As reportedby most news sites, Garry Kasparov, the greatest chess player ever and political reformer, was beaten, arrested and jailed for participating in a peaceful protest.
Kasparov has been battling authority for over two decades, first taking on the powerful World Chess Federation (FIDE) and more recently turning his attention to the repressive Putin regime. He has been outspoken, with a worldwide audience and featured columns in the Wall Street Journal. He has risked life and limb in pursuit of his version of democracy.
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Garry Kasparov is no progressive. I've known him since he was a teenager, and he doesn't share the political beliefs of most of us in the Kosmos. But he has constantly championed worthy causes, sticking his neck out in defense of persecuted individuals. Kasparov himself has been a victim many times, even having his world championship semifinal match forfeited by Soviet authorities. Even his first World Championship match was halted when, after months of struggle, Kasparov mounted an amazing comeback from a 5-0 deficit (6 wins required). I could write vlumes about his experiences, but Kasparov has done that and Google can enlighten any of you who would like to know the gory details.
The story is just getting out.Huffington Post has coverage, but nothing at Raw Story yet. I don't know of any organized protest actions, but will update this diary if I hear of any.
Kasparov has boldly challenged authority on many occasions, and deserves our support. Imagine how we'd react if this happened to one of our political candidates, even a Republican! There isn't much that can be done, but I hope you will all follow the story. I've had my own run-ins with Russian (well, Soviet) authorities and know that phone calls to their embassies or small protests don't do much other than draw media coverage. I've also suffered for my support of Kasparov over the years, but the corrupt world of international chess has never tolerated reformers.
Many of you have contacts with elected politicians or candidates. If they speak out, Putin may back off a bit. So please bring it to the attention of anyone you think can help. That's all I can ask for. My friend is in trouble, and I seek help from our community.