Writers are nationalists

March 25, 2004 "Izvestia published an article by Valentin Oskotsky "Fascism is the reality of our time", which raises the question of nationalist tendencies in modern Russian literature (in fact, this is a report by V. Oskotsky at the Assembly of Public Forces on Combating Xenophobia, Extremism and Terrorism , which went on February 26-27, 2004 in Moscow).

At the same time, the secretary of the Moscow Writers' Union emphasizes that nationalism is a feature not only of a number of literary works of quite respectable, recognized authors (the novel "Ivan's Daughter, Ivan's Mother" by Valentin Rasputin is given as an example of the last year), but also publications of dubious literary quality, regularly published in such newspapers as "The Day of Literature", "Moscow Writer".

Here, for example, are Valery Khatyushin's poems dedicated to September 11, 2001:

* With what animal, Jewish fear

They chattered from the screens.

America, delivered by cancer,

The only joy in our days.

And I do not want to feel sorry for these Yankees, / They have no sympathy for others in anyone.

And I myself am ready, not even drunk,

Send a plane to the White House."*

And such examples are not isolated.

And political extremism, and xenophobia, and anti-Semitism, and frankly fascist manifestations are the reality of our time, which manifests itself in literature too, - concludes V. Oskotsky.

Sources

• Oscotsky Valentin. Fascism is the reality of our time // News. 2004. March 25.