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Date Posted: Wed, July 21 2004, 22:34:41
Author: Todd
Subject:

And Khariton is ready with a proper article!

July 18th, 2004

Bobby, we are with you!

On receiving the sad news about Bobby Fischer�s detention at the Tokyo airport I was shocked. But I was not surprised. Bobby has been targeted for years, and if anyone is to blame for all that happened two days ago, it is unquestionably and primarily us, the chess players. We have remained passive and indifferent to the destiny of the man who represented better and most honorably our noble game. Bobby was not only a chess genius. More importantly, for my friends, for the people of my generation he has always symbolized the passionate love for the game coupled with his intense, never disappearing desire to make the whole world respect the rights of chess players, to recognize chess as a noble and great profession. We are always in debt to Fischer for his total dedication to chess and his uncompromising spirit. Years will pass, new generations of chess players will appear on the chess circuit, but Bobby Fischer will be always remembered as we remember today the names of Steinitz, Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, Botvinnik and Tal.

No one will certainly remember the names of the people who have arrested him or have given the order to arrest him. Year ago Fischer called them �creeps�. All those hypocrites, cowards, backscratchers whether in the world of chess or the world of high politics. Those people who are brandishing such ideas as freedom, justice and independence but who are ready to sell their souls to any devil.

Last year on Bobby Fischer�s 60th birthday I wrote a letter appealing to support Fischer as a full-fledged US citizen, to allow him to return to the United States, to cancel any prosecuting steps and orders against the glory of the American people and American culture. Even more so, the World� culture! I am sending my deepest and heart-felt thanks to all those who supported me. You are great, and God will always be with you! At the same time I want to pronounce my �J�accuse� to all those who did not respond to my words or ignored them. Whether you are chess players or journalists, or just people making your first steps in chess, you must know one thing: you have betrayed chess and covered yourselves with disgrace.

The bigger part of my life I lived in the Soviet Union. From the past experience of my country I know quite well how people, great people who did not agree with the political regime of the Soviet Union were persecuted by authorities. It had started many years before communism prevailed in Russia. The great Russian writer Dostoyevsky was serving a prison term in Siberia. Leo Tolstoy, the greatest writer and thinker, the most outstanding religious philosopher, was anathemized by the Russian Church and ex-communicated. We all remember the years of Stalin�s despotic rule when thousands and millions of innocent people were deported and exterminated by the authorities. Thousands and millions that had gone with the wind! I am not speaking about such great scientists as Nikolai Vavilov, actors like Michoels, poets like Mandelshtam, to mention just a few. The whole world remembers them today! But who remembers the names of their murderers?

I wish Bobby Fischer a lot courage and fighting spirit that he always demonstrated at the chess board and off the board! He must know that many people throughout the world are together with him today.

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Replies:

I would say that the article is too proper -- Katerina, Thu, July 22 2004, 6:37:31
- Re: I would say that the article is too proper -- Peter van der Hoog, Thu, July 22 2004, 14:17:22
  - Re: I would say that the article is too proper -- Peter van der Hoog, Thu, July 22 2004, 16:39:43
    - A bad link -- Katerina, Fri, July 23 2004, 5:26:58
  - Don't shoot the pianist, he is doing his best! -- Todd, Thu, July 22 2004, 21:30:15
  - Why do u think so? -- Katerina, Fri, July 23 2004, 5:29:40