Abuse of government power comes in many different forms, in many different places and in varying degrees of absurdity.
Among the most appalling recent examples of government oppression comes out of Russia, where, last week, three members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years in jail for “hooliganism.” Their crime? The (frankly pretty lousy) band staged a flash mob-esque performance of a song titled “Punk Prayer” in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior as a political statement.
You see, the church is owned by the Russian government and “Punk Prayer” contains the lyric “Mother Mary, drive Putin out!” Add those two things together and it was easy for Putin’s kangaroo court to get the young ladies out of the “freely elected” (wink-wink) Russian president’s hair for a couple of years.
Thankfully, the United States isn’t throwing people in jail for speaking their minds in a song — yet.
But in recent weeks, there have been a number of preposterous and despicable examples of government harassment here at home.