Quote Originally Posted by bad manners
Typical. No real arguments.
OK, let's examine your arguments, then:

1. "You were brainwashed!"

Yep, that's sure to kill any discussion. "You were fed propaganda, I, however, know the full truth..."

Hmmm, I wonder who's brainwashed? The one growing up under a totalitarian regime that was founded by Stalin, or the one growing up in a democracy with free access to both sides of the story?

2. "The intelligentsia, who are bad, think Stalin is bad, hence he must be good."

This is a strange way of reasoning.

First, you haven't proven that the intelligentsia is bad. Sure, Lenin thought they were bad, but if I were to establish a dictatorship, I also wouldn't love that part of the nation that uses it's brains.

Second, even if they really are bad, those intelligentsia guys, does that mean the person they see as bad, is in reality automatically a good guy? I'm sure the intelligentsia in Russia also doesn't love Hitler. Must be a good guy, then...

3. "Most Russians agree with me, so I'm right."

Like scotcher said, that's not my observation. I've also met quite a lot of Russians and although most defend the USSR, hardly anyone has ever defended Stalin.