I am totally on the side of the women in that band and what they stand for in the name of the oppressed, censored, and otherwise unfairly treated citizens of Russia.

While the punishment seems harsh, my close friend Hunter Knight asks us all to pause and think about what would happen if you even walked into a church in the US wearing a ski mask. Let’s be honest – you’d at least get tasered, and with a group of three, probably shot. And it’s not like Russia hasn’t dealt with terrorism – those Chechen militants are every bit as fucking evil as Al-Qaeda.

The above bullet point notwithstanding, they say they’re innocent. What they should say is that they are guilty and proud of it, because they’ve shown the world that free speech is a punishable crime in Russia.

The fact that they’ve been sentenced to jail time is an enormous boon to their cause. Had they been let off, the Russian justice system that they’re protesting – at least in part – would’ve seemed pretty reasonable. Being jailed for something that should be legal is a lot more inspiring to the masses than getting off the hook. It wasn’t “The night Thoreau got out on bail,” or “Letter from an Alabama hotel room,” or “The long walk of a free man.”

I think they (the women of Pussy Riot) understand this. They looked totally calm and even smiled during the sentencing. Their point is being made to the world by this. Except for the whole going to prison in Russia thing (which I hear sucks), and being separated from their families, I’m almost happy for them for their success.

I wonder, in a human rights case, how vulgar of a band name the media would be willing to say on the air. Fucked Up comes to mind, as do a few grindcore bands whose names might require me to install an age verification thinger on this website (hint: rhymes with Banal Stunt).

Really, Russia? Who do you think you are, China?

UPDATED, following a great weekend and discussion of the situation with a few friends:

This sounds terrible, but I’d be significantly more sympathetic if Pussy Riot’s music was not terrible. And I’m not generalizing about punk here. I love punk. My musical and ethical roots come from growing up punk rock, as it were, and while these chicks have the ethics down, the music just isn’t there.