Letters to the Editor

Russian Beauty

To the Editors:

For decades historians have pondered the riddle of why the Russian soldiers, backed by the most oppressive government in the world, fought with unmatched courage and unbridled fury against the Germans in WWII.

The answer is on the cover of the October 1997 Russian Life. A country which produced that epitomy of beauty doubless produced hundreds of thousands of others whose pictures accompanied their soldiers into combat tucked into their tunics and knapsacks.

Even I, an old soldier in whom time has almost run its course, would have gladly risked my life to keep such an exquisite creature from harm’s way.

Sincerely,

R.M. Griswold

Little Rock, AK

To the Editors:

I was impressed with the photography of Igor Petinin of the actress Farida Muminova.

Farida’s appearance reminds me of how the American actress Elizabeth Taylor looked many years ago.

Edward Miller

Alpena, MI

From the Editors:

We received many such letters from readers about the beauty of Ms. Muminova in our cover photo of October 1997, and are glad it had the desired effect. Be prepared for even more beauty as next month’s issue of Russian Life, in honor of International Women’s Day, looks at the beauty of Russian women, in all respects.

– The Editors

Russia’s Soul

To the Editors:

In your column, “From the Publisher,” in the September 1997 issue of Russian Life, you state, “It is much harder to look American arrogance in the face and wonder why Protestant churches need to send missionaries to convert a country that has a thousand-year history of Christianity.” My response is that 1) one cannot ‘convert a country’ because a country does not have a religion. And 2) missionaries cannot force someone to believe something against their will. They simply offer people different options. What the Russian government has done is to limit its citizens’ exposure to different ideas. It is not surprising that the Russian government still does not understand its moral limitations or even its basic functional role which is, like any government created by its citizens, only to protect its citizens from harm and to otherwise refrain itself from intervening in their lives. It is dissapointing that citizens in countries having a long history of freedom do not yet understand this.

Nicholas Kyriazi

by email

Missing Athlete

To the Editors:

I’ve just recently begun to pick up Russian Life and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I especially want to commend you on the excellent section, Survival Russian. As one who hopes to travel in Russia in the near future, I consider those articles essential. I also appreciate the Note Book section which gives a brief overview of current events in Russia. Don’t change anything; the magazine is excellent.

I have one request which may seem rather trivial. I would like to see you do an article on the ‘78 world champion gymnast Yelena Mukhina, who I understand lives somewhere near the Olympic Stadium in Moscow. She suffered a spine injury a few weeks before the ‘80 Moscow Olympics and was left paralyzed. I have heard all kinds of wild stories about her since that time, some saying she lives in abject poverty in a tiny apartment, or that she writes a column for the Moscow News. I think a true story about her gymnastic accomplishments and life since the training accident would be interesting reading. Thanks for giving this your consideration, and keep up the great work.

Sincerely,

Chuck Hicks

Concord, NC

Dear Chuck:

Unfortunately we must report that the worse rumors are true. Yelena Mukhina’s name reemerged recently in a central Russian press article about how professional Soviet/Russian sports have had a negative impact on young athletes, especially female gymnasts.

As you may know, Mukhina’s tragic accident was not her first, and observers speculate that it was her coaches, hungry for medals, that pushed the young gymnast to compete when she ought to have rested.

Mukhina is apparently bedridden and can only talk over the phone and that only with the help of her grandmother, who she is fully dependent on. She lives off a very modest state pension and infrequent donations from charity events or benefits. She reportedly has found some solace in religion, though not much grace, as she apparently has come to see her injury as some form of punishment from God.

In all, it is a sobering story to recount at a time when so much attention, in this issue and elsewhere, is being devolted to successful Olympic athletes. It helps remind us that sports can also be a dangerous and tragic affair.

– The Editors