Useful idiots

I was listening to the radio this morning.  It was the World Service.  This is a good channel to listen to on a Sunday because it gives news items and little sketches of interest.  One item today was about the Holocaust Stalin had inflicted upon his own people.  It was said some 10 million Russians died during it, when referring to the Ukraine genocide.  But because Putin is in power today and was a member of the secret police, he had managed to re write the history books so now in schools there is only one short paragraph which disputes it ever happened.  There was also something they called 'useful idiots.'  This term had apparently been coined in Lenin's time. Such people of  were used as free public relations advocates for Russia.  They would be wined and dinned and given all the best treatment while visiting Russia.  Nice things would be said to them of their work, they would be flattered and men were often given the attention of very attractive Russian women.  They were famous people, writers, singers, actors and the such like.  A short list would include Ernest Hemmingway, Walter Duranty and Che Guevara.  After being wooed and their big ego's stroked they began to purr louder than the biggest Persian cats.  Sent back to their own countries to extol the virtues of communism and Russia as the best thing since sliced bread.

How sad it is normally intelligent people can be so hoodwinked and how important it always is to have a second viewpoint, an opposing view point which is ready to ask questions some find very uncomfortable.