Is Putin Copying Woodrow Wilson? by Jacob G. Hornberger
(2023-03-29 at 00:10:03 )

Is Putin Copying Woodrow Wilson? by Jacob G. Hornberger

The Russian government has been cracking down on Russian citizens who criticize the Russian war on Ukraine. A New York Times article last week described 20-year-old university student Olesya Krivtsova, who was charged with "justifying terrorism" and "discrediting the Russian armed forces" after posting what officials considered was an offensive message on Instagram.

She is not the only one. According to the Times, "The government is increasingly penalizing people for posts it considers critical of the fighting in Ukraine - with fines, imprisonment and, in extreme cases, temporarily losing custody of their children."

A question worth asking is: Is Russian president Vladimir Putin simply copying what United States president Woodrow Wilson did in World War I?

To suppress dissent against his interventionism in the European conflict, Wilson signed into law three congressional measures: The Trading with the Enemy Act, the Espionage Act, and the Sedition Act. Those measures were used to punish people who dared to criticize Wilsons intervention in the European war, just like Putin is now doing to people in Russia who criticize his war on Ukraine.

Under Wilsons laws, anyone who used "disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United States - or the flag of the United States, or the uniform of the Army or Navy" was subject to severe punishment, just like people in Russia are who do the same thing with respect to their government or their armed forces.

Eugene V. Debs

President Wilson also made it a criminal offense to criticize the fact that United States of Americans were being conscripted or drafted to fight and die for freedom. That is why they went after Eugene Debs, who ended up being sentenced to 10 years in prison just for giving a speech. The Supreme Court upheld his conviction.

Needless to say, Russian citizens who question President Putins draft face the same or similar consequences.

The Trading with the Enemy Act and the Espionage Act are still on the books even though World War I ended more than 100 years ago. These two laws are now being used to punish people who dare to publish evidence of war crimes and criminal activity on the part of the United States national-security establishment. Julian Assange and Edward Snowden are two notable examples of this phenomenon!!

There is no doubt that President Putin would treat people who disclosed evidence of war crimes and criminal activity on the part of the Russian national-security establishment in the same way that United States officials are treating Mr. Assange and Mr. Snowden.

Rather than simply criticize President Putin for suppressing dissent against Russias war on Ukraine, would a better strategy not be to repeal the United States governments World War I-era measures that he might well be copying? Is it not better to lead by example rather than by hypocrisy??

Reprinted here with permission from Mr. Jacob G. Hornberger of The Future of Freedom Foundation!! Their Libertarian Website!!