Category Archives: Politics

Then They Build Monuments To You

Posted on May 18, 2013 by

“First they ignore you. Then they ridicule you. And then they attack you and want to burn you. And then they build monuments to you.” – Nicholas Klein, American trade unionist Yesterday was the International Day Against Homophobia, and as … Continue reading →

Posted in Civics, Politics | Tagged , | 8 Comments

A Shakespearean Election

Posted on October 10, 2012 by

Friends, Georgians, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Misha, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Misha. The noble … Continue reading →

Posted in Awesome, Politics | 1 Comment

Every Rose Has Its Thorns

Posted on October 3, 2012 by

Couldn’t resist the Rose pun. So the Georgian Dream has become a reality. It looks like they’ll take 80-84 seats in Parliament, based on the current numbers, but everyone agrees they’ll have a small Parliamentary majority. Last week I was … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventures in Adventures in Georgia, Civics, Politics | 7 Comments

What To Expect When You’re Electing

Posted on September 26, 2012 by

Last week we saw democracy in action in Georgia. On Monday, we’re going to see something completely different: a Constitutional Parliamentary Republic in action. I’ll start with my predictions: I predict that the President Saakashvili’s UNM will remain the ruling … Continue reading →

Posted in Civics, Politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Georgian Prison Scandal: This Is Democracy

Posted on September 21, 2012 by

This week, Georgia’s prisons were reformed. This could never happen in America. There is no event that would cause every prison guard to be suspended, that would cause the police to be sent in to run America’s prisons, that would … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Civics, Politics | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Georgian Nightmare

Posted on August 25, 2012 by

I have tried to avoid partisan political activity on this blog for several reasons – one, given that I already blog about social and cultural issues, I don’t really need additional ways to wade into controversies in Georgian society. Two, … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | 14 Comments

Growing Up In The World of the Iron Curtain

Posted on April 3, 2012 by

I think it’s safe to say that people in the US, overall, have absolutely no clue what it was like to grow up in the Soviet Union. If you’re from the West, take a minute to think about what you … Continue reading →

Posted in America, Culture Shock!, Politics | 4 Comments

Kurds in Georgia

Posted on February 13, 2012 by

According to The Wikipedia, there are 40,000 to 60,000 Kurds in Georgia. I have met at least two of them. Thus begins another foray into regional politics. The other day I was speaking with a Kurdish woman. She asked if … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments