#insisting that im xenophobic against Russia because i don't like that an animal suffered and got made famous for it

[fairyhaven13]

Friend the thing about Russia killing the dog is a lil… ick. Like yes it was sad, but she’s remembered because the Russians took great pains to honor her!!! America did a lot worse stuff to animals in their space program/ science fields. Like Russians aren’t some big scary monstrous people- this is Cold War era anti Russian sentiment and we can do better than that.

Did I imply that my disgust over the dog meant I was xenophobic towards Russians and thought Americans were better? Because if so, I'm sorry, that's not even slightly true. I don't think Russians are, like, animal torturers or something like that. That's ridiculous. I'm disgusted over Laika because her death was horrid. It has nothing to do with them being Russian, and frankly I'm not sure why you even brought that up as if it would convince me my repulsion is wrong. If I was talking about how Americans had forced an animal to die a long, slow death for science -- which I know we have before -- I would be and am just as repulsed.

Sure, it's nice they remembered her and honored her. She doesn't care. She's dead. She died in a very sad, very painful way, and a lot of the people in charge told the public it was quick--a direct lie--in order to keep people from being too upset. A few of the scientists have come out saying they feel awful. Which I'm not surprised by, because they're human and they should feel awful. It was awful. It's nice people write songs and draw art of Laika, but it doesn't excuse it. I genuinely don't care what people group did it. It's still wrong. I'm sorry it makes you feel icky for me to acknowledge that instead of pretending to be xenophobic so you'll feel better.

Think of it this way. A man is on his way to work. A bad man holds his bus at gunpoint. Someone calls the police but they are coming very slowly instead of driving directly there. The work man gets up and fights the bad man, getting shot but still holding the bad man back from shooting others. The others cheer but do not help. The work man doesn't know why they aren't helping. The police finally get there and arrest the bad man. The good man dies after fighting with extensive injuries. Statues are erected of him in his honor. Does his ghost appreciate the statues after dying in such a painful, confusing manner? Or is the sentiment just a little... ick?