Navalny was tortured and executed and thousands are now in the Russian gulag being tortured. After reading these profoundly moving letters, all that a lot of commentators can do is to rave and rant about how the US is just as bad as Russia. They lack appreciation of the US, understanding of Russia, and awe before the courage of people like Sharansky and Navalny.
These comments seem to have little to nothing regarding Navalny but rather seem to be an outlet for “who’s got THE better take on the “lying liars and the lies they lie about”. Lots of pseudo-intellectual preening going on in these comments.
As an evangelical Christian, I went to a Jewish medical school. I have been to Israel three times and count my Israeli friends among the dearest in my life. I am a philo-semite and a Zionist. I am a huge Sharansky fan and read his book when it came out. It is inspiring for me to reconnect with ia his letters to Navalny. It is so in character and a brilliant light in a very darkened world. Many thanks.
Alexei Navalny had also an extreme Russian nationalist past, where he appeared in right wing rallies ("Russia for the Russians", meaning no minorities) to the point where Amnesty International revoked his "Prisoner of Conscience" status:
Unabashed praise of Navalny fits with the general whitewash of any of Putin's opponents, like the "controversial" Azov Battalion led by Andrei Biletsky. "Controversial" is a recent synonym for "neo-Nazi", as in Biletsky's founding speech on the purpose of the Azov Movement "to finish the crusade against the Jewish Untermenschen in Europe".
A free, investigative press would more likely conclude that the Ukraine-Russia War today more closely resembles the Iran-Iraq War of the the 1980s: there are no good guys and most certainly no saints.
Thank you for publishing this. Regarding the footnote #10: The poem that Sharansky quoted in his last message to Navalny was written by N. Zabolotsky who also spent years in GULAG during Stalin's times, thus making it even more relevant.
Two very brave men. It is a privilege to read their correspondence. They have feet on the ground and their spirits in heaven.
We, the citizens of a nation that still has (though challenged) institutions that are based on law and reason, should be so grateful to those that came before us. My grandfather came to this country 109 years ago from Russia, and I only wish I could now thank him for his journey (and my life)
It is time for the partisans of this great nation to put aside their fears and egos, and begin to do the work that is required to continue this great "experiment". That means to listen, respond, and compromise on the many issues at hand.
It is time to end the generalizations, name calling, hyperbole, and condescension. Would not it be better to focus on a persons's ideas, beliefs, hopes, and opinions (which we may disagree with) than their political party, color, hand size, football team, place of birth, eye color, driving ability, wealth, favorite food, etc.
I hope I made my point. The name calling and hatred I have been reading in the "comments" department is not gonna solve anything.
I had a fleeting hope that, for once, the Free Press comment section wouldn't be dominating by reducing everything to Biden-Trump. The printing of these letters from Navalny and Sharansky could have inspired people to admire people of principle who gave up their freedoms and potentially their lives (one who did so actually) for the freedom of others, the dream of improving a deeply tyrannical society. But still the comment section is almost all about Biden-Trump. Sigh.
Navalny’s murder has quietly, ominously stirred the millions of Russian souls he deeply affected.
I can't read these letters without tears in my eyes. I will keep trying.
Thank you, Bari, for everything you have built, and will continue to build, at The FP!!!
Such honorable men.
These letters are a gift to all humanity. They are also like a brace of cold water that just might wake us up from slumber.
Navalny was tortured and executed and thousands are now in the Russian gulag being tortured. After reading these profoundly moving letters, all that a lot of commentators can do is to rave and rant about how the US is just as bad as Russia. They lack appreciation of the US, understanding of Russia, and awe before the courage of people like Sharansky and Navalny.
These comments seem to have little to nothing regarding Navalny but rather seem to be an outlet for “who’s got THE better take on the “lying liars and the lies they lie about”. Lots of pseudo-intellectual preening going on in these comments.
Thank you for this touching piece. Very few brave souls as these in our world but his life will continue to illuminate.
This is beyond transcendent to read. I am so grateful for the free press. Thank you
As an evangelical Christian, I went to a Jewish medical school. I have been to Israel three times and count my Israeli friends among the dearest in my life. I am a philo-semite and a Zionist. I am a huge Sharansky fan and read his book when it came out. It is inspiring for me to reconnect with ia his letters to Navalny. It is so in character and a brilliant light in a very darkened world. Many thanks.
Alexei Navalny had also an extreme Russian nationalist past, where he appeared in right wing rallies ("Russia for the Russians", meaning no minorities) to the point where Amnesty International revoked his "Prisoner of Conscience" status:
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/24/970995185/amnesty-rescinds-prisoner-of-conscience-designation-for-russia-activist-navalny
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/alexei-navalnys-far-right-racist-past-back-in-spotlight-after-putin-critics-death-150644657.html
Unabashed praise of Navalny fits with the general whitewash of any of Putin's opponents, like the "controversial" Azov Battalion led by Andrei Biletsky. "Controversial" is a recent synonym for "neo-Nazi", as in Biletsky's founding speech on the purpose of the Azov Movement "to finish the crusade against the Jewish Untermenschen in Europe".
A free, investigative press would more likely conclude that the Ukraine-Russia War today more closely resembles the Iran-Iraq War of the the 1980s: there are no good guys and most certainly no saints.
If we don't heed the words expressed in these letters between two prisoners who gave everything of themselves, then we are fools.
To mention "rigging elections, influencing the courts, and stifling the press" should be a jolt to our conscience.
In speaking of the universal gravitation of souls, in Christianity we call that the communion of saints.
Thank you for this inspiring article.
Thank You for sharing this.
Thank you for publishing this. Regarding the footnote #10: The poem that Sharansky quoted in his last message to Navalny was written by N. Zabolotsky who also spent years in GULAG during Stalin's times, thus making it even more relevant.
Thank you for sharing these letters. This was enough to persuade me to subscribe.
Two very brave men. It is a privilege to read their correspondence. They have feet on the ground and their spirits in heaven.
We, the citizens of a nation that still has (though challenged) institutions that are based on law and reason, should be so grateful to those that came before us. My grandfather came to this country 109 years ago from Russia, and I only wish I could now thank him for his journey (and my life)
It is time for the partisans of this great nation to put aside their fears and egos, and begin to do the work that is required to continue this great "experiment". That means to listen, respond, and compromise on the many issues at hand.
It is time to end the generalizations, name calling, hyperbole, and condescension. Would not it be better to focus on a persons's ideas, beliefs, hopes, and opinions (which we may disagree with) than their political party, color, hand size, football team, place of birth, eye color, driving ability, wealth, favorite food, etc.
I hope I made my point. The name calling and hatred I have been reading in the "comments" department is not gonna solve anything.
I had a fleeting hope that, for once, the Free Press comment section wouldn't be dominating by reducing everything to Biden-Trump. The printing of these letters from Navalny and Sharansky could have inspired people to admire people of principle who gave up their freedoms and potentially their lives (one who did so actually) for the freedom of others, the dream of improving a deeply tyrannical society. But still the comment section is almost all about Biden-Trump. Sigh.