The Cynic's Corner: Refuting the Cynic's Take on the OR

Below are links to articles and to my critiques of those articles that have attempted to paint the OR in a negative light.

Negative stereotypes about the OR that abound in the press, particularly in the left-wing press (to my, as a left-winger, own great chagrin) are:

• It was not spontaneous in any way, but totally planned.

• The US planned and organized the whole thing.

• It was not in anyway populist.

• It was mostly a revolt of millionaires against billionaires.

• The whole thing was run by Ukrainian ultranationalists (i.e., neo-Nazis and anti-Semites).

• Yushchenko is an ultranationalist.

• The post-OR leadership is just a junta of oligarchs; there is no difference between them and what came before.

• Etc.

I have been struggling against these stereotypes in the course of many a conversation about the OR as well as in the presentations I did while back in the US. I have been wanting to carry this struggle to my blog for sometime, but have not had the time until now. For another Ukraine blogger's efforts at struggling against these negative stereotypes, check out the following link to Dan McMinn.

For my criticism on the cynics' critiques of the OR, check these links to their articles and to my responses:

1) Is Yushchenko Too Chummy with Old Power? Link to a Kyiv Post Editorial and my comments here.