In Memoriam Alexei Navalny

Life is not a Hollywood movie. It is not a scripted piece where after trials and lost battles along the way the good guys win in the end and justice prevails. Not even when the protagonist of a real-life story is in fact an Oscar-winning Hollywood star of an eponymous film.

The brutal murder of Alexei Navalny is an immeasurable loss. He was a one-in-a-generation leader in a nation that badly lost its way in a manner similar to Germany nearly a century ago, and whose leader has more blood on his hands than perhaps any person alive today. It is also a reminder that just like it was in the dark days of 1930's and 40's, defeating evil is not a spectator sport. As much as they try to project strength and ruthless control, repressive regimes exist at the mercy of the people. For survival they count not on a small number of active collaborators but on millions of common people living their lives looking the other way. It is the apathy of the common man that requires uncommon sacrifice of the few.

It also draws a stark contrast between the bravery of one man with a vision who gave it all and the cowardice of Western politicians, particularly those in the US, holding back vital aid to brave Ukrainians who can and in fact have beaten back Russian tyranny when supported by Western weaponry. The isolationists and the peaceniks on the right and the left are among those choosing to look the other way while tyrants do as they please.

Let this one man's extraordinary sacrifice be a reminder that the struggle against the bad guys is real, and that they are outnumbered but they count on the majority in opposition to do as little as possible. Let's not let them get away with murder, literally.

Navalny's website has posted a wonderful tribute, and I can't recommend enough Navalny, the Oscar-winning film about this man's short but extraordinary life. Rest in Power, Alexei.