They were imprisoned and sentenced for disturbing a religious service as well as making unacceptable political statements. The young singers have become a cause célèbre, much like the blind Chinese dissident who was finally allowed to leave China and arrived to a hero’s welcome in the United States.
Why is there so much support for this female group besides astonishment at the severity of their punishment? There are several elements within their situation that touch the most basic beliefs of democratic societies. Freedom of speech is a sacrosanct part of Western political ideology. The right to criticize those in power is considered a cornerstone of democratic society and a fundamental human right. A dissident or opposition figure who is harassed or imprisoned because of political expression finds enormous resonance in the West. Freedom of religion is also a fundamental element in a democratic society. People are supposed to be able to worship or not worship as they see fit. That Pussy Riot disturbed a religious service in a Cathedral flaunts the sacredness of the Church and questions the distinct power of the Church in Russian society. Finally, to both these freedoms should be added the freedom of women to be treated equally with men. The words of their songs, their dress and attitude are part of a feminist provocation.
The Russian Federation is not the Soviet Union. There were recently presidential elections; the Communist Party is not in power. But, the Russian Federation is not the United States or Switzerland, with hundreds of years of democratic culture. Elections do not make democracies. They are necessary but not sufficient. The provocations of Pussy Riot are part of pushing the boundaries of Russian culture to see how far it has evolved. The empathetic outburst of support for the group reflects a deep desire in the West for the Russian Federation to be like us.
Madonna has played a lead role in supporting the women. But, in fact, Madonna’s provocations have already been surpassed by Lady Gaga. Madonna’s role in testing the limits of acceptable performance seems passé. But, the role of provocation in the Russian Federation has just begun. Pussy Riot is on the cutting edge of testing what is acceptable and not acceptable in Russia today, politically, religiously and sexually.
Those who support the group and manifested in Zurich and elsewhere are really saying that they want the Russian Federation to be like us, with its citizens enjoying the same freedoms we do. Is that reasonable? Is it possible today? It is only by provocations such as the performance in the Cathedral and the sentencing that we discover how different we are from Russia and how the Russian Federation has evolved and is evolving from the former Soviet Union.