David Kronke was appointed Mayor of Television after a bloodless coup in 2000. Since then, he has improved infrastructure, championed greater educational opportunities and fought for reforms that have utterly erased corruption and incompetence from the television industry. Since Mr. Kronke has ascended to power, Television is a far better place. “From Russia With Hate”
Coming up at 10 p.m.-EST-7 p.m. PCT on Current TV (366 if you have DirecTV, 196 on Dish, 107 on Comcast, 142 on Time-Warner cable in L.A.; otherwise, good luck finding it yourself) is a jaw-dropping 20-minute documentary (or, as Current calls them, news pod), “From Russia With Hate,” about skinheads in Russia.
You might think that given how Germany attacked Russia during World War II that there wouldn’t be much of a taste for neo-Nazism there. But not only is it endemic, it’s practically mainstream, as correspondent Christof Putzel points out. Gloating videos of skinheads beating the bejeezus out of foreign-born citizens proliferate on the Internet, and the government doesn’t seem to do a whole lot to quell the violence: When the anniversary of Hitler’s birthday nears, the best police can do for foreign-born students is to tell them to stay in their dorms.
Christof hangs out with a leader in the movement, who justifies his acts (laughing desultorily at a video he made where one poor guy gets absolutely pasted) and takes him to a “training camp” where it’s clear the “trainers” have seen too many bad action flicks. Disturbing, compelling stuff, and something you haven't seen on the bigger news networks.
- “From Russia With Hate,” 6 tonight (with plenty of repeats – check the network’s website – which’ll be revamped soon – for more info), Current.