Cossacks Battling in the USA!

[peacetraveler22]

Comments

[pro100_petrov]

>About Cossacks, I never understood their role in modern Russia
Nobody can understand it even in Russia.

[peacetraveler22]

No wonder I'm confused! :) Now, when Americans google the term "Cossacks", they will see a flood of articles about the biker gang wars, and almost no information about this Slavic group.

[pro100_petrov]

:)

[peacetraveler22]

Well, you know I love hats! :)

[pin_gwin]

I mentioned this group too.
The KAZAK's communities were suppressed under Stalin's regime. It resulted in collaboration with Germans during WW2. Now what you see there - SS symbols along with COSSACKS. There is some more details - one of the guys is wearing an Orthodox style cross while others having mohawks, which relates them to Zaporozhye kazaks. So I would be thinking about some Ukrainian roots, but they could be very remote.

[peacetraveler22]

Hmm, interesting. I didn't think any of these bikers had Slavic roots, but probably I'm wrong. Perhaps they're smarter or more informed than I give them credit for. :) I also would never notice the Orthodox style cross on any of the jackets, but your eye is more trained to notice such things. This story is so sensational in U.S. news now, but I did become curious about the nature of these biker disputes. Sad that innocent people got caught up in the middle of their violence in Texas.

[pro100_petrov]

By the way, word "Cossack" (кOзак) sound very strange in russian, We are calling those people "kazak" (казАк). "Cossack" is rather popular jewish surname.

[peacetraveler22]

I understand, but this is the English version of the word. It's what we use here, and I think how most Europeans refer to these people.

[a_nimaida]

war between bikers?
Wow ..
Cossacks Americans?

strange

[peacetraveler22]

Yes, the name is strange, but biker wars have been ongoing throughout history, not only in America. There are no rival biker gangs in Russia? I only know of the group "Night Wolves."

[a_nimaida]

The horror ...
I like bikers, but I do not know much.
The name "Night Wolves", I heard for the first time before May 9, when wrote about this in the media.

Probably bikers divide the territory?

In the 90 - ies in Kazan bandit groups also fought.
They divided the territory. It was business.

[peacetraveler22]

Yes, this current dispute in Texas is over territory.

[notabler]

After a cossack whipped girls from Pussy Riot group with no reason, just for singing (not in church this time), I hate all of them even more, they are paid fighting dogs for tyranny

[peacetraveler22]

I remember this incident...:(

[dabrainy]

You got it a bit wrong. If you look for full fotostory of that event you'll see that this was staged for media.

But yes, modern day Kazaks can do weird things just cuz they lost good deal of their heritage and dont have firm rules of behavior. It's possible that they will be reborn after current Ukrainian war - there they have the contingent of a few thousands fighters in rotation. War leaders and more than 10 000 veterans will emerge from blood and fire and we will see a new page of their history. History that never was easy and clean.

[peacetraveler22]

I understand it was a publicity stunt, but this doesn't negate the fact that a Kazak beat them.

[south_of_broad]

Love bikers - the patriots. When I grow up, retire and move to Florida I'll buy me a HD.)

[peacetraveler22]

Yes, me too! The culture is so tight knit and interesting, but motorcycles scare me. I used to ride on them with my dad. Esp. in the Washington, DC area where there's so much traffic and people drive erratic. In the countryside is another matter, more free and safe. Mostly, I hate those "crotch rockets" on which so many young guys ride, weaving in and out of highway lanes at dangerously high speeds.