'Jesus Christ would set them free'
It's impossible to know yet whether the wave of international support received by the Russian punk collective Pussy Riot during their just completed trial impacted the verdict in any way. But it's clear that the plight of the three young women who each now face the remainder of two years' imprisonment has ignited the passion of US and European artists, from Sting to Madonna, who have publicly called for their freedom.
Western artists can and should support their Russian comrades. But the support received by Pussy Riot is sadly an aberration. As a rule, European and US artists have been strangely - and inexcusably - silent when it comes to recognising the plights suffered by their fellow musicians and performers around the world, where freedom of expression receives little protection, censorship is prevalent and artists routinely face the threat of prosecution and jail from their governments, and more dangerously, threats to their physical safety and even lives by conservative social forces...
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(Thanx Frank!)
