A letter to Anonymous, a.k.a. Andrew

Last Monday an anonymous A. left the following comment to my post "Is 1984 inevitable?":

The truly Orwellian is only the second sentence – because it’s meaningless and absurd – two major components of a genuine Orwell’s slogan. The third is a banal remark. The first is just plainly stupid, but it is quite obvious what you, Mr. Lennikov, are getting at. I have to disappoint you -you are deeply mistaken if you think that public opinion favors you (judging by the Internet). I also found it quite interesting that comments in your support are mostly illogical and full of Orwellianisms, when the negative ones contain plenty references to the current laws and democratic procedures.

An ex KGB agent hiding from the law in a church basement and living from donations – truly Orwellian’s.
A.
July 27, 2009 7:32 PM

I happened to be too busy to respond to this comment, so removed it from the blog for a while to get back to it later. Then, two days after that, Anonymous who that time called himself Andrew attacked my earlier post under quite a sensational title.

Lennikov's guilty subconscious revealed itself

In his blog (http://mikhaillennikov.blogspot.com/) Ex KGB agent tries himself as a writer (see Sanctuary. One month & 6 days - An Old, Old Fairy Tale). I find this reading amusing, because no matter what exactly Mr. Lennikov kept in mind writing this piece, he described very precisely what KGB (in his tale - Office of Three Ministers) was doing in my country (former USSR). Reading this story you can also get an impression what Mr. Lennikov did in KGB ("In the middle of the night they were awoken by the noise of truck engines and tires and the marching boots on the streets. Then somebody loudly knocked on the door."). I don't know where exactly to place Mr. Lennikov - among those who were driving the trucks, marching on the streets or knocking on the door, but it doesn't make much difference for me.

Ex KGB agent took his inspiration from Rev. Martin Niemoeller, a German Lutheran pastor who was arrested by the Gestapo in 1938. He wrote:
"In Germany, the Nazis first came for the communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time there was no one left to speak for me."
I find the Rev. Martin Niemoeller story much better, but maybe Mr. Lennikov thinks that for an average Canadian this piece is to complex to comprehend.
A
July 29, 2009 10:03 AM

At least it became clear that Anonymous Andrew at some point lived in the USSR, and it seemed that he still lived there. Also, I was very happy for him that he managed to correctly guess that the story referred to all totalitarian regimes including the Great Terror and purges in the Stalin's Soviet Union. Although, he wasn't able to figure out which job description from this allegory to assign me to--I must admit it would have taken a lot of imagination--he still demonstrated phenomenal abilities to draw parallels and conclusions from almost any statement or phrase. To be fair, I found Andrew's reference to Rev. Martin Niemoeller very educational (no kidding), but couldn't understand why Andrew thought that it was too difficult. Seriously.

On the next day, Andrew seemed to get very upset to discover that his comment of July 27 was removed. He didn't spare bullets to shoot me out.

I couldn't discover my comments in your blog (the last one was addressed to the entry Is "1984" inevitable?) and since they were more on the negative side I presume you remove all unfavorable remarks from your blog. Well--given the fact that you have zero comments at the moment let me return to my previous statement that the public support of your cause is also very close to that number as well. Which means that our the most democratic government in the world certainly makes its decisions according to the public opinion, our voice counts as much as our vote and difference between the law and the justice is quite negligible--I suggest this is the reason why you want to spend the rest of your life in Canada rather than in Russia.

Your reflexes also show that there is no such a thing as a former KGB agent as there is no a former Bull Terrier. I truly believe that before you hit the delete button the first thought that popped in your mind was "I have to report this to authorities".
Andrew
PS I'll be in touch.
July 30, 2009 4:08 PM

Andrew continued his brilliant art of fabrication. He started with a presumption, and then masterfully connected the number of the comments on my blog to the level of support of my family. But his next statement truly confused me, as it appeared that he lived in Canada, not Russia (good for you, Andrew!), yet in the last paragraph Andrew managed to save the day by building a postulate out of a thin air and showing unsurpassed talent of clairvoyance. "I truly believe," he said. From that moment on, I got really scared even to breathe, for Andrew would definitely clairvoir that and immediately report to the world that the given reflex undoubtedly revealed, again, "that there is no such thing as a former KGB agent." And when he threatened that he would be in touch, I lost my sleep.

Andrew's next comment was profound, philosophical and even poetic, but that time he decided to sign as Jason Cowley.

Some Find True Freedom When They Are Confined; Others, like Saddam Hussein, Meet Their Nemesis. from Dickens through Dostoevsky to Beckett, the Hole in Literature Has Become a Metaphor for Isolation, a Place of Safety or Danger, a Sanctuary or a Prison
Jason Cowley
July 31, 2009 5:39 PM

And he hammered the last nail into the coffin by putting a short comment to my most recent post "Two months" where I called the date "a milestone."

Milestones are 5, 10 and 25 years.
Andrew
August 1, 2009 7:35 PM

So, Andrew, as you can see, not only did I not delete your comments, but I put them together in a post to make it more convenient for the readers to have an opportunity to peruse your writing. I will leave it to them to decide whether or not, as you claim, "comments in your support are mostly illogical and full of Orwellianisms, when the negative ones contain plenty references to the current laws and democratic procedures," as YOUR comments are a very typical example of the level of discussion and arguments of "the negative ones." I found it somewhat disturbing that the way you put it shows quite a despise and disrespect to Canadians who believe that I should stay in Canada with my family. Besides, you claim that their number is close to zero. Well, according to Angus Reid Strategies, as published in Vancouver Sun, "41 per cent of Canadian respondents - and 55 per cent of those in British Columbia, - disagree with the federal government's decision to return Lennikov to Russia. Conversely, only 12 per cent of national respondents, and 19 per cent of British Columbians, agree Lennikov should be deported." What these numbers mean is that out of the respondents who had heard or had an opinion about the case, 77% in Canada and 74% in British Columbia were in favour of my stay. Probably, it's just because they haven't realized yet how "mostly illogical and full of Orwellianisms" they are. But you, Andrew, will certainly teach them what is right or what is unright (if speaking in Newspeak). And dare they not listen to you! They MUST be happy that such a wonderful and knowledgeable person like yourself, Andrew, chose Canada your next destination and became Canadian citizen. Not just happy--ecstatic.

In my humble opinion, it wouldn't hurt if you picked up a little bit of civilized manners. Speaking figuratively, you came to my house, insulted me, insulted my guests, put graffiti on my walls and truly believe that not only can you stay as long as you want, but come back at any time. Well, good luck doing that in real life.

And as a closing, I would like to say that I am not inviting you, Andrew, for a discussion, for, as much as your comments may be amusing and tell of an educated person (which I sincerely respect), they are not very interesting as far as the substance of argumentation and the logic of a dispute are concerned. You don't seem to be capable, at least in my case, of a civilized dialogue, because you appear blinded by hatred. Old George Orwell would probably say that you were back fresh from not a Two-Minute Hate but Decades of Hate.

The war is over, Andrew. Go in peace and may the Lord be with you.

Good bye, Andrew.