Russia’s ‘anti-woke’ visa lures those fearing a moral decline in the West

“In a brightly lit conference room of a Moscow police department, a smiling officer flanked by Russian flags and gilded double-headed eagles handed over small blue booklets to an American family of five — asylum certificates granting them the right to live and work in Russia after fleeing Texas because they felt their way of life was under threat. “I feel like I’ve been put on an ark of safety for my family,” 61-year-old Leo Hare said at the time. “I want to thank President [Vladimir] Putin for allowing Russia to become a good place for families in this world climate.” “In a small way it feels like I just got married to Russia,” echoed his wife, Chantelle Hare, 51. “I look forward to building a future here with my family. I look forward to the opportunities that my sons will have here.” Footage of the ceremony, shared on the Interior Ministry’s official media channels, was accompanied by a caption declaring that “yet another American family choose our country to live in … understanding that in our country traditional values are protected by the state.” The Hare family, devout Christians who ran a farm in Texas, describe themselves as a family of “moral migrants” and have emerged as the face of a small but growing trend of Westerners relocating to Russia in search of the traditional, conservative values they feel are eroding in the liberal West. Their journey reflects the ideological narrative Putin has spent years crafting: Russia as the guardian of family-centered traditions amid a Western world spiraling into moral and social decay.“

Coming soon to an authoritarian regime near you!

R1 - imagine thinking Texas politics isn't 'red enough' - so you move to Russia?

Fine - let them go. You know they aren't going to learn Russian. I just don't understand how these people think they are going to 'fit in'. And they're going to really miss US healthcare, groceries, efficiency, 'niceness', and so much more.

Thank god they won’t have to see black people on tv anymore!

But, why are so many people napping outside?

[quote]“I look forward to building a future here with my family. I look forward to the opportunities that my sons will have here.”

Oh, yes indeed; I'm sure their sons will enjoy the opportunity to be conscripted into the military where they will be treated like dogs & used as cannon fodder in Ukraine. Have fun boys!

Hopefully their citizenships are automatically revoked so they can't come back.

Amazing what cult-like tendencies do. I have an older Uncle - former marine - when I was little the worst thing you could ever be was "a gd nazi or communist" etc. Now? He's the biggest Trumper, and would probably defend Putin, etc. Astonishing what brainwashing will do.

I asked Google AI if Russia is as family friendly as it claims to be when compared to the West.

Google AI:

[quote] Russia does promote itself as a country with strong family values, often contrasting itself with what it perceives as the moral decline of the West. However, a closer look at various social indicators suggests a more complex reality.

[quote] Divorce Rate: Russia consistently ranks among the countries with the highest divorce rates globally.

[quote] Abortion Rate: Historically, Russia has had one of the highest abortion rates in the world, a legacy from the Soviet era when abortion was widely accessible and often used as a primary method of birth control. While the rate has significantly decreased in recent decades, it still remains higher than the average in the European Union.

[quote] Alcoholism in Men: Male alcoholism is a significant public health issue in Russia, contributing to a high rate of premature deaths among men. Studies have consistently shown that excessive alcohol consumption, particularly by men, is a major factor in mortality in Russia and that the gender gap in drinking patterns is much wider than in many Western countries. This certainly impacts family life and stability.

[quote] Domestic Violence: Domestic violence is a severe problem in Russia. Reported incidence and frequency rates often exceed Western figures.

[quote] Conclusion: While Russia's government emphasizes traditional family values, the data on divorce, abortion, male alcoholism, and domestic violence suggests a complex reality that doesn't fully align with this portrayal. In many of these areas, Russia faces significant challenges that arguably undermine the stability and well-being of families, often to a greater extent than in many Western countries. The disconnect between the proclaimed values and the societal realities is a subject of ongoing discussion and concern.

(Apparently, the NYT didn't feel the need to include any of this in their story.)

You have to be a special kind of stupid to leave the USA and move to shithole Russia. Unless you're fleeing the law-that's the only scenario that makes sense.

What families like this mean is there are no Mooslems, Mexicans or trannies in Russia. They’re fine with Mother Russia seizing their assets and sending their kids off to war.

^ And they're fine with gays being imprisoned or killed.

r8 there is also this:

If you were to ask the average Russian if they’d rather live in a western-style democracy, I wonder what they’d say.

I swear I remember reading about some Canadians that decided to do this. I believe I read about it here. It wasn’t going well. I think they had one of those weird family YouTube channels.

There was a thread a month or two ago about it r14

Read this piece. Same family. They have THREE young sons who will be eligible for Russian military service.

When they got to Russia, a lot of Russians wouldn't rent them a place. Then they invested half of their life-savings in some Russian business with Chinese trucks and they'll probably never see that money again.

They're supposedly super Christian - which doesn't necessarily go well in Russia.

They are DESPERATE and broke - which is why they're creating this BS channel.

R14 R15. Here's the thread about the Canadian family that moved to Russia.

It's all rooted in white supremacy. Moving to Russia would make me rethink white supremacy.

Read the full article at R16 - they got swindled out of their money, couldn't find a place to live, had hard time finding jobs and housing. A truly Russian experience.

They've been through a LOT of bullshit - so for them to claim it was a great move is just another pack of lies and delusions.

Those poor 3 boys - man are they fucked.

Well, as a lifelong staunch liberal, this trend is making me absolutely furious! I thought I was smarter than those regular, traditional Americans, but I have to admit they have run circles around me in this case. Giving up their citizenship and moving to Russia is next level genius, and I've never felt so small and powerless. I have been owned by these superior humans, and the shame of it is more than I can bear. It's killing me to admit it, but they are so much more clever than I will ever be.

I hope this does NOT go on for long. I don't think I could survive the humiliation of being outsmarted over and over again by my intellectual superiors. Damn you, Russia!

How would they even source / afford / store bananas in Siberia?

Russia is a cesspool, like a frozen Florida

[quote]in our country traditional values are protected by the state.

Traditional values such as outhouses instead of bourgeois cosmopolitan toilets and indoor plumbing!

^ An outdoor dunnie. I'm stealing that term.

[quote] they got swindled out of their money, couldn't find a place to live, had hard time finding jobs and housing. A truly Russian experience.

So, Putin learned from Trump pretty quickly: those dumb MAGA yokels are easily fleeced.

Russia promotes family values!

LOL r26

R26 They love big family!

Speaking of losers that emigrated to Russia, I wonder how Tara Reade is doing? Dead yet? 🙏

[quote] In a brightly lit conference room of a Moscow police department, a smiling officer flanked by Russian flags and gilded double-headed eagles handed over small blue booklets to an American family of five — asylum certificates granting them the right to live and work in Russia after fleeing Texas because they felt their way of life was under threat.

I [bold][italic]LOVE[/bold][/italic] this for the parents. May the millions of other radicalized adult Christofascists across American Flyoverstan follow their example, without haste.

But, may these parents burn for eternity in hell for ruining the lives of their innocent sons, who will undoubtedly be conscripted into Putin's Russian invasion of Ukraine. Leave your kids out of the consequences of your bigoted, delusional madness while there's still hope for them to become decent, caring human beings.

[/italic]

Can we volunteer people to go? I have a list!

What exactly are “Family Values” anyway?

I though they had already decided to move back to The US