This Is Navalny - Benefit concert

[Patrick Bateman]

Now I see.
It's just that Pet Shop Boys have a lot of things about Russia, Putin and Ukraine, but I, for example, haven't seen any posts or songs about migrants and crime growth in England, although it's also a very important topic for everybody, not only for England, for Europe and for Russia, USA, for everybody.... But apparently they don't care much about it.

It is clear that PSB are interested in my country and they care about what is going on. But, there are things that are happening in your own country and it's strange that they don't write anything about it.

I haven't heard an opinion from them about Palestine and Israel, for example. From Neil, to be exact. Clearly Chris doesn't like to discuss anything publicly.

Neil isn't going to criticise immigration as he's a classic liberal - the UK could have 10 million people coming in every year and liberals like Neil would be wanting more.*

*until it affected their own lives (and those of their children), rather than the working class.

[Spittingcat]

Parkol, you are welcome here in the UK. No need to be stirring up anti-immigrant feeling here to divert from Putin’s crimes.

Oh… another one. Migrants aren’t the problem, inequality and hate and fear are. Beware millionaires and billionaires telling you that migrants, jews, muslims, women, homosexuals, trans people are any other group are your enemies, while they themselves are blatantly stealing from the nation. Be that Putin, Trump, their inner circles, or so many others that follow that pattern, across time and continents.

[moxlox]

Wish I could go. It's brave of them; I leave it at that.

This was what I was thinking...

[psbfannyc]

https://www.facebook.com/share/1FRFxrEpcA/

[tottenhammattspurs]

I find it quite eye opening that those bands that always had a big following behind the iron curtain (Depeche U2 etc) are surprisingly quiet. You’d think they’d be jumping on this.

[Spittingcat]

U2 : https://youtu.be/xxwhKN0DVYo

A must listen for people that still don’t get it.

There may be (and have been) Russian opposition leaders that you wouldn’t ever vote for. Ukraine might be led by a politician you wouldn’t vote for. But never forget who they are up against, and what he is prepared to do to take and keep control over the people in Russia and beyond its borders.

[Parkol]

Parkol, you are welcome here in the UK. No need to be stirring up anti-immigrant feeling here to divert from Putin’s crimes.

Oh… another one. Migrants aren’t the problem, inequality and hate and fear are. Beware millionaires and billionaires telling you that migrants, jews, muslims, women, homosexuals, trans people are any other group are your enemies, while they themselves are blatantly stealing from the nation. Be that Putin, Trump, their inner circles, or so many others that follow that pattern, across time and continents.

We have the same problem with migrants and crime in Russia, the only difference is that you have migrants from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Africa, etc. and you pay them benefits, while we have migrants from the former USSR countries: Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Georgia. And Russia does not pay any benefits. They are forced to work. But there is a problem and there is an increase in crime and fear of society.

Bono is always involved in all kinds of social projects. We know that.

[Spittingcat]

The criminal problem in your country is the oligarchs who run it for themselves. Of course many other countries also run that way, perhaps increasingly so.

There is always crime here, but it’s not especially caused by immigrants; migrants are no more likely to be criminals here than people born here. Stop parroting the lies and stirring up this stuff to distract from a Russian leader that kills his opponents and invades his neighbours.

[Parkol]

The criminal problem in your country is the oligarchs who run it for themselves. Of course many other countries also run that way, perhaps increasingly so.

There is always crime here, but it’s not especially caused by immigrants; migrants are no more likely to be criminals here than people born here. Stop parroting the lies and stirring up this stuff to distract from a Russian leader that kills his opponents and invades his neighbours.

The oligarchs are now afraid to open their mouths, because on the one hand they keep their money in the West and risk their villas and yachts, on the other hand they are afraid of Russia, because if they say or do something wrong, they will have to walk around and look back for the rest of their lives and no bodyguards and special services will save them. They realize this too.

The alligarchs used to have access to many resources, but now it's a different time. Now there is a struggle for resources and influence.

We have statistics in Russia on migrant crime, and the statistics show that crime is on the rise. People are really afraid. Small towns in Russia live more peacefully because there are no or few migrants there.

In the 90s it was a nightmare. Banditry and racketeering, everything was uncontrolled. Those were wild times. The oligarchs had power then, and so did the gangsters.

[leesmapman]

Biggest problem here is the wannabe brownshirts and blackshirts making us believe it's all the fault of the migrants. Our past two governments fell because of these lies.

[NotInvisible]

It's just that Pet Shop Boys have a lot of things about Russia, Putin and Ukraine, but I, for example, haven't seen any posts or songs about migrants and crime growth in England, although it's also a very important topic for everybody, not only for England, for Europe and for Russia, USA, for everybody.... But apparently they don't care much about it.

It's not difficult to understand. Neil loves Russia and hates that it's in thrall to a de facto dictator, so he sings about that. That doesn't mean he doesn't also care about other things, but no one can cover every subject nor should one have to. The West is broadly welcoming of migrants - North America, Australia and New Zealand are almost entirely built on immigration - and most associated crime is linked to poverty, not immigration per se. In America, for example, immigrants statistically commit crime at a lower rate than US citizens. Migrants are just another scapegoat for wannabe authoritarians - any minority will do, whether that's Jews in Germany or trans citizens in the US. Be better.

[telys]

The criminal problem in your country is the oligarchs who run it for themselves. Of course many other countries also run that way, perhaps increasingly so.

There is always crime here, but it’s not especially caused by immigrants; migrants are no more likely to be criminals here than people born here. Stop parroting the lies and stirring up this stuff to distract from a Russian leader that kills his opponents and invades his neighbours.

The oligarchs are now afraid to open their mouths, because on the one hand they keep their money in the West and risk their villas and yachts, on the other hand they are afraid of Russia, because if they say or do something wrong, they will have to walk around and look back for the rest of their lives and no bodyguards and special services will save them. They realize this too.

The alligarchs used to have access to many resources, but now it's a different time. Now there is a struggle for resources and influence.

We have statistics in Russia on migrant crime, and the statistics show that crime is on the rise. People are really afraid. Small towns in Russia live more peacefully because there are no or few migrants there.

In the 90s it was a nightmare. Banditry and racketeering, everything was uncontrolled. Those were wild times. The oligarchs had power then, and so did the gangsters.

Please stop talking about Russia in any way resembling a real country. You know, and you know that we know that you know that Russia is a waste land with resources stolen by a genocidal dictator waging a genocidal war and that most people in Russia supports it. None of your whataboutism whatsoever will change that. So please stop saying anything positive about Russia.
N&C are artists who choose how they express themselves and on what themes. If you want them to talk about what concerns you well then you're delusional.

[telys]

Parkol, you are welcome here in the UK. No need to be stirring up anti-immigrant feeling here to divert from Putin’s crimes.

Oh… another one. Migrants aren’t the problem, inequality and hate and fear are. Beware millionaires and billionaires telling you that migrants, jews, muslims, women, homosexuals, trans people are any other group are your enemies, while they themselves are blatantly stealing from the nation. Be that Putin, Trump, their inner circles, or so many others that follow that pattern, across time and continents.

We have the same problem with migrants and crime in Russia, the only difference is that you have migrants from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Africa, etc. and you pay them benefits, while we have migrants from the former USSR countries: Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Georgia. And Russia does not pay any benefits. They are forced to work. But there is a problem and there is an increase in crime and fear of society.

Bono is always involved in all kinds of social projects. We know that.

Migrants?! That old trope used by leaders all throughout history... and you still buy it. Please visit the brain department or browse proper scholarship on the subject and find out the true benefits and downsides about migration.

[Parkol]

Please stop talking about Russia in any way resembling a real country. You know, and you know that we know that you know that Russia is a waste land with resources stolen by a genocidal dictator waging a genocidal war and that most people in Russia supports it. None of your whataboutism whatsoever will change that. So please stop saying anything positive about Russia.
N&C are artists who choose how they express themselves and on what themes. If you want them to talk about what concerns you well then you're delusional.

I'll make my own decisions without you telling me what to say and when to say it.

[Dog]

For the avoidance of doubt, if you’re wondering what Pet Shop Boys have to say on migration, take a listen to London, Dreamland, The forgotten child, Indefinite leave to remain, A new life, In his imagination, New York city boy, Sexy Northerner, Being boring, Dancing star, Somewhere, Two divided by zero or Go West. Pet Shop Boys are completely about escaping to a better life.