I don't think most regular Republican voters praise Russia, but many Republican politicians are anti-Ukraine aid, and support policies that could help Russia. I think these politicians are somehow influenced by Russia (money? kompromat? just simply knowing Russia has effective disinformation and conspiracy theory networks?).

[–] drathvedro@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

many Republican politicians are anti-Ukraine aid, and support policies that could help Russia

The anti-Ukraine-aid(as in, not giving Ukraine military aid) I can understand. Support policies to help Russia, not so much. But what I'm talking about is I frequently see these nutjobs on Twitter who praise Putin and Russia, while piling up on Zelensky and Ukrainian media resources. Usually those seem to be some kind of religious fundamentalists who think that Russia is some kind of bastion of christian and traditional values. There are even a few who actually moved to Russia and are now used as token "Americans who fled the evil woke culture" on the Russian TV and other media. What these guys are failing to realize, though, is that what they perceive as "christian and traditional values", are actually remnants of criminal/jail culture of the 90s where prisoners would commit homosexual acts against each other to establish hierarchy, and, outside of it, excommunicate or even murder their friends, who came out as gay, out of irrational fear of same acts being done to them. The Russian Christianity... it's more of a "Pacification & Penitence Inc." rather than strict adherence to any particular set of of biblical doctrines. And for Putin... if there was a contest for "inventor of the most non-binding and legally undefined terms and half-measures" he'd definitely be the winner - ffs, he hasn't even properly declared a war to Ukraine, what "strong leader" are they talking about.

What's particularly cringe and really pisses me off though is when those guys try to flip Ukrainian patriotic symbolism, e.g. chanting "Slava Russia", wearing Russian flags, or making fun of Ukrainian casualties - in Russian culture, wearing a literal flag as a cape is disrespectful, "Slava X! [to] Y slava!" originates from a nazi chant and doesn't really make sense in Russian language, while the last one is just plain distasteful.

[–] 31337@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago

Hmm, I suspect the pro-Russian Christian people you're seeing online are extremely-online people with mental issues, or are a part of Russia's disinfo campaigns, or both. Most of my family are evangelical Christians, and are not pro-Russia (but, are pretty crazy about other things). Many of my friends and associates are either Protestant or Catholic, and are not pro-Russia. I've never seen what you talk about online (I don't use Xitter, or TikTok), but have heard about some extremely far-right "Catholics" switching to "orthodox," and still, those people are an extremely-online, extremely small group of people, AFAIK.

IDK WTF you're talking about with the prison rape shit, but it sounds very conspiratorial and homophobic. I could be ignorant, because I'm not too familiar with Russia's domestic history, but what you are saying sounds pretty outlandish. However, I agree that religion is often used as a tool of control by the state. I.e. "religion is the opium of the masses."

Being against lethal aid to Ukraine could be about austerity, isolationist, or pacifist principles, but the politicians blocking the aid have no principles, and often advocate for violence elsewhere.