Thursday, February 22nd, 2024
My Dear America:
I watched the Rebroadcast of the CNN Film, "Navalny" last Saturday Night.
I had seen it before when it was broadcast for what I think was the first time.
I was blown away by the film both times I watched it.
I was blown away the first time I saw the film because I had known very little about Alexei Navalny prior to watching the film. Observing this Tall, Handsome, Charming, Charismatic, Fearless Russian Lawyer and Politician call the individuals on the telephone who attempted to assassinate him by poisoning his clothes and pretending to be a top Russian Official demanding a report was gutsy beyond belief.
Watching him in the movie the first time I truly felt as though I was watching someone who was fearless enough and capable enough to turn Russia into the kind of Reasonable and Righteous Democratic Country that those of us who believed in Democracy hoped it could be.
Navalny fooled The Russian Assassin who admitted to attempting to kill him into explaining on the phone while he was being recorded on camera just how he and his comrades went about attempting to kill Navalny by poisoning his underwear with a deadly nerve agent.
The First time I saw the film, especially the part of the film in which he voluntarily returned to Russia only to be arrested, I finished watching the film with a feeling of Hope For The Future Of Russia because Navalny was there.
I had a different feeling watching "Navalny" on CNN this past Saturday night.
Although I felt hopeful the first time I watched "Navalny," this time I felt hopeless and angry that Navalny was obviously no longer able to stir the consciences of the Russian people and give them hope for their future.
Although it was reported there was film showing Navalny looking especially healthy taken at his Arctic Prison camp last Friday it was also reported later on that Navalny was dead. Certainly when someone looks healthy early in the day and dies of what the Russian officials term "Sudden Death Syndrome" it is not difficult to figure out that there was something incredibly wrong with this picture. In fact "Sudden Death Syndrome" seems to be a method of dying that has been recently on the rise in Russia. Amazingly enough almost all of the victims of this uniquely Russian method of demise seem to be Russian citizens speaking out against their country's increasing Political Repression.
Bono at a concert in Las Vegas encouraged his fans to "say Navalny's name" as a gesture of respect for Navalny and a well deserved slap in the face for Vladimir Putin who took great care never to mention Navalny's name in public probably because he didn't want Navalny to be any more well known in Russia than he already was.
President Joe Biden was obviously angry in his reaction to the news that Navalny was dead. Biden was very clear who he blamed for Navalny's death. He blamed Vladimir Putin for Navalny's demise and would be looking at what steps he could take to react to Alexei's death.
Clearly Biden certainly felt a kinship with Navalny with regard to both men having a love and respect for Freedom and Democracy in their Home Countries. On today's date Joe Biden met with Navalny's widow and daughter and clearly will be supportive of Navalny's wife's efforts to continue her husband's Legacy to attempt to bring Democracy and Freedom to Russia
There is a deep sadness in the world right now as one more light has gone out as another Truly Brave Patriot is gone from Russia.
"Sudden Death Syndrome has killed a number of brave individuals in Russia recently who have had the courage to speak out about the conditions in their Home Country.
To make matters worse for lovers of Democracy in our country we presently have to endure Donald Trump making statements about NATO indicating that if our Allied Countries in NATO don't pay what he determines is their their fair share of the financial burden of NATO that in a Trump Administration they will not be protected in the event of being invaded by Russia. Trump has also let it be known that he does not want Republicans to vote to give aid to Ukraine at a time when a lack of assistance to Ukraine is beginning to show its dangerous consequences in Ukraine.
Hopefully Trump's Reckless policies will at some point turn off those individuals in the Republican Party who still believe in Democracy and that somehow Radical Republican Extremists will still figure out what it is that their party used to stand for and that they come to their senses before it is too late to save Democracy in Ukraine or in other NATO Countries, or in fact in America .
We are most certainly living in very Dangerous times these days and if Donald Trump is elected we will most certainly be seeing the end of Democracy in America.
It is surely time for all Americans to wake up and pay attention to what is happening not only in America but all over our world.
In the meantime, we will miss Alexei Navalny and what he stood for and we will be grateful that in the United States of America Joe Biden is still in charge, and not Donald Trump.
Now if we can only keep it that way.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
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