# Russian "Cosmopolite" column -- was it in the SD books? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [October 25, 2006, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913 "2006-10-25T23:25:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913/1 "2006-10-25T23:25:46Z")
[This column](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_248.html), about what it meant to be branded a “cosmopolite” or “cosmopolitan” in the Soviet Union, says it is from March 3, 1988. But I’ve read all five Straight Dope books many a time, and I’ve been hanging out here for many a year, and I don’t ever recall seeing it before. Was it in one of the books? If so, which one? Maybe I’m just forgetful, but I can’t remember seeing this one anywhere. Do we sometimes get old columns that haven’t been published in the books? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913/2 "2006-10-25T23:33:05Z")
Lemme tell ya a secret. See the URL for that column? Notice that it’s “a3\_238.html”? That means it’s in the third book (_Return of the Straight Dope_), on page 248. Not all of the classic columns have been published in the books. But those that have will all follow that pattern. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913/3 "2006-10-26T00:05:40Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] Lemme tell ya a secret. See the URL for that column? Notice that it’s “a3\_238.html”? That means it’s in the third book (_Return of the Straight Dope_), on page 248. Not all of the classic columns have been published in the books. But those that have will all follow that pattern. [/QUOTE] **AWESOME!** Thanks, **Chronos**. I always wondered if there was any meaning to those classic column filenames. Now I know. That’s really handy! ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913/4 "2006-10-31T03:12:40Z")
This is from the piece linked in the OP: > [@](#): > > Moving on to “hooliganism,” you’re right that the term is vague to us. It’s vague to the Russians, too, and that’s why Soviet authorities liked it–if they couldn’t nail you for anything else, there was always hooliganism. In this respect the charge is similar to our disorderly conduct, although the penalties can be far more severe. Hooliganism covers more heinous crimes than I was aware of. The BBC showed a programme last night entitled _The Russian Newspaper Murders_. Alexei Sidorov, the editor in chief of the Togliatti Observer, was stabbed to death on 9 October 2003. Three days later a man was arrested for his murder. A senior government official gave a statement on the incident. He said that the stabbing was an act of hooliganism and that the criminal responsible had been arrested. Hooliganism truly is a catch-all in the Russian justice system. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913/5 "2006-10-31T06:26:06Z")
So the Russians use “Cosmopolitan” as a euphemism for Jews. And here in America you’ll often see things being categorized as “Urban” when people don’t want to say Black. Do other cultures have minority groups that are refered to by their supposed city origins? ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913/6 "2006-10-31T08:42:51Z")
[QUOTE=Chez Guevara] Alexei Sidorov, the editor in chief of the Togliatti Observer, was stabbed to death on 9 October 2003. Three days later a man was arrested for his murder. A senior government official gave a statement on the incident. He said that the stabbing was an act of hooliganism and that the criminal responsible had been arrested. Hooliganism truly is a catch-all in the Russian justice system. [/QUOTE] Is it possible in this case that the official wsan’t referring to the _crime_ of hooliganism, but rather pointing out that the murder was just an act of hooliganism (i.e., just a random street crime by a random street thug) rather than a planned assassination? I mean, that’s how I’d interpret it from your summary, but obviously you know more about what was actually said by the official. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913/7 "2006-10-31T12:17:07Z")
I wish I’d recorded it now. 🙂 Anyway, I agree the official was most likely referring to the reason for the stabbing (criminal rather than political) and not the crime itself. Nevertheless he openly connected murder with hooliganism which demonstrates the point. I hope. This is beyond the scope of this thread but the use of the words _hooliganism_ and _criminal_ were used, I am sure, to deflect suspicion from those who benefited the most from Sidorov’s death. Most of Russia’s 22,000 newspapers are owned or strongly influenced by the government or the oligarchs. There are a few independent organs, such as the Togliatti Observer, which are willing to take some risks and report frankly on contentious issues. Eighteen months earlier Sidorov’s predecessor was also murdered and the journalistic death rate in Russia stands at 100 during the past 20 years, according to the programme. Hooligans seem to have it in for that particular profession. Apologies for the digression. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913/8 "2006-10-31T17:02:58Z")
> [@](#): > > And here in America you’ll often see things being categorized as “Urban” when people don’t want to say Black. No, “urban” means “urban”. White people in the cities are part of the same culture as black people in the cities, and black people in rural areas are part of the same culture as white people in rural areas. An inner-city white is more likely to listen to rap, for instance, than is a black farmer. The problem isn’t people saying “urban” when they mean “black”; the problem is people saying “black” when they mean “urban”. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913/9 "2006-10-31T17:16:06Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] No, “urban” means “urban”. White people in the cities are part of the same culture as black people in the cities, and black people in rural areas are part of the same culture as white people in rural areas. An inner-city white is more likely to listen to rap, for instance, than is a black farmer. The problem isn’t people saying “urban” when they mean “black”; the problem is people saying “black” when they mean “urban”. [/QUOTE] I’ve often heard “urban” as code for “black.” I’ve even heard it mocked as “PC-speak for black” by some of my less-than-nonracist acquaintances. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2006, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-cosmopolite-column-was-it-in-the-sd-books/377913/10 "2006-10-31T18:22:02Z")
Go into a record store and look in the “urban” music section. You’ll find rap, soul, r&b, and maybe some modern jazz. What do these have in common? Check out an “urban” movie and you’ll notice it stars Wesley Snipes or Martin Lawrence or one of the Wayans brothers. When politicians talk about the “urban” crime problem or the “urban” drug problem, do you think they’re talking about white muggers and junkies? Urban = 99% black with 1% token