukraine. In previous eras, they were sent to Prague and Budapest.

The people's Russia includes Dostoevsky and Gogol, Rachmaninoff and Stravinsky, Chagall and Kandinsky.

The stupid leadership of the country contributes nothing but unnecessary suffering and death. The people of Russia create joy and wonder and deep feeling. I love the people's Russia—and have nothing but contempt for that country's unfortunate and cruel "leaders."

I do not believe that the alternative to evil leadership is chaos. The alternative to evil leadership is civilization.