I don't understand anything about the demolitions in Moscow...
At times, I feel totally removed from my readers and the pressing news issues on which many of them are focused. For instance, yesterday I saw dozens of posts about the demolition of the trade pavilions in Moscow. Very long and detailed discussions of the topic in Facebook posts from Russian friends, yet I can't understand anything about the situation. Some people say the vendors had legal permits for the stalls, others say no. Many don't even care. They are glad the eye sores are removed, and the legality of the action is irrelevant. If the owners had proper permits for construction, how can the government just run a bulldozer over a business that is legally operating, destroy everything, and leave a person's life and income in ruins?
I remember seeing these vendors selling fruits, bread, vegetables and cheap clothing during my stays in the suburbs of Moscow near Mytishchi, where I frequently took the train. It appeared most of these people were immigrants, whether they are legal or illegal I have no idea and typically don't care. Because illegals, even in my own country, don't pose a problem for me provided they are working and contributing to the economy and society. Yes, I would rather have a Mexican or Central American immigrant who is working hard in my community than a white loser who sits on his or her ass all day collecting a welfare check...Please explain this situation to me. Do you support the destruction of these businesses? As a lawyer, I'm most interested in the legality of the government's action. Of course, in the U.S. there is no news about this story because our media is focused on domestic issues, spending hours and hours discussing and analyzing the upcoming presidential elections, which also is a circus show, but a different kind...:)