Learning racism first hand in Russian varsities

Racist attitudes lie deep in the Russian psyche and are growing worse now, said Aleksandr Brod, Director of the Moscow Human Rights Bureau. ‘‘All this Nazi ideology gives rise to hatred of all non-Russians,’’ Brod said. ‘‘And many people even think skinheads are not bandits and hooligans but Russian patriots who are fighting for the purity of Russian society.’’ A suspicious late-night fire that took at least 42 lives at Friendship University three weeks ago has intensified fears among minority students here. A number of them — particularly Chinese — have returned home. ‘‘If there is another incident like this, we are all leaving,’’ said 23-year-old Georges, a student from Gabon. ‘‘I want to finish quickly and leave Russia.’’ The university also reported a fire, described as an accident, but most minority students are convinced that it was arson. — (NYT)