It is very important to realize the lengths that the EU is currently going in order to provide restriction-free travel to Russians. Very soon we will need to face the fact that Russian citizens will have almost the same rights to travel and find work in the EU as do EU citizens themselves. This is a very major concession, considering the fears many Estonians have about Russian interests in the near-abroad. But we must let our fears go by the wayside, since we are now an EU member state, and it is the EU's responsibility to ensure our protection. And if you believe this, you must be more naive than I thought you were! However, I fully understand the USA's fears about new immigrants. Baltic citizens have not proven themselves a communal body of citizens worthy of visa-free travel, because most US officials and general public continue to look upon Baltic people as Russians. I don't like this attitude and I don't think anyone else should either, and therefore I think we can wait a little longer- until such a time that the US treats Baltic people with the dignity they deserve.

Let's leave the question of ethnic pride aside for a moment and ask ourselves about the importance of this issue.
Are visas an impediment to visits by friends, relatives or business associates? No.
Are they an impediment to permanent "visits" by Estonian low-lifes who have become a nuisance in Estonian communities such as Lakewood? Only slightly.
Are they an impediment to the Russian underworld developing contacts and opportunities? Only slightly.
So, let's focus on what's important; such as teaching our kids to speak Estonian.