ANGELINA - Midnight in Siberia: A Train Journey into the Heart of Russia - page 94

one hand. Then I take a copy of the Russian constitution in the other. And I read that. And
I'm surprised to learn about the country I'm supposed to live in.”
The thirty-first of any month is an important one for democracy activists in Russia.
Often people hold unsanctioned antigovernment protests. Often they get arrested. It is a
symbolic display, because article 31 of the Russian constitution guarantees citizens' rights
to public assembly.
“What we have,” Robert tells us, “is not democracy. It is imitative democracy. We have
all the external signs. We have elections. We have a parliament. We have legislation. All
the accessories of democracy. But anyone with common sense here knows we live in an
authoritarian state. Putin has learned that if he offers the accessories of democracy, his re-
gime can be very hard to accuse. The regime does one thing very well: It doesn't listen. So
there can be free speech, channels of communication. But normally in a democracy, those
voices affect decision making. In this country that doesn't happen.”
“But why do the people allow this to go on?”
“It's in the genes, David. Do you deal with power? Or do you live in a parallel world?
Two-thirds of our society was shaped in Soviet times. And young people? There are
young people who agree with Stalin's ideology. So for them it's not fear driving them, but
something else.”
Two people have walked into the office, waiting to sit down with Robert. The last thing
I want to do is take his time away from people who truly need it.
“Just another question or two, Robert?”
“Sure.”
“Where do things go from here?”
“I see several options. The first—there's a slow process where people, very slowly, de-
velop a better understanding of the country they want to live in, what kind of power they
want. I am confident this can happen, if there's no war or catastrophe.”
“And other options?”
“Option two is the one many experts predict: confrontation. Different groups competing
for the best way to overcome their disappointment. Not necessarily with guns. But a re-
volution. The thing is, any revolution leads to tragedy. Ties are broken. One set of rules is
gone. Another set of rules is established.”
Robert is getting eager now to attend to his other guests. As we stand up, I ask him if he
feels that better days may be coming.
“I used to answer that question by saying I would not be working for this organization
if I were not an optimist. I would like to believe those words. In truth, what makes me op-
timistic is my wife, my daughter, and knowing they have a bright future.”
“Do you have trouble keeping that faith?”