Things That Go Boom

by Christopher A. Ferrara

        The dupes of Fatima revisionism have blinded themselves to the rapidly descending neo-Stalinist dictatorship of Vladimir Putin. They even proclaim it a "miracle" that Putin has ascended to power because, so they claim (apparently in all seriousness), Putin is a "practicing Christian." Meanwhile, even the left-leaning secular media are sounding the alarm about the Practicing Christian’s dictatorial moves, with lead articles in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, among other major media outlets. Even George Bush and Colin Powell have chided the Practicing Christian on the Stalinist direction of his regime. But still the Fatima revisionists pretend not to see the massive amount of egg on their faces.

        In a previous column I wrote of the mysterious syndrome, DUGS (Death by Unknown Gunman Syndrome), that has claimed a number of prominent journalists and politicians who have been openly critical of the regime of the Practicing Christian. Now it seems a new syndrome plagues the Practicing Christian’s dwindling political opposition: Coincidental Bomb Syndrome (CBS).

        On February 3, 2004 The Times reported that a potential victim of CBS, Yelena Tregubova, was nearly killed when a small bomb exploded outside her apartment door "moments before she left her apartment for a taxi that was waiting downstairs." Tregubova, a journalist, has "created a sensation with a behind-the-scenes account of Vladimir Putin’s rise to power." The Times notes that the "force of the blast, estimated at one to two pounds of explosives, destroyed a door opposite hers and broke windows and fixtures in the hallway of her apartment."

        A police official said the bombing was being investigated as an act of "hooliganism." A hooligan is "a tough and aggressive or violent youth." (American Heritage Dictionary). Ah yes, it must have been a hooligan who built, planted and timed that bomb to explode just as Tregubova was leaving to catch a taxi. Kids these days! Way too much time on their hands.

        While the Moscow police pretend to look for their hooligan, Tregubova no doubt lives in constant, quaking fear of being the next CBS victim. And well she should. In her best-selling book she recounted how in 1998 the very married Practicing Christian pressured her into a date at a sushi restaurant and then made unwelcome advances that she rejected. The book contains other revealing vignettes which the Practicing Christian’s "press aides" warned her not to publish, such as his remark to a boy who had been hit by a car: "From now on you won’t be violating traffic regulations any more." Apparently, Putin doesn’t feel your pain.

        Tregubova, who has been expelled from the Kremlin press pool and had her TV interview cancelled under Kremlin pressure, says she wrote her book to reveal "how the Kremlin’s efforts to control news organizations had greatly restricted freedom of speech." A loss of journalistic liberty seems to be about the least of Tregubova’s problems at the moment. Watch your back, lady. CBS may get you yet.

        Welcome to Year Twenty of the "conversion of Russia."