Terrific Article Praises Covid Freedoms of Belarus but Accidentally Spells the Country ‘Russia’

Paul Craig Roberts has written a good article over at The Unz Review saying how these days real freedom is not found in the West (“the Free World”), but in Belarus, under Europe’s most libertarian leader, Aleksandr Lukashenko.

I have only one minor quibble with the piece: for some reason, throughout the article Roberts keeps misspelling Belarus as “Russia” and Lukashenko as “Putin”. For example, he writes:

In Russia President Putin has made it clear that vaccination is a personal choice and there can be no coercion of the individual as under rule in the West.”

This is absolutely true; Lukashenko is on the record as saying he will not permit vaccine coercion. The leader, who has also cracked down on attempts by underlings to institute mask mandates and vaccine passes, is on the record telling his ministers:

“We are equipping our own plant to produce vaccines. I could not however call myself an absolutely convinced person regarding these projects. Anyway, I am not an expert. I cannot forbid you to vaccinate people. You however will not force them to do this, either.”

Very true, as Craig Roberts writes Lukashenko presides over a rare oasis of freedom. However, it is spelled L-u-k-a-s-h-e-n-k-o. “Putin” happens to be the leader of a neighboring country. One who has presided over vaccine coercion as repressive as anything dreamed up by Biden. 

This neighboring country of Belarus has been so thoroughly captured by its local Faucists that we at Anti-Empire now speak of a “QR-Occupied Russia”.

This neighboring leader Putin, is — to the contrary — on the record as saying that compulsion in regard to Covid vaccination is under present circumstances lawful:

At the same time, he recalled that, in accordance with the current law, regional authorities have the right to introduce compulsory vaccination in connection with the growth of the epidemic, on the recommendations of chief doctors in relation to certain categories of citizens.

As this Putin person was saying this, 84 of his 85 governors had already instituted vaccine mandates. Afterward, the 85th followed suit as well.

The fact of the matter is that the entire “free world,” US included, would be much freer if we were ruled by Russia.

Yes, we would be. If by “Russia” we mean the country to its West, usually rendered as B-e-l-a-r-u-s.

As for Russia, in Putin’s hometown of Saint Petersburg the current list of ‘freedoms’ reads as:

• Introduced mask and glove mode.
• Prohibition of the work of catering establishments at night.
• From December 1, 2021, visiting institutions only with a QR code, or a certificate confirming a medical exemption.
• From December 1, 2021, visiting the shopping center only with a QR code, or a certificate confirming a medical exemption.
• It is forbidden to hold mass events.
• Limiting the occupancy rate of theaters and concert halls to no more than 75%.
• Limiting the occupancy rate of cinemas to no more than 50%.
• Until November 28, 2021, temporarily suspend the holding of sports, physical culture, cultural, entertainment, congress and exhibition, solemn, leisure and other events of more than 40 people.
• The maximum permissible number of visitors to cultural and entertainment events held in theaters, circuses and concert halls until November 28, 2021 is not more than 1500 people.
• To attend events, you need a QR code, or a certificate confirming a medical exemption.
• It is forbidden to hold events at night from 23.00 to 06.00.
• It is forbidden to conduct individual excursions, as well as group excursions with a group of more than 20 people.
• Check-in at hotels with a QR code, negative PCR test, certificate.
• Introduced mask mode and social distancing in public transport.
• A 50% limitation has been introduced on the presence of visitors on an excursion boat.
• From November 15, visiting service establishments only with a QR code, or a certificate confirming a medical exemption.
• Visiting the MFC by appointment.
• From November 15, 2021, state registration of marriage is carried out if all visitors have a QR code, or a certificate confirming a medical exemption.
• A remote mode of operation has been introduced for 30% of civil service employees and persons over 60 years old.
• Mandatory vaccination was introduced by 15.11.2021 (with the first component or a single-component vaccine), by 15.12.2021 – by the second component of the vaccine for employees of socially significant areas.