It was a complete overreaction and disconnected from reality, but that’s the norm. - Konstantin Kisin

I was obviously born Russian, but I had no control over that. However, when I got the freedom to choose my life, I gave my old life up for the West, which is the only real ‘privilege’ I truly have. It’s certainly the only one that matters. In doing so I’ve built a life for myself here that’s far better, much safer and more more rewarding than anything I could’ve had anywhere else.

This chapter is a plea from the heart to journalists—please stop fucking with the media. It is not yours to co-opt or use to spread propaganda. You are merely stewards of the industry.

My point is that the overwhelming majority of the things that are now described as ‘racism’, ‘xenophobia’ and ‘bigotry’ are simply a product of the fact that we now see everything through the prism of race. I was lucky to be denied the opportunity to do so.