David von Eichendorf

A state that calls itself lawful and "equal for all" but protects only the chosen ones - lies and feeds on hypocrisy. This is not equality, but a tool of oppression. Where some are given greenhouse conditions while others are betrayed to the crowd and the police baton, that is not freedom and equality for all, but caste segregation enshrined in law, a kind of dictatorship of the majority under the mask of liberalism.

Such states, individuals, and other forms of associations love to rely on lists of the chosen: these we protect, and those we label degenerates and destroy. This practice is observed everywhere - from totalitarian dictatorships to countries that try, by their very nature, to present themselves as champions of equality and inclusiveness.

But all this equality and inclusiveness is not the result of society’s voluntary acceptance of these stigmatized groups, but the outcome of their own struggle. Without struggle, these societies exist only by the grace of diktat, and their existence can be revoked at any moment - rights and lives turned to ashes. Worst of all, it is always a selective list of protected groups, a selective list of those who can defend their rights, protect themselves, or exert pressure with the support or power of another state.

The rights of very small communities are almost never considered. Such communities have no real power to protect themselves from genocide. In reality, they are supported only by intersectional activists who understand the nature and interconnection of all forms of oppression and hatred transmitted or supported by those in power.

No "lists of the chosen" are needed. There must be one logical and humane rule:

• If a community does not harm others - it is not a crime.
• If a community does not destroy its members - it is not a disease.
• If the purpose of a community is neither crime nor disease, it has the right to protection, freedom of expression, and a peaceful life. Any repression against it is not "care" or "justice" but a form of genocide.

Any community - no matter how "alien" or "strange" it may seem - must be free as long as it is harmless. Those who leave such groups without protection become accomplices to violence and oppression. Hatred toward the harmless is not an "opinion", it is xenophobia, a crime, and cowardice.

Lists of "proper minorities" are a technology for sorting people into worthy and unworthy. They are a tool of power - to feed some while breaking and destroying others.

Even in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this mistake is entrenched: it enumerates groups instead of setting the principle of protection itself. Because of this, tyrannies continue to find loopholes, justifying discrimination: "such categories are not on the list." Never mind that the same text says "distinction of any kind". Lists are the weapon of oppressors, allowing them to hypocritically imitate commitment to human rights.

Particular hypocrisy is shown by states that ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but interpret it through religious or national filters, turning universal rights into a tool of selective repression.

For example, Saudi Arabia officially supported the declaration but continues public executions of gay people, justifying them as "incompatible with Sharia." A similar practice is characteristic of other signatory states: Iran, Russia, Egypt, Sudan, Nigeria, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates.

All of them use the declaration as a showcase for the global stage, while inside - they openly cultivate hatred and violence against LGBT people. Their signature on the document is worth no more than a hangman’s signature on a death sentence.

True justice is the universal protection of all harmless groups. Everything else is a lie covering up the dictatorship of the majority and the rule of abusers.

Freedom is not a privilege of the chosen. It is the right of everyone who does not harm others.

"Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty."

— Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 2

1. Democracy is not a value.
It is not an ideal, not a virtue, not a moral compass. It is a cold mechanism for counting heads - nothing more. To worship it as something higher is delusion.

2. Democracy does not guarantee prosperity.
History is full of "democratic" ruins, bankrupt states, and societies rotting in apathy. Votes do not build wealth. Ballots do not feed the hungry. Procedures do not save lives.

3. Democracy is legalized violence.
Every state rules by force. Democracy only baptizes this force with the will of the majority. Violence branded as "lawful" is still violence - brutal, merciless, and often blind.

4. Democracy is the tyranny of the majority.
The mob decides, and its will becomes absolute. Minorities can be crushed, erased, annihilated - and the system still calls itself "just." In truth, it is nothing but sanctioned oppression.

5. Democracy is not compassion.
Rights and dignity are trampled the moment they stand in the way of numbers. Without institutions and values stronger than votes, democracy degenerates into cruelty, where the weak exist only at the mercy of the crowd.

6. Democracy expands oppression endlessly.
Imagine a fire lit by the crowd. At first, only branches burn - the "obvious enemies." Then books and thoughts are thrown in, because silence must be kept. Soon, people themselves are fed to the flames - strangers, then dissenters, then those who simply stood apart. Each step feels justified, each expansion inevitable. The majority always demands a new victim, until nothing remains but fire itself.

Conclusion.
Democracy is not sacred. It is not justice, not freedom, not safety. It can liberate or massacre, uplift or devour. The true measure of society lies not in ballots, but in its humanity - in its will to protect every person, even against the frenzy of the majority.

"Peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish, regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, class, caste, or any other social markers of difference."

— Nelson Mandela

As a refugee from Russia, I call on the so-called western governments, the European Union, Canada, and other democratic societies to address an alarming reality: pro-Russian media funded by oligarchs and the state continue to operate freely within Europe and America, spreading propaganda and misinformation. Meanwhile, any journalist attempting to speak freely in Russia faces imprisonment, torture, or even death. Allowing such channels a voice here, while their government silences dissent at home, is a betrayal of the values that define free societies.

Freedom of speech must work both ways. When the Russian government blatantly disregards public agreements, such as upholding human rights, we must reassess the freedoms we extend to its advocates within our borders. Granting pro-Russian media the liberties their own country denies its citizens undermines our principles and security alike.

As societies built on the values of free speech, free thought, and open information, we must ensure these freedoms are mutually respected. We limit the rights of individuals who cross ethical and legal boundaries; this is why we have a justice system. Yet, we hesitate to place the same restrictions on a terrorist state that disregards fundamental human rights, undermines our societal stability, and, through its intelligence services, commits violent acts even within free nations. From the tragic Skripal incident to countless other examples, the threat is clear.

For those of us who have fled persecution, it is devastating to witness the West’s tolerance of forces that trample on basic freedoms. It feels like witnessing a re-legitimization of historical atrocities in front of the very people who have suffered from them. Just as rehumanizing the Holocaust would be an affront to Jewish communities worldwide, tolerating pro-Russian propaganda in free societies is an affront to those of us who have endured state-sanctioned oppression.

Russia’s flirtation with far-right movements in Europe and America is as hypocritical as it is alarming. While the Kremlin claims to be on a crusade against so-called "Nazis" in Ukraine, it eagerly courts neo-fascist and ultranationalist allies abroad. This twisted alignment underscores a disturbing truth: Russian political ideology today is a breeding ground for xenophobic and racist policies, often aligning directly with the core tenets of these far-right groups.

In Europe and the U.S., these far-right factions, championing anti-immigrant (for real of racism) and anti-LGBT agendas, echo sentiments regularly voiced by Russian leaders. It is no secret that Russia’s domestic policies are notoriously repressive, especially towards LGBTQ+ individuals and some religious minority communities. Racism under the guise of so-called "protecting the jobs" and xenophobia under the guise of protecting the so-called “traditional values and family” are normalized and even carved in stone by law. Far-right groups in the West look to Russia as a model for how to “reclaim” their countries from so-called "liberal rot". This dangerous synergy goes beyond words; it actively erodes democratic values and fuels authoritarianism on both sides.

The similarities between far-right agendas in the West and Russian nationalism are staggering. Russia and western far-right leaders share a chilling vision of society: one devoid of diversity, steeped in intolerance, and controlled by authoritarian rule. By aligning with the Kremlin, Western far-right movements effectively endorse Russia’s oppressive policies, lending credibility to a regime that routinely silences dissent and enforces rigid social conformity.

This growing admiration for repressive values threatens to drag the Western world back to a time when totalitarianism ruled and freedom was a foreign concept. The values of tolerance, diversity, and human rights - the cornerstones of liberal democracy - are now at risk. By embracing Russia, the far-right tacitly endorses a world order that marginalizes the vulnerable and criminalizes difference. This alliance does not just undermine Western values; it actively poisons them, making international organisations and treaties useless.

In a number of Western countries, including some European Union member states, certain political figures, such as Viktor Orbán, have been reported, according to a number of independent journalistic investigations and analytical reports, to be involved in corruption schemes and maintain close ties to Russian interests. These politicians have been seen actively undermining strategic decisions within institutions like the EU and NATO. Such actions often appear to betray the very values these bodies were established to protect.

These figures frequently block critical initiatives, especially when these actions contradict Russian interests: from halting Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia’s entry into NATO at crucial moments, to sabotaging military aid and delaying EU membership processes. Their actions are not isolated; they reflect a broader agenda to weaken these alliances from within, aligning with Russian interests over democratic principles.

This manipulation sets a dangerous precedent, eroding unity and compromising the stability and security these institutions are meant to uphold.