Rein Lang: Difference between revisions
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==== Birthday party artificial controversy ==== |
==== Birthday party artificial controversy ==== |
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On [[July 4]], [[2007]], Rein Lang celebrated his 50th birthday at a beer restaurant in Tartu, Estonia.<ref name='ee-juubel'>[[Eesti Ekspress]] [[July 4]], [[2007]]: [http://www.ekspress.ee/viewdoc/9DC2BBB5B3E1EEB4C225730E0023D9BE Langi juubelil "Adolf"] by [[Alan Proosa]]</ref> The party featured a performance of the play [[Adolf (drama)|Adolf]], an award-winning [[anti-fascist]]<ref>[[Pip Utton]], describing the play on a [http://www.pip-utton.com/putton/adolf.htm promotional website].</ref><ref name='epl-lang-review'>[[Eesti Päevaleht]] [[July 9]], [[2007]]: [http://www.epl.ee/artikkel/392468 REIN LANG: Mis siis tegelikult toimus?]</ref> [[drama]] by [[Pip Utton]]. In an additional note, |
On [[July 4]], [[2007]], Rein Lang celebrated his 50th birthday at a beer restaurant in Tartu, Estonia.<ref name='ee-juubel'>[[Eesti Ekspress]] [[July 4]], [[2007]]: [http://www.ekspress.ee/viewdoc/9DC2BBB5B3E1EEB4C225730E0023D9BE Langi juubelil "Adolf"] by [[Alan Proosa]]</ref> The party featured a performance of the play [[Adolf (drama)|Adolf]], an award-winning [[anti-fascist]]<ref>[[Pip Utton]], describing the play on a [http://www.pip-utton.com/putton/adolf.htm promotional website].</ref><ref name='epl-lang-review'>[[Eesti Päevaleht]] [[July 9]], [[2007]]: [http://www.epl.ee/artikkel/392468 REIN LANG: Mis siis tegelikult toimus?]</ref> [[drama]] by [[Pip Utton]], featuring a pre-suicide monologue of [[Adolf Hitler]], delivered in front of a large hanging [[Flag of Nazi Germany|Nazi flag]]. Lang invited guests to attend the party in the period costumes. In an additional note, he pointed out that this era was characterized by [[poverty]], and stressed that the event was not intended as a [[fancy dress party]]; specifically, guests wouldn't be expected to arrive in uniforms or bearing Nazi symbols.<ref name='ee-juubel'/><ref name='epl-lang-review'/> |
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Russian media |
Russian media reported this event as the minister "decorating his birthday with [[swastika]]s". This was interpreted as "distortion" by Estonian media <ref name='pm-rus-acc'>[[Postimees]] [[July 6]], [[2007]]: [http://www.postimees.ee/060707/esileht/siseuudised/270888.php Rein Langi juubelipidu äratas huvi Vene meedias]</ref><ref>[[Eesti Päevaleht]] [[July 6]], [[2007]]: [http://www.epl.ee/artikkel/392259 Vene meedia haaras Rein Langi sünnipäeva mõnuga hambusse], edited by [[Tuuli Aug]]</ref>. The [[Nochnoy Dozor (advocacy group)|Nochnoy Dozor]] group has in [[Russia]]n media made calls for the Minister of Justice to resign over the event.<ref>[[ITAR-TASS]] [[July 5]], [[2007]]: [http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=11695348&PageNum=0 Estonian minister marks jubilee under aegis of Nazi Swastika]</ref> In an explanatory [[opinion article]], Lang stated ''"The Republic of Estonia has condemned Nazi crimes and my birthday was attended by people who, without exception, despise fascism."''<ref name='epl-lang-review'/> [[Trivimi Velliste]], speaking on [[TV3 (Estonia)|TV3]], has called Russian media's coverage of this incident a case of [[psychological warfare]].<ref>[[Postimees]] [[28 July]] [[2007]]: [http://www.postimees.ee/280707/esileht/siseuudised/274489.php TV3: vabadusvõitlejate kokkutulekut jälgis RTRi võttegrupp]</ref> |
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It's interesting to note that Russian media, in presenting background of Lang for covering this incident, has sometimes claimed that as the Minister of Justice, Lang blocked a [[bill]] that would have prohibited display of [[swastika]]s. This is untrue; Lang was one of the original sponsors of a bill outlawing public display of occupation symbols, such as [[hammer and sickle]], [[swastika]], and the [[Red Star]], when such display is executed in order to incite social hatred. The bill was blocked in a [[Riigikogu|parliamentary]] commission that considered it too onerous for constitutional freedoms, particularly, [[freedom of speech]]. |
It's interesting to note that Russian media, in presenting background of Lang for covering this incident, has sometimes claimed that as the Minister of Justice, Lang blocked a [[bill]] that would have prohibited display of [[swastika]]s. This is untrue; Lang was one of the original sponsors of a bill outlawing public display of occupation symbols, such as [[hammer and sickle]], [[swastika]], and the [[Red Star]], when such display is executed in order to incite social hatred. The bill was blocked in a [[Riigikogu|parliamentary]] commission that considered it too onerous for constitutional freedoms, particularly, [[freedom of speech]]. |
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Revision as of 14:30, 31 August 2007
Rein Lang (born July 4 1957 in Tartu, Estonia) is an Estonian politician, a member of the Estonian Reform Party since 1995, and a diplomat. He is currently serving as the Minister of Justice.[1]
Childhood and education
Lang's father was appointed to work at the Soviet embassy in Helsinki.[2] Consequently, Rein Lang grew partly up in Finland, becoming a fluent speaker of Finnish. He has championed Finnish-Estonian relations. Lang got the basic and highschool education in Tallinn English College (then known as 7th Highscool of Tallinn) and graduated cum laude from University of Tartu in 1980, acquiring a degree in law.[1]
Family
Lang is in an open marriage with Ulvi Kuusk, whom he met in 1979,[3] and has a teenage (as of 2007) daughter.[4]
Careers
Legal career
In 1980–1983, Rein Lang belonged to Injurkollegija, a specialised attorney organisation for foreign legal relations of the USSR. This was his first job after graduation.
Rein Lang participated in Constitutional Assembly of Republic of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti Vabariigi Põhiseaduslik Assamblee) tasked to write the Constitution of Estonia enacted in 1992.[citation needed]
Business career
In late years of the Soviet Union — since 1986 —, Lang worked in the entertainment business. He has been a deputy director of the Linnahall and in 1989 became a deputy director of club 'Muusik' (Estonian for 'Musician'). In 1990, he became CEO of AS Laulusillad (Estonian for Song Bridges), and in 1991–2001 served at various positions in AS TRIO, along with Hans H. Luik establishing and running the first politically independent radio station in post-Soviet Estonia, Radio Kuku. Over the next several years, Lang launched two more radio stations, Radio Uuno, a music-only radio station, and the Russian language Radio Tallinn (later renamed Radio 100). In 2002, Lang and Luik sold their radio interest to their then co-partner from the United States, Metromedia International Group Inc.
Media career
In Radio Kuku, Lang regularly appeared in talkshows, ending up gaining considerable reputation as a political commentator.[4] His most popular programme, the weekly 'Midday Hour' (Estonian: Keskpäevatund), has become legendary, and a subject of a number of jokes mostly associated with Valdo Jahilo. 'State of the state' (Estonian: Olukorrast riigis) was also popular.
Political career
Following his departure from the media business, Lang served as deputy mayor of Tallinn in 2001–2003 and as a member of Riigikogu in 2003–2005. He served as the Deputy Speaker of Riigikogu and Chairman of its European Affairs Committee. In 2005, Lang was the minister of Foreign Affairs for two months, from February to April. With the resignation of Juhan Parts, the prime minister at that time, a new cabinet was proposed by Andrus Ansip; there, Lang would serve as the Minister of Justice, a position he officially took when the new cabinet took an oath on April 12, 2005.
Press Enemy of 2004
In 2004, the Estonian Newspaper Association (Estonian: Eesti Ajalehtede Liit) consensually titled Lang 'Year's Press Enemy'.[5] The explanation provided in the press release cited Lang's snobbish attitude towards press, exemplified by an email response in which Lang asked a county newspaper's correspondent to "not bother" him with any more requests for information. Lang has disputed this characterisation, and implied that Toomas Leito, leader of the Estonian Newspaper Association, was following a policy of But you are lynching Negroes.[6]
Controversial "Delfi bill"
In autumn of 2005, Lang initiated a bill that would have allowed penalising web portals for anonymous commentary left by their visitors. The bill, nicknamed "Delfi bill" (Estonian: Delfi eelnõu) after an Estonian web portal commonly associated with poorly thought out and scatological commentary, was widely criticised and ended up rejected by Riigikogu.[7] Among other concerns, critics commonly pointed out that Delfi belonged to a media concern competing with AS TRIO, and questioned the minister's neutrality.
The Ministry of Culture can only be tidied up by a grenade, thrown in through its window.[8]
Birthday party artificial controversy
On July 4, 2007, Rein Lang celebrated his 50th birthday at a beer restaurant in Tartu, Estonia.[9] The party featured a performance of the play Adolf, an award-winning anti-fascist[10][11] drama by Pip Utton, featuring a pre-suicide monologue of Adolf Hitler, delivered in front of a large hanging Nazi flag. Lang invited guests to attend the party in the period costumes. In an additional note, he pointed out that this era was characterized by poverty, and stressed that the event was not intended as a fancy dress party; specifically, guests wouldn't be expected to arrive in uniforms or bearing Nazi symbols.[9][11]
Russian media reported this event as the minister "decorating his birthday with swastikas". This was interpreted as "distortion" by Estonian media [12][13]. The Nochnoy Dozor group has in Russian media made calls for the Minister of Justice to resign over the event.[14] In an explanatory opinion article, Lang stated "The Republic of Estonia has condemned Nazi crimes and my birthday was attended by people who, without exception, despise fascism."[11] Trivimi Velliste, speaking on TV3, has called Russian media's coverage of this incident a case of psychological warfare.[15]
It's interesting to note that Russian media, in presenting background of Lang for covering this incident, has sometimes claimed that as the Minister of Justice, Lang blocked a bill that would have prohibited display of swastikas. This is untrue; Lang was one of the original sponsors of a bill outlawing public display of occupation symbols, such as hammer and sickle, swastika, and the Red Star, when such display is executed in order to incite social hatred. The bill was blocked in a parliamentary commission that considered it too onerous for constitutional freedoms, particularly, freedom of speech.
"Wikigate" incident
On 23 July 2007, Lang's article on Wikipedia was edited by a user identifying as "Kairioun", removing a large section on Lang's birthday controversy[16][17]. After these deletions were consistently reverted, another user by the alias of Gerog112 performed a similar deletion many times, resulting in a 24-hour restriction of editing privileges (sometimes mistakenly reported as a three-month restriction), and made a number of bizarre statements in Estonian. News media quickly traced the user Kairioun to Kairi Õun, an advisor of Lang, leading to considerable coverage of the incident, which Henrik Roonemaa, in an analysis session in Tehnokratt, dubbed "Wikigate".[18] Gerog112's real life identity remains unknown. The resulting publicity attracted a number of new Estonian editors to Wikipedia.
Celebratory beer for Constitution's anniversary
As the current Estonian Minister of Justice, Lang was involved in the Constitutional Pilsener project.
References
- ^ a b http://www.just.ee/minister
- ^ Postimees February 22, 2005: Soome ajaleht: Lang on «kõva pähkel»
- ^ Äripäev 2 February 2007: Rein Lang — Lapsesuu või PR-guru?
- ^ a b Eesti Päevaleht 30 June 2007: Rein Lang (50)
- ^ Estonian Newspaper Association 10 December 2004: Pressisõber on Marko Pomerants, pressivaenlane Rein Lang
- ^ Postimees 8 January 2005: Liberaalne Molekul, interview by Priit Pullerits
- ^ delfi.ee November 1, 2005: Sõnavabadus internetis ohus
- ^ Keskpäevatund, quoted in Sõnavabadus internetis ohus
- ^ a b Eesti Ekspress July 4, 2007: Langi juubelil "Adolf" by Alan Proosa
- ^ Pip Utton, describing the play on a promotional website.
- ^ a b c Eesti Päevaleht July 9, 2007: REIN LANG: Mis siis tegelikult toimus?
- ^ Postimees July 6, 2007: Rein Langi juubelipidu äratas huvi Vene meedias
- ^ Eesti Päevaleht July 6, 2007: Vene meedia haaras Rein Langi sünnipäeva mõnuga hambusse, edited by Tuuli Aug
- ^ ITAR-TASS July 5, 2007: Estonian minister marks jubilee under aegis of Nazi Swastika
- ^ Postimees 28 July 2007: TV3: vabadusvõitlejate kokkutulekut jälgis RTRi võttegrupp
- ^ Postimees 25 July 2007: Langi nõunik toimetas ministri kohta käivat artiklit Wikipedias
- ^ Eesti Päevaleht 26 July 2007: Langi nõunik üritas parandada ministrit käsitlevat Wikipedia artiklit by Jan Jõgis-Laats
- ^ Tehnokratt 28 July 2007: tehnokratt vikipeediast ja reeglitest
External links
- Official blog, sponsored by the Estonian Reform Party
- A news item by Rossiya, the national TV channel of Russian Federation.