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August 04, 2008

Remembering Alexander Solzhenitsyn

 

 

We of course are all sad to find out the news of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s passing.

 

In remembrance of the great intellectual and dissident leader, let us also remember the work of all dissidents and human rights activists past and present, and especially those now in Russia and China (particularly during this time of the Olympics in Beijing and Putin's oil-rich Russia where the rest of the world has seemingly turned a blind eye to tyrannical cruelty). It would be fitting therefore to repost a YouTube video I put together a year or two ago containing a number of his quotes reminding us of the glory and ultimate success of standing up for and defending freedom, which along with life is the first human right.

 

 

 

It is terribly ironic that Solzhenitsyn would pass away after having endured so much at the hands of his communist persecutors and helping to win freedom for his people only now to die as his country again reverts back to its dark ways, largely because of missed opportunities in the West during the 1990s. But there is always hope as a new generation of courageous men and women stand up in his place to shine the light on the sins of state and bring them to the point where they must give way to freedom. So let us remember and honor Alexander Solzhenitsyn, but also let us let him continue to light the way by never forgetting that human rights are fundamental, intercultural, and transcend both ideologies and rulers; because those rights are not given by man, man cannot extinguish them, nor has he any right to ignore them. The only human right man does not have is the right to deny the rest to himself or others.

 

 

 

Posted by Martin at August 4, 2008 01:12 PM

Comments

Excellent article. I have seen very little in the blogosphere about his passing. It's a shame.

"never forgetting that human rights are fundamental, intercultural, and transcend both ideologies and rulers; because those rights are not given by man, man cannot extinguish them, nor has he any right to ignore them."

Well said my friend.

Posted by: Debbie at August 4, 2008 03:19 PM