# Ukraine: Why the current US spin?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ukraine-why-the-current-us-spin/683157>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [March 7, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ukraine-why-the-current-us-spin/683157 "2014-03-07T23:03:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ukraine-why-the-current-us-spin/683157/81 "2014-03-09T03:16:46Z")

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> [@NotfooledbyW](#):
>
> Are you aware that those were invaded by the USSR but Ronnie Raygun defeated that evil empire so it no longer exists.

Uh, no.

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**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ukraine-why-the-current-us-spin/683157/82 "2014-03-09T16:09:14Z")

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> [@OurLordPeace](#):
>
> No, the allegations of organ theft are modern. When they were raised, those who took offense attempted to silence the discussion by comparing it to the blood libel, which Weir clearly states is largely mythical, and I certainly don’t challenge that. When all this happened, she drew attention to the work of some researchers (Israeli, I think) who thought they had found one or more incidents that might have given rise to the myth. It is, indeed, a pernicious myth, but it is not related directly to the modern controversy, and the trainspotting investigation and the ensuing rancor is beside the point.

This is my field (folklore), so I speak with some knowledge, though I study neither of these legends specifically. The organ theft narrative and the blood libel are clearly related, in that they share the basic structure of an insidious them-group kidnapping vulnerable members of the us-group for use solely as body parts, for sacrifice or transplant or whatever. You are correct to say they’re not the same, but you are incorrect to say they’re not related. You’re also throwing the terms “myth” and “mythical” about quite casually in a discussion of traditional narratives, which is unhelpful since these are also technical terms in that field.

When a particular aspect of a legend is discredited, but the need for the legend is still there, the community adjusts or shifts its narrative.

TL; DR: While not the same story, they are absolutely related, and denying one while claiming the other “might be true” is pretty par for the course of a narrative shift.

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