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PRESIDENT VLADAMIR PUTIN led a huge commemorative WWII march through Red Square today as Russia celebrated 70 years since Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
Clutching a portrait of his father Vladimir, who fought in the war, Putin unexpectedly joined a massive column of some 250,000 Russians who carried pictures of their relatives in a Kremlin-backed campaign dubbed the “Immortal Regiment.”
“I think that my father, just like millions of simple soldiers – and he was a plain soldier — had every right to walk through this square,” Putin told reporters on Red Square.
The 62-year-old president said the campaign was a tribute to the country’s fallen soldiers and civilians but also a sign of Russia’s strength.
“It also speaks of our self-confidence, confidence in our strength and the happy future for our children.”
The crowds of Russians proudly carrying portraits of their relatives snaked along central Tverskaya street, Moscow’s main avenue, before reaching Red Square.
Earlier in the day Putin presided over a mammoth parade featuring more than 16,000 troops and cutting-edge military equipment.
In what is seen as punishment for Kremlin’s meddling in Ukraine, Western countries led by Russia’s World War II allies boycott the May 9 festivities, leaving Putin to mark the big day in the company of the leaders of China, Cuba, India and other Moscow-friendly figures.
But Putin chose to ignore the boycott, thanking Britain, France and the US for their “contribution” to the defeat of Germany.
“Our fathers and grandfathers went through unbearable suffering, deprivation and losses,” Putin said, feting the country’s veterans and the “grandeur of Victory over Nazism”.
“We are grateful to the people of Great Britain, France and the United States for their contribution to victory,” he added.
Source: Alexander Zemlianichenko" title="">
Source: Alexander Zemlianichenko" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
Source: AP/Press Association Images" title="">
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Political correctness gone mad
Yes Brian, it’s a nasty word, but context is the thing here. An innocent ‘mistake’ receiving the ultimate punishment, stupid really.
Had he said the word that would be one thing. .. but it’s in a song and plenty of black rappers are nig**r this and that with the biatches and the hoes. .. We live in a society where people are becoming addicted to being offended
I think we should ban the letter N
That would be letterist, let’s ban the complete alphabet….
I remember a memo went around a few years ago in the retail store where I worked and we were told not to say black bags when referring to refuse bags in case it was deemed offensive ! Like seriously they are black and they are bags , mad .
Coloured bags…or is that offensive too?
Did a coaching course recently and was training 11 year old lads. A few points you were made to remember were as follows:
1) Under no circumstances use the word ball on its own, always football or soccerball.
2) When picking teams at random, never have minorities in the same team (two lads in the class not ethnic Irish)
3) And finally, no matter what happens eg. a bad fall, never make any kind of physical contact eg. hand on shoulder………..
Its gone to fuc*
Baing the letter would be osense. I say o to that proposal.
Will Tim Westwood a white BBC DJ who plays rap songs which use that word sometimes dozens of times in one song,be asked to ‘fall on his sword’?
Liberalism is the new Fascism.
This is, without a doubt, political correctness gone mad. Comparing a DJ losing his job the realities of authoritarian nationalism is pure histrionics, though.
“Liberalism is the new fascism” sounds like a headline from the Daily Mail or the title of a Fox News segment.
In fairness Tim Westwood should ne sacked for a lot of reasons.
Stupid who ever complained has way to much time on their hands…..
Sure its generally black lads who use the word “nigg#r” in their lyrics so I don’t see how they can be offended! Reinstate that man.
Absolutely ridiculous. I listen to Eazy E all the time and love to sing along. I bet if the song had white trash or cracker in it, there would be no issue
The N word never doesnt appear anywhere in any of Eazy’s records
Why is everybody hating on this comment?! It’s spot on!
Do BBC not play any Kanye West?
Kanye West isn’t black. He is a gay fish
No he’s not he just likes fish sticks
But that means he’s a gay fish?
has he a beard
A gay beard.
ITV1 got in trouble about 2 years ago for playing exactly the same song, don’t think anyone was fired though. We’re deteriorating fast if we can’t accept a genuine apology from someone who was unaware he was doing anything wrong. He’s just lucky he didn’t read out Huckleberry Finn on the air, he’d be in the stocks by now.
I remember that. The presenter above has played the song many times on his show over the years. But this version was new to him. When word that he was fired reached senior levels at the BBC, in fairness, they directed he be reinstated. But he has medical condition he says has been acutely exacerbated by the stress of the last few weeks and he needs time to recover.
There should be disciplinary action for those that handled it so badly.
World gone mad. Who would know the lyrics of an 80 odd year old song. I’ll tell you, someone who is 95 with an exceptional memory. ;)This guy only looks in his 60′s. And he got the sack after one complaint. Jeremy Clarkson is allowed to insult any one and still will. The difference, he does it on purpose and his show is one of the most syndicated in the world. If I remember correct, something like 168 countries= massive revenue.
Apologies 60 countries.
Total overkill. He himself was unaware the song contained the lyric as he played a version by a different band. It was only when he played it back later he realized the reference was in the song, and it’s barely audible. He then apologised twice on air and to colleagues. It was his immediate boss that should have to fall on her sword for firing him.
Jeremy Clarkson gets a slap on the wrist by the BBC for using the N word, this guy loses his job.
Its all about money at the end of the day. Clarkson brings in serious money to the BBC so they will never get rid of him. This chap however is expendable in their eyes and his job loss is a token gesture against “racism”.
One word, ridiculous
Pure and utter madness!
What will the good old BBC call the New Zealand rugby team next year, now there’s one, us some commentator going to get the chop .
Gerry, what about the All ‘very, very, very, very, very, VERY dark blue’ New Zealand team?
Apparently, the BBC are ignoring political correctness with their Croatian sitcom, You’ve Been Serbed.
If your that easily offended, then go f&#ck off then!!!
Theres p.c. mad and theres this. Silly
I guess the BBC will never show Chitty Chitty Bang Bang again so as it depicts a child catcher,a man that uses his powerful position to impose himself on vulnerable children.
Time to break out Blazing Saddles. Up yours ni99er!!!
Ok. But we don’t want the Irish.
I get no kick from champagne.
Absolute nonsense, I think the BBC are trying to make up for something else here!
What has happened to the concept of free speech?
I am sick to death over this political correctness era. You’d be afraid to say boo to someone these days.
The meeja has been taken over by a black one-eyed, one legged lesbian who works in the vatican.
BOO….I’m so sorry,I never intended to cause pain over that gesture. It wasn’t big or clever and I now must take responsibility for my actions
Yes. I once tried to make a post with the word snig@er in it and it wouldn’t post on here.
Took me ages to figure out what was happening.
As Lenny Bruce once said, it’s not the word that’s wrong it’s the context. The man didn’t even say it. Give him a break.
Warner Brothers have added a disclaimer before some more politically risqué content.
The argument, that would be the same here, is the content is a product of its time and any censoring of the stuff would be to deny the past and where we came from. No offence is intended, but the chance of offence should diminish the cultural addition the content represents shouldn’t be erased now that our political viewpoint has expanded to closer to where it should be.
Link:
http://www.barking-moonbat.com/images/uploads/PC_Warner_Bros_cartoons.jpg
Even thejournal is at this PC crap as I can’t post a link to one of my favorite books by Joseph Conrad
Westwood
Ha, pump ma ride ,UK!
Song of Sly and the Family stone: “don’t call me N- word, Whitey! Don’t call me whitey, N- word” to put on the radio like that no jealous. I wrote whitey because I am one. Peace!
The same people who deem this dismissal appropriate would no doubt tut sanctimoniously over honour killings and stonings for heresy as “barbarous superstition”.
In fairness try reciting eeny meeny miney moe without saying the N word !
Say tiger instead of the n word,
I read at the time he mumbled that part giving viewers the idea he may or may not have said it.
Not that
I condone racism but this has
Gone way too far. Too many
Gobsh*tes are being allowed impact
Everything and anything “non PC” and it’s
Ruining good people’s lives.
Shame on them.
Whats wrong with the “N” word ?
Nothing. You should use it.
We’d like to extend a laurel and hardy hand shake to our new,,,,,,, Nixxer
Yep. PC gone way too far.
What a load of bollocvjs
While I would never condone calling someone a nig ger, it’s always a pejorative term, does it matter whether you write “n-word”, “nig***”? It’s the same word in my head.
Why was the link to The Observer article on Enda Kenny’s n***er joke removed? That joke was far worse than a DJ playing an inappropriate song and it was made by the “leader” of our country.
Worlds gone mad. Only a blinking song
Honkies be trippin yo
Its like irish people getting upset over patty instead of paddy
Check out Tim Minchin on Prejudice and how words can be used to harm. http://youtu.be/KVN_0qvuhhw
Knick knack paddy whack give the dog a bone your old man came rolling home
is that a reference to bestiality there eoin?
I was once in an oil port called Punta Cardon in Venezuela where there were many members of a black tribe that the Mormons reckon are the remnants of one of the lost tribes of Israel. They are mostly ginger so how could you describe them without breaking the PC rules? I only wish that I had a photo to show.
I’ve not heard a watered down version of fairy tale of new York with the f word removed nor Hurricane by Dylan with the n word removed.
didn’t ronan keating (or one of those other ‘boyband ‘ gobshit*s) do a version of fairytail and instead of ‘fag got ‘ used the word haggard ? either way it was dire!
Pc gone nuts in some schools now u can’t use the word black board and in the rhyme eeney meany the n word was always used so why now should we not be allowed say it this race card is something else
Double standards bet that appears in rap all the time
have your say