In a recent trend, well-known people from different countries of the world have become Russian citizens. At the same time, Russian liberals and a certain segment of Western media never stop trumpeting about bears in the streets of Russian cities, the "Putin regime" and so on.
Every such move receives extensive media coverage. A lot of people are familiar with the story of French actor Gerard Depardieu, who became a Russian citizen and started working in Russia as an actor as well.
Roy Jones, an American athlete, became a citizen of Russia after meeting with President Putin. Rumor has it (it is not clear how reliable the rumor is) that Fred Durst, the frontman of Limp Bizkit, is thinking about a Russian passport in his pocket as well. Durst is married to a Russian woman, so it can be possible.
Another famous athlete, Olympic champion and former undisputed world heavyweight champion in boxing, Lennox Lewis, is going to become a Russian citizen, Vice President of Professional Boxing Federation of Russia Andrei Ryabinsky said.
Edward Snowden, a former CIA analyst, was forced to seek political asylum in Russia, after he had unveiled many interesting facts about US intelligence to the world. They say that Snowden is living a lot better than the pioneer of Internet revelations, Julian Assange, who has been living in an embassy for years, without being able to go outside. Snowden can travel all across Russia - this is obviously a lot more freedom.
There are foreign journalists that love Russia a lot more than their home lands. Some of them say that freedom of speech works a lot better in Russia. Tim Kirby, a video blogger and a TV presenter at RT, wants to obtain the Russian citizenship.
Foreign athletes see Russia as their second homeland as well. During the Winter Olympics in Sochi, it became known that snowboarder Vic Wild had obtained Russian citizenship. Viktor Ahn, a short track champion, became a citizen of the Russian Federation as well. There were athletes, who obtained Russian citizenship prior to the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Yuko Kawaguti, a Japanese skater, became a citizen of Russia in 2008. Two American basketball players, Rebecca Linney Hammon and Deanna Nolan, received Russian passports the same year.
The list can go on and on with other names - athletes, journalists, actors, balloonists, scientists, inventors. What makes prominent people move to Russia from the West? It appears that the West has taken the tenets of tolerance and political correctness to large-scale grotesque forms, making it hard for normal people to live in the West.
In search for freedom, Europe and America have come to the point that is referred to as "liberal totalitarianism" and "dictate of minorities." The people, who see it and do not want to live in this, - they pack their bags and go to Russia - the country of traditional values in the ocean of ultra-liberalism.
Apparently, the image of "cold and wild Russia" has been getting vague both inside and outside Russia. People realize that it will be a lot more comfortable for them to live and work in Russia. Actors, scientists and athletes used to move to the United States of America. They were going there in search for the American dream. The dream has come true for just a few of them.
Now we can see foreigners coming to Russia for the Russian dream. These new citizens will become real patriots of our country, as it is hard not to love Russia. Loving Russia is easy, pleasant and natural.
Sergei Larin.