I’m not saying you shouldn’t be angry, nor that they shouldn’t face repercussions for what has been done, but here we’re talking about banning tourists, i.e. people who travel out of Russia and presents a golden opportunity for two things: Perspective shift and escape. Does it help further the goal of our sanctions by saying “I hate you so I don’t want you around”? What that’s effectively going to do is deny them yet another avenue of perspective, and they will remain in a country full of propaganda reenforcing beliefs that their country and people are doing a fair thing.
And besides, it’s not like they aren’t facing prejudice in the aforementioned countries, and that they’ll have a nice time. Russian speakers are not liked over here, let me assure you.
And let me be very clear: Russian soldiers raping moms and stealing their kids is not what I’m saying you shouldn’t hate. They deserve every gram of hatred. But like it or not, we’re not able to directly impose consequences nor deterrents onto the perpetrators from our position, unless we want to go in by force (that means war). So our next best thing is consequences to those who may influence them in one way or another, i.e. the general population. But is hating them a consequence? They don’t see that hatred if all they see are the walls inside their country.
The general population are still to be held responsible for what they directly or indirectly support, even by just being of the same nation. But is preventing tourism something that will make them think “this is my government’s fault”? That’s the question, and your (and many other people’s) hatred is making you blind.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t be angry, nor that they shouldn’t face repercussions for what has been done, but here we’re talking about banning tourists, i.e. people who travel out of Russia and presents a golden opportunity for two things: Perspective shift and escape. Does it help further the goal of our sanctions by saying “I hate you so I don’t want you around”? What that’s effectively going to do is deny them yet another avenue of perspective, and they will remain in a country full of propaganda reenforcing beliefs that their country and people are doing a fair thing.
And besides, it’s not like they aren’t facing prejudice in the aforementioned countries, and that they’ll have a nice time. Russian speakers are not liked over here, let me assure you.
And let me be very clear: Russian soldiers raping moms and stealing their kids is not what I’m saying you shouldn’t hate. They deserve every gram of hatred. But like it or not, we’re not able to directly impose consequences nor deterrents onto the perpetrators from our position, unless we want to go in by force (that means war). So our next best thing is consequences to those who may influence them in one way or another, i.e. the general population. But is hating them a consequence? They don’t see that hatred if all they see are the walls inside their country.
The general population are still to be held responsible for what they directly or indirectly support, even by just being of the same nation. But is preventing tourism something that will make them think “this is my government’s fault”? That’s the question, and your (and many other people’s) hatred is making you blind.