"Conversion of Russia" Update:

Putin Secures His Dictatorship

by Christopher A. Ferrara

        In "formerly communist" and newly "democratic" Russia a very strange process is going on: "democratically" elected representatives are falling all over themselves to help Vladimir Putin secure his position as Russia’s neo-Stalinist dictator.

        On October 29, 2004 The New York Times reported that "Russia’s lower house of Parliament took its first step toward adopting President Vladimir Putin’s overhaul of the country’s political system, despite signs of popular dissent …" Under this "overhaul" the popular election of all of Russia’s local governors will be replaced with direct appointment by the Kremlin — that is, by Putin. The vote was 365 in favor and 64 against. After three "readings" the measure will go to the upper house, or Federation Council, which is also "dominated by Putin loyalists." Of course, the bill will pass.

        The legislation would also end popular election of about half of the 450 seats in the Parliament, which would be filled directly by the dominant political party — that is, by Putin, as head of the Unified Russia Party, which is nothing more than Putin’s sock puppet.

        Putin’s few remaining opponents have denounced the legislation as unconstitutional, but Putin has that objection covered: the same legislation will also abolish Constitution Day, the day on which Russians celebrate the adoption of their "democratic" constitution after the "fall of communism." Problem solved.

        Now this is very curious: according to the Times, "Many of those affected — governors, presidents and other leaders of the country’s republics and regions — have lined up behind the proposal to eliminate their electoral mandates …" They just can’t wait to do themselves in! I wonder why. In an especially helpful gesture, the governor of St. Petersburg, Valentina Matviyenko, declared that "Russians instinctively supported authoritarian rule."

        So, the cat is finally out of the bag: let’s have no more of this "democracy" business. That was just for Western consumption — yet another false "opening to the world" by the ever-wily Russian bear that even William Safire now views with rising alarm.

        As for the Fatima revisionist neo-Catholics who have watched this spectacle unfold, what do you have to say for yourselves now? What’s that? I can’t hear you! Funny, but you all spoke rather loudly about how very wrong Father Gruner was, how very fanatical — I believe is the word you used — it was for Father Gruner to continue insisting that despite the "consecration of Russia" in 1984 and the glorious "fall of communism" in 1991, nothing had really changed in that poor nation because Our Lady’s simple request had not been honored in the manner She requested.

        Well, I can understand their silence. They know they are wrong, and they are embarrassed. But let us hope that in their embarrassed silence they feel at least some twinge of remorse over their own complicity in the suffering of Russia, the Church and the world. For they could have urged the Pope to do what he ought to have done, but instead they validated the lie that "a consecration of Russia without mention of Russia is what the Mother of God requested". And now we see the results of that lie, as Vladimir Putin rises as the next dictator of long-suffering Russia.