My loneliness

For tea with Condolisian Rice, US Secretary of State, five “representatives of civil society” were invited in Moscow: four men ¹ and one woman - Irina Yasina, the former head of the open Russia programs, and now the head of the regional journalism club.

## My loneliness

It is amazing to feel like a pessimist and whiner when others are scoring with optimism. And so happened to me at a meeting with Mrs. Condolisa Rice. Everyone is going well, but everything is wrong with me - Khodorkovsky will not be transferred to Moscow in any way, fulfilling the decision of his own Basmanny court. With the case of Manana Aslamazyan, the situation is getting worse. In the country, the image of external and internal enemies is formed in a rapid pace, designed to rally a nation that still does not give birth to a more peaceful national idea.

It was not very pleasant to be in the image of Baba Yaga, who is always against. It turns out that everyone except me is the patriots telling a high guest about success in business, education, and the publication of newspapers uncontrolled by the Kremlin, as well as the future triumphal overcoming the opposition of the coveted 7 percent barrier in the State Duma elections.

And I - no. Not a patriot at all. I see problems and do not keep quiet about it.

A year ago, before meeting with GDP in St. Petersburg, President Bush was also offered an unconventional menu. There were no human rights activists in the world at the meeting. Most of the invited were very young civilian activists from the regions - that, however, are mainly mastered by American grants.

This time, it seemed, the task was to demonstrate to the Kremlin - and the list formed the US Embassy in Moscow - that Russian opposition moods are not interested in. Foreign policy - that is what Putin will not wait for concessions. Everything happened.

But what are we - the same “fifth column”, how did the literary educated Vladislav Surkov named us? What, indeed, do not love our Fatherland and undermine its orders, begging the money behind the ocean. No, not so. As well, we love. Just without closing his eyes with fear, but opening his eyes and remembering the covenants of Peter Chaadaev, declared crazy: I can’t love my homeland with my mouth clamp and closed.

With pleasure they would collect donations for the struggle for human rights and support the free press in our domestic caring rich. But - not at these! And, imagine, not because they are all indifferent, although there are a majority. But because they are all scared. Giving money to real organizations of a real civil society is like sending an invitation to the tax office: come, guys, shake, carry business in chips. There are no fools. The mainstream is not the same. In Russian, do not spit against the wind.

Sergei Dorenko called my companions to meet with condolisa Rice with manual poodles. I would not say that. Of course, they are worthy of comparison with more brave and independent animals. Be sure to with a very good scurry.

And the main impression of tea drinking in Devyatinsky Lane was this: we live in different countries. Moreover, not only with condolysis of Rice - in fact, it was in “Given”, but what is amazing, with men - participants in the meeting, first of all.

How glorious to have pink glasses with you and - not too much to take care of the reputation. Instead, the scent.

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1 Konstantin Remchukov, a former adviser to the aluminum king Oleg Deripaska, and now the owner and editor-in-chief of the “independent newspaper”, Leonid Gozman, the deputy chairman of the ATP, Andrei Kortunov, the candy king and president of the New Eurasia Foundation, Igor Jurgens, the Vice President of the Renaissance Capital and one of the heads of the oligarchs of the RPPP.