On Dec 6, 12:57 pm, zdrakec wrote:
On Dec 6, 11:47 am, "

wrote:
Kasparov is in a dangerous position at the moment. One of the factors
that gives him the freedom to oppose the regime is the attention of
the international chess community to the former world champion. It
should be a no-brainer for the USCF; loudly announce support for his
attempts to maintain democracy in Russia.

Even if the cause was not important of itself (I feel it definitely
is), this is a rare opportunity for the USCF to be part of positive
publicity about chess; a chess player is acting like a true hero. Let
us celebrate that fact while we give him what little support we are
able to provide.

Jerry Spinrad (who still has not been able to get onto the USC orum)

I certainly agree with your points about Kasparov. However, I must
respectfully disagree about the USCF having any involvement. The
function of the USCF is to promote chess in the United States; it has
(in my humble opinion) no business taking any sort of political stand
on non-chess issues.

Regards,
zdrakec

I meant to add, on a side note, thank you, Dr. Spinrad, for the
fascinating article about Deschapelles on Chess Cafe.

Cheers,
zdrakec

FROM HINDUSTAN TIMES:

Recall Moscow envoy for backing chess king, UK Queen urged

Moscow, December 06, 2007

The pro-Kremlin youth movement Nashi has appealed to Queen Elizabeth
II to withdraw the British ambassador from Moscow for allegedly
supporting opponents of President Vladimir Putin.

"This would be the same as if we went to America and started giving
money to the Klu Klux Klan," Alexander Gagiyev, a Nashi leader, told
the English-language Moscow Times.

The group, which wants Putin to remain Russia's leader despite a
Constitutional requirement for him to step down next year, has been
picketing the British embassy to protest ambassador Sir Anthony
Brenton's recent attendance at a meeting of The Other Russia, an anti-
Kremlin coalition led by chess champion Garry Kasparov.
Kasparov, who says he will run in presidential polls slated for March
2, spent five days in a Russian jail last week for leading an
"unauthorized rally" against Putin's alleged plans to remain Russia's
leader.

Nashi accuses Brenton of pledging to donate $2-million to The Other
Russia, a claim the British side denies.

In addition to writing to the Queen, Nashi says it is suing Brenton in
a Moscow court on the grounds that he violated the Vienna Convention,
which forbids diplomats from interfering in the internal politics of
host countries.

Nashi, which means "Ours" in Russian, is the Putinista youth movement
established by the Kremlin two years ago to ward off the threat of a
Ukrainian-style orange revolution in Russia.





Chess One wrote:
"SBD" wrote in message
...
On Dec 6, 12:57 pm, zdrakec wrote:

I certainly agree with your points about Kasparov. However, I must
respectfully disagree about the USCF having any involvement. The
function of the USCF is to promote chess in the United States; it has
(in my humble opinion) no business taking any sort of political stand
on non-chess issues.


Agreed. It isn't their mission.

But chessplayers within the USCF or just in general, could form, oh,
what is the name of the physicians' organization against nuclear arms?
Alzheimer's moment.... but such a group could be international.

Medecin sans Frontieres. A local guy in our town won a Nobel for his work
[that's 4 Nobels for our town].

I know a Swedish gal my own age who is an MD. She has been to Africa twice
with this program. Tough to read her personal writing though, since she says
that somewhat more than half of the time she is reduced to nursing [which is
of great need there] and cannot practice her science as a doctor.

Sweden gives more money per capita to programs like this [and in contrast
with USA, more money in absolute amount too] and, while this Scandinavian
country provides a formidable lead in world conscience, I still accept her
50% effectiveness report by virtue of her own experience there. I also
accept that as being the superior opinion in contribution and experience of
its effect.

While I like the spirit of Jerry Spinrad's post, nevertheless it must be
said that unless chess has something to say about democratic process which
it can usefully contribute by virtue of its own demonstrated process, it
should hold its council. USCF is no exemplar of any democratic idea, and
FIDE is a democratic absurdity.

To have read the recent messages here provided by Larry Parr, citing Larry
Evans' new title on the real zeitgeist in chess, is enough to cause any
candid opinion, pause. Yet even in our game, you will note the contentious
denial thrown at what Evan's says.

In this sense Marcus Roberts is right if his intent was to say: We should
make peace in our own house before venturing abroad.

Where, do you think, is there a will to do that?

Phil Innes

In this case, Kasparov very much wants the attention of the West; I
doubt that many people would view the support of a chess federation
would be viewed as intervention as a hostile power in any case.

The USCF is not involved in the cause of Russian democracy, and it is
not part of our mandate. However, I feel that if a chess master makes
a great contribution in an area other than chess, we celebrate this
achivement. When Josh Waitzkin won a martial arts championship, the
USCF discussed this non-chess achievement in its magazine. If a chess
master became a major supporter of a noncontroversial humanitarian
cause, I am sure we would honor them somehow for their sacrifice of
time and/or money.

Kasparov is sacrificing his time and money, and putting himself at
some risk of physical danger. The cause should not be controversial to
any American (I say American here only because we are speaking of the
USCF; the same statement would be true for people from any democratic
country.) In my opinion, we should make a public celebration of his
political heroism.

I suppose I will try to use my own tiny forum to make such a
statement. Since I am more firmly tethered to planet Earth than some
writers on this forum, I will not make the claim that my Chess Cafe
column is the best-ever writing about chess, but I will try to take
off from Kasparov and discuss other chess players who have made bold
political statements for noble causes. I am a slow writer for new
articles, however, so it may take some time to polish such an article.
The problem is not lack of noble chess players, I am happy to say; I
have run into quite a few players during my historical chess research
who fought altruistically for justice on behalf of quite a number of
different causes.

This is probably my last post on the subject for a while. It looks
like the Truong issue is finally coming to a head, and it is probably
true that the USCF will have to deal with it before engaging itself in
any broader issues.

Jerry Spinrad

On Dec 6, 5:31 pm, David Richerby
wrote:


n Dec 6, 5:31 pm, David Richerby
wrote:
wrote:
Kasparov is in a dangerous position at the moment. One of the factors
that gives him the freedom to oppose the regime is the attention of
the international chess community to the former world champion. It
should be a no-brainer for the USCF; loudly announce support for his
attempts to maintain democracy in Russia.

Somebody has already suggested this. My reaction then was to say that
it would be *essential* to ask Kasparov about this first. My guess is
that USCF support could be the kiss of death for Kasparov's campaign
by causing him to be denounced as America's puppet.

Dave.

--
David Richerby Addictive Perforated Priest (TM):www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ it's like a man of the cloth but it's
full of holes and you can never put
it down!

On Dec 7, 10:42 pm, " Since I am more
firmly tethered to planet Earth than some
writers on this forum, I will not make the claim that my Chess Cafe
column is the best-ever writing about chess....

Perhaps not. But it's a damn fine body of work, Jerry.

On Dec 6, 9:47 am, "
wrote:
Kasparov is in a dangerous position at the moment. One of the factors
that gives him the freedom to oppose the regime is the attention of
the international chess community to the former world champion. It
should be a no-brainer for the USCF; loudly announce support for his
attempts to maintain democracy in Russia.

[...]

Jerry Spinrad (who still has not been able to get onto the USC orum)

Jerry, your initiative and suggestion is great. But it is
still much more important and the impact will be much more
impressive if private persons will sign a letter in support
of democracy in Russia, and for Kasparov in particular, en mass.

Perhaps you, Larry and Taylor can collaborate on the text,
making sure that not only English but also the concepts shine
in its utmost fundamental simplicity. (I may try to find about
the technical aspect of such letters; I ran into this in the past;
or perhaps the three of you may do it all by yourself).

Best regards,

Wlod

On Dec 6, 10:57 am, zdrakec wrote:

I certainly agree with your points about Kasparov. However, I must
respectfully disagree about the USCF having any involvement. The
function of the USCF is to promote chess in the United States; it has
(in my humble opinion) no business taking any sort of political stand
on non-chess issues.

Regards,
zdrakec

Wow, you sound like true Soviet propaganda.
They used this trick a lot. And as awful as it sounds,
it worked. It was so ugly.

Wlod

On Dec 6, 3:31 pm, David Richerby
wrote:

Somebody has already suggested this. My reaction then was to say that
it would be *essential* to ask Kasparov about this first. My guess is
that USCF support could be the kiss of death for Kasparov's campaign
by causing him to be denounced as America's puppet.

Dave.

your "guess" is self-contradictory.

However, USCF is such a lousy organization
that indeed it doesn't have much weight.
Much more weight would have a letter of
support for Kasparov, and for the democratic
movement, signed by many individuals.

Such a letter would also have an impact on congressmen,
senators... They have to take into account the opinions of
voters.

Regards,

Wlod

On Dec 7, 7:42 pm, "
wrote:

In this case, Kasparov very much wants the attention of the West;

The main principle is to not get trapped into playing
the game by the rules imposed by oppressors.

It looks like the Truong issue is finally coming to a head,

If it is true that Truong was impersonating Sam Sloan,
then I hope that Truong will spend some time behind
the bars.

Best regards,

Wlod

Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (Wlod) wrote:
David Richerby wrote:
My guess is that USCF support could be the kiss of death for
Kasparov's campaign by causing him to be denounced as America's
puppet.

your "guess" is self-contradictory.

In what way? Do you think that, if Putin were to give a speech saying
that USCF support for Kasparov proves that he's an American puppet,
the average voter would go and research the facts and find out that
the USCF has nothing to do with the American government? I don't.


Dave.

--
David Richerby Flammable Hi-Fi (TM): it's like a
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ music system but it burns really
easily!

"David Richerby" wrote in message
...
Wlodzimierz Holsztynski (Wlod) wrote:
David Richerby wrote:
My guess is that USCF support could be the kiss of death for
Kasparov's campaign by causing him to be denounced as America's
puppet.

your "guess" is self-contradictory.

In what way? Do you think that, if Putin were to give a speech saying
that USCF support for Kasparov proves that he's an American puppet,

Why are you so concerned with what Putin does, Dave, rather than what is
right and decent?

Do you know who stopped the Ukrainian edition of Animal Farm getting to the
East, 'because it might offend Stalin?' [See corres. G. Orwell/ A. Koestler]
and who was arrested in England during WWII for having a copy of Zamyatin's
book, "We", the acknowledged stimulus or basis of 1984, which was critical
of Stalin and Stalinism?

I think the point is that Kasparov has tried to offer Russians something
else, and the mere option available to them is of great value. Maybe next
time a more critical appraisal of their options will occur to them and those
who will lead it out, instead of virtually the one-man-band Kasparov. After
all, who, 5 years before, predicted the American revolution?

the average voter would go and research the facts and find out that
the USCF has nothing to do with the American government? I don't.

Endorsement by the USCF is of itself no consequence to Russian people
whatever, and only thinking makes it so/not so. Kasparov himself declared
USCF 'dead' some time ago.

USCF should work on its own act, then on Fide. If it achieves something,
then... then maybe it has something to demonstrate in the art of political
management, rather than remonstrate on what it cannot itself achieve.

Phil Innes

Dave.

--
David Richerby Flammable Hi-Fi (TM): it's
like a
www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~davidr/ music system but it burns
really
easily!