The resolution was approved by the majority of the UN member countries. However, several European countries abstained from voting, and the US, Canada and the Marshall Islands voted against the resolution. Russia finds the position of these countries rather strange.

The resolution, in particular, expresses concern that today, nationalist sentiments are increasing in some parts of the world. Cases of vandalism against monuments to fighters against Nazism are becoming more frequent. Moreover, the authorities of three former Soviet states – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – quite often officially back marches of those who were collaborators of German Nazis during WWII and their younger supporters.

“To a large extent, nationalist sentiments in these three states are warmed up by social problems there,” Russian MP Alexander Baybakov says. “But this, of course, by no means justifies these sentiments.”

“Unfortunately, it would be naïve to hope that once, no person in the world will have nationalist sentiments,” the Russian MP continues. “In some countries, separatist processes are going on, and separatist sentiments are often accompanied with nationalistic ones. In some, people are just becoming more aggressive because of social problems or some other reason. But in every country, it should be the authorities’ duty to stop manifestations of nationalism. This shouldn’t include only prosecuting manifestations of nationalism, but also propagating the ideology of tolerance. Nationalistic ideology should by no means prevail in any society.”

Now, why did some countries abstain from voting for a resolution which condemns Nazism, and some even voted against it?

A representative of Norway says that allegedly, the notorious Andres Breivik committed his crime because he was deprived of the possibility to express his extremist ideas freely. Representatives of the US explain their choice to vote against the resolution by similar considerations. They say that it would be wrong and useless to fight against manifestation of nationalism by prohibitive measures.

“I wouldn’t call these arguments convincing,” the director of the Russian foundation “Historic Memory” Alexander Dyukov says.

“US politicians say that a ban on expressing nationalistic sentiments would infringe freedom of speech. But I believe that the concept of freedom of speech should not include free expression of nationalistic sentiments, to say nothing of marches of SS veterans and other things like that.”

In fact, the UN adopts similar resolutions every year since 2006 – and every year, some countries refuse to support these resolutions. One of the countries that, as a rule, do not support them, is Ukraine. A statement recently released by Russia’s permanent mission in the UN says that Russia regrets that Ukraine does not condemn attempts to present Nazi collaborators as heroes.

Following Barack Obama’s victory in the November 6 run for US presidency, many American states filed secession petitions with the White House’s online petition system “We The People” asking for a permission to withdraw from the United States. Texas is currently leading the pack, with 117,311 signatures. The rules set the threshold required for the petition to be considered by the administration at 25,000 signatures.

Petitions filed by state

Another petition calling on the government to strip anyone inking their names in the secession petitions section of American citizenship has also been issued, gathering 1,916 online supporters. A similar petition asking to banish such individuals from the country has even made it beyond the threshold, garnering 25,440 signatures and may now be considered by the White House. As can be seen in the above table, Louisiana was the first of 22 states to petition for secession. Only seven states have so far cleared the threshold for petition hearings.

Experts believe the odds of the American government granting any state permission to go its own way are insignificant and their governors will distance themselves from these initiatives. It’s not the first time American states are trying to withdraw from the union. In 2009, Texas Gov. Rick Perry already said he wanted his state out, although this time he called the idea “stupid.”

In the eyes of international law, the secession of American peoples from the union could prove to be a legitimate move. This was made explicit in 1774 when former UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim accepted credentials of America’s indigenous peoples, despite the US being against it.

Separatist organizations currently active in the United States:

Alaskan Independence Party (AIP)

The organization was founded in 1974 and officially recognized as a political party in 1984. It is advocating Alaska’s secession from the union. As of 2009 the party had 13,119 registered members, compared to the Democrats’ 75,047. The party abstained from presidential elections until 1992. In 1990, Walter Hickel won the election for governor as an AIP member. In 2006, in the case of Kohlhaas v. State the State Supreme Court banned any attempt at gathering signatures for an in-state referendum on Alaska becoming an independent country.

Republic of Texas

The Republic of Texas is a general term for several separatist groups calling for the state independence. They believe the 1845 annexation of Texas by the union to be illegal. An interim government of the Texas Republic was set up in the state in 1995. Its two wings were outlawed in the late 1990s over alleged abductions they carried out to swap hostages for their arrested comrades, as well as over threats to assassinate federal officials, including the then president Bill Clinton. Today, the idea of independence is extremely popular with Texans, judging by the number of people who have inked their names in a pro-secession section of the whitehouse.gov website. Texas has one of the US biggest economies and a unique culture, all of which might have factored in its independence bid.

Second Vermont Republic (SVR)

The Vermont Republic existed over the period of 1777-1791 before finally joining the family of America’s united states as its 14 member. In 2003, economics professor Thomas Naylor founded the Second Vermont Republic, a secessionist group which regards itself as the island of calm in the battle against America’s corporate tyranny. It is seeking to return to the formerly independent status of the Vermont Republic. 2007 opinion polls revealed 13 Vermont residents were in favour of independence. The organization also advocates shifting more federal powers to municipal authorities.

Cascadia

Cascadia is the name of a bioregion consisting of portions of American states and British Columbia, Canada. Cascadia could be home to an estimated 15 million people, with its vast economic sector producing annually 675 billion worth of goods. As a proposed country, it would be the world’s 20th biggest state. The Cascadian Independence Project is one of the most active separatist groups currently calling for secession, with members in Vancouver BC, Victoria, Seattle, Portland and other cities. According to the 2005 Canadian survey, 35.7% of British Columbia and 42% of Alberta residents would back Cascadia’s independence bid. A newspaper called Cascadia Weekly is published in Washington. In 2011, the TIME magazine called Cascadia one of Top Ten most ambitious nations in the world.

Republic of Lakotah

In 2007, a group of Native Americans called the Lakota Freedom Delegation and headed by Russell Means traveled to Washington to deliver a statement asserting the independence of the Lakota from the US. The group argued that the document was not a declaration of independence, but rather a reassertion of sovereignty. The movement has ties with various Indian and Libertarian groupings and a reputation for clashes with security forces. Lakotah also has one of the lowest living standards in the US and the world, with high child mortality, teenage suicide and sweeping alcohol addiction. Activists called the bottom-low standard of living as their main reason for secession: 97% of Lakotah Indians live below the federal poverty line, 85% are out of jobs. The life expectancy in the republic stands at just 44 years.

League of the South

The League of the South describes itself as a Southern nationalist organization, headquartered in Alabama. The group advocates restoration of the former Southern Confederacy and is linked to the Italy’s nationalist North League for the Independence of Padania. The League of the South was founded in 1994. Its economics views are best described as a free market. The group is against individual taxes, a central bank system and arms control.

Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement

The Hawaiian sovereignty movement can be traced back to 1893. It reemerged on the historic arena in 1969 with the establishment of the ALOHA group, which sought reparations from the US government for what it claimed was an illegal annexation of the Hawaii Islands.

Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP)

The Puerto Rican Independence Party is a political party that campaigns for the independence of Puerto Rico from the US. It was founded in 1946. In 2008, it lost its official status which was restored after the party filed a petition to the American election committee. PIP was against Puerto Ricans’ enlisting in the US armed forces. The party enjoys the support of Gabriel García Márquez, a Nobel Prize laureate.