It’s very interesting to watch Vladimir Putin dig up old grievances and engage in the kind of propaganda that can only be described as another “big lie.”

Grievances

It’s clear by now that Vladimir is full of grievances, just like a fat, white, racist MAGA supporter. Now, I don’t personally speak Russian, but for people who do, Putin’s latest stemwinder speech — which reminded some people of Trump’s extemporaneous speaking style — makes it clear that Putin wants to refight the Cold War, but this time with a different outcome. 

I guess Putin didn’t think the Russians got enough “respect” when the Soviet Union fell apart — and to be fair, I think Americans were a little bit unnecessarily gleeful at the time — but that ship has sailed. Clobbering the Ukrainians isn’t going to get the Russians the respect that they think they were denied.

Propaganda

Putin in his speeches has made some bizarre accusations and used really inappropriate language in reference to Ukraine and its President. He has (of course) accused (without evidence) the Ukrainians of “genocide” in the breakaway regions; he has called the Zelensky administration a “bunch of drug dealers”; and claimed that he was going to “de-NAZIfy” the Zelensky administration (among other things).

Zelensky is Jewish, just in case you were wondering.

Also, Zelensky isn’t the one invading other countries without provocation.

Apparently Zelensky did not genuflect enough to Putin, just like in the old Godfather movies.

Putin is engaging in exactly the kind of “big lie” propaganda that has been part and parcel of all big lies: telling lies so preposterous that no one would believe that someone would say them if they were not true.

But they are not true.

By now, in 2021, you would think that people are no longer as susceptible to the big lie as people were in 1939. If only.