http://www.marginnotes.net/2007/04/29/why-are-they-desecrating-graves/ Baltimorean becoming a Montanan. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 12:29:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 http://www.marginnotes.net/2007/04/29/why-are-they-desecrating-graves/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Ainur Tue, 01 May 2007 23:20:00 +0000 http://www.marginnotes.net/2007/04/29/monument-with-a-soviet-soldier/#comment-72 Nicely written. You're welcome to use the photo! I was surprised myself of the scale of the violence. Demonstrations are the rule, but over 100 injured and one dead? Doesn't quite fit the old Russian joke about "those hot-blooded Estonians" (which used to be ironically meant). I'm a historian, and I'm usually against the removal of monuments as a seemingly easy way to escape the traumas of the past. In the case of Estonia, there have been controversies about monuments before, including a memorial to Estonian SS officers. Both monuments could serve to remind about the horrors of war and totalitarian regimes, but there will always be people who will abuse them, too. There's no easy way out, either way. Nicely written. You’re welcome to use the photo! I was surprised myself of the scale of the violence. Demonstrations are the rule, but over 100 injured and one dead? Doesn’t quite fit the old Russian joke about “those hot-blooded Estonians” (which used to be ironically meant). I’m a historian, and I’m usually against the removal of monuments as a seemingly easy way to escape the traumas of the past. In the case of Estonia, there have been controversies about monuments before, including a memorial to Estonian SS officers. Both monuments could serve to remind about the horrors of war and totalitarian regimes, but there will always be people who will abuse them, too. There’s no easy way out, either way.

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