Dear Editor,
Amid the historically unprecedented Russophobic outburst in Western media justifying the killing of Russian Ambassador to Turkey the social networks feedback to these publications show that Russophobia is not related to common people’s thinking, but is influenced by certain politicians. This trend is now inspired by the Goebbels theory of justifying the murders and the killing of harmless people by shooting them in the back.
Outraged users expressed their reprehension to New York Daily News columnist Gersh Kuntzman in relation to articles about the murder of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey.
The articles justified the murder of Ambassador Andrey Karlov, and compared the incident to the murder of a German diplomat by a Jewish student in 1938, describing the culprit who killed Mr Karlov as “not a terrorist, but a soldier.”
Most people expressed their indignation in an extremely sharp form. They questioned the professional suitability of Mr Kuntzman, and wondered how the newspaper could publish such material, accusing the journalist of justifying terrorism and Nazism.
“Terrorism is terrorism. You are saying if it is against Russia it’s justified? Shame on you”, said IF.
“You should be ashamed that your comment about the death of Andrey Karlov is the lowest of the low”, said Tonii Nobis.
“If you openly praise terrorism, maybe you should talk to the security services?” commented DickieH.
“Well, Gersh, allow me to also make historical connection. You sound like Paul Joseph Goebbels,” said Seeker.
Many users have reminded Mr Kuntzman that American diplomats were killed in the Middle East also. In 2012, during the attack of militants on the US consulate in Benghazi, US Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens was murdered. People said that following the logic of the journalist, a diplomat’s death is to be justified too.
“You wrote a similar article about the murder of the American ambassador in Benghazi?” was Gorsky Dmitriy’s comment.
“So, because America is bombing Libya and Syria, you would feel fine if Libyan or Syrian terrorists killed an American officer? Shame,” said Burton Fisher.
“Why don’t you criticize U.S actions in Syria? Bought out by c.i.a much?” remarked Ieuan Rhys Jones. Some people have suggested that Kuntzman’s main task was to drive a wedge between the Russians and the Americans, and the article was not the product of his own thoughts, but that he was ordered to write it.
“Perhaps the main goal of these people (and I assume … leaders who stand for this type of position) is incite hatred among the peoples and nations to each other, especially between the US and Russia”, said Vasiliy Karlov.
“By supporting [a] terrorist Gersh Kuntzman became an accomplice of the terrorists. Justifying the killing of the Ambassador, Gersh Kunttsman justified the Nazis… Gersh Kuntzman, start thinking, instead of obediently writ[ing] what is ordered”, said Valentina Kosmin-Saunina.
After the publication of Mr Kuntzman’s article, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said that the agency would require an apology from the American newspaper. “Did you realize that you have equated the fight of the Jews against anti-Semitism in the late 1930s with the terrorist methods used by Islamic State and Al-Nusra Front, which claimed credit for this terror attack? Are those the same things to you? Do you express the same or [an] even greater amount of understanding [of] suicide attacks in Israel?” she asked the author of the article rhetorically. Zakharova then called on “anti-fascist organizations throughout the world” to give their opinions about the publication.
The journalist refused to apologize, and in his blog on Twitter he said that he had been called on by President Vladimir Putin to apologize. In response the users called Kuntzman “a liar” and noted that the Russian leader had never done this.
Russian Ambassador Andrey Karlov was killed on December 19 during an armed attack in Ankara. The offender shot several times in the back and was overpowered by the police. The incident is viewed as a terrorist attack.
The Russian Embassy expresses its appreciation to all those who have left messages in the Book of Condolence at our diplomatic mission, including Minister Carl Greenidge, former President Donald Ramotar, Ambassadors and Chargés d’Affaires and members of the public.
Yours faithfully,
Aleksei Illiuviev
Press Attaché
Russian Embassy in Guyana
