Dear friends,

I just wanted to drop you all a small note to thank you for your unwavering support and immense kindness, especially those of you who have written me extremely kind and supportive letters.  The last time I went to check my PO Box thinking that I would get the usual portion of commercial garbage (in the USA when you rent a PO Box you cannot, as in Europe, say “no advertisements please”; consider that as one of the ‘perks’ of Capitalism, if you wish).  Well, instead of the usual deluge of commercials, I got 15 (fifteen!) letters – a record!  Some from as far away as Hawaii, others form the UK, Germany and many other faraway locations.  One from next door Jacksonville too :-)  And every one came with a nice note, or a beautiful postcard, or just words of gratitude and support.  And, as often in the case, one was anonymous, which I always *love* (in the bad old days, anonymous letters were mostly hate-mail but now we live in a times when there are people kind enough to send anonymous letters of support, often with a donation included.  This always amazes me).

Not only am I amazed, but I have to tell you that I am deeply deeply touched. I often get choked up by the way some of you simply open up their hearts and write to me as if I was an old trusted friend even though you know that we have never met and, probably, never will.  Although, thanks to the recent violation of my anonymity by a dishonorable person, this is now much more possible than in the past – proving yet again that something good can come from something bad.  If you ever are anywhere near East-Central Florida, send me an email and I will gladly try to meet with you.   I can’t promise I will – I never have time for anything – but I will try!

Another very nice thing which noticed is that most of you, whether out of habit or out of respect for my wishes, keep referring to me as “Saker” and do not use my real name.  I am very grateful for that, not only because this is the best way to show those who wanted to hurt me that they failed, but also because I have grown fond of this otherwise rather silly nom de plume.  After all, if Gordon Sumner could make his entire career as “Sting” and if Michael Peter Balzary made his as “Flea“, I can keep my “Saker” persona as well, no?

For all this, but especially for your trust, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.  You are – we are – an amazing community, really!  Each time I have asked for help, each time you have responded (like recently when I needed a lawyer or when the French Saker blog needed an French->English translator).    I wish I could share with all of you how clear it is form my perspective that we are a real community.  Not only do the (otherwise totally independent) various Saker Blogs collaborate with each other, but there are a lot of contacts which we have formed over the past couple of years with various friends and brothers in arms which now make our community even bigger than “just” the Saker community proper.

My symbol for a "resistance network"

My symbol for a “resistance network”

For example, I am regularly in contact with the great folks at Russia Insider, SouthFront or the Greanville Post, and I often do “brainstorming emails” with many with well informed friends all over the world.  So even beyond the Saker Community proper, we are continuing to build what I like to think of as a “resistance network”, which, while very informal, is no less real and very responsive when needed.  Our “resistance network” has also gradually taken on the role of trying to put good people in contact.  And while this kind of thing cannot be made public, it is also an important role for us because while it is true that “we are everywhere“, it is often difficult for us to find each other.  And, here again, our community makes a real difference.

I want to conclude this mini “state of the community” report by thanking you all again: those who donate their work, their time, their money of course, but also those who donate their kindness, their trust, their friendship and their support – you all, every single one of you, are helping me personally, more than I will be ever able to put in words,  our community and our attempt to resist the evils of empire.

So yes, I mean it, you are the best and, in a special and hard to explain way, I love every one of you!

Big “Russian bear” -style hugs to all,

The Saker

PS: to try to express my gratitude to you, I just want to share two beautiful songs from the Argentinian group “Sui Generis” entitled “Tribulaciones, lamentos y ocaso” and “Cuando ya me empiece a quedar solo“.  Old stuff, 1973, but I still find it absolutely beautiful, as I hope you will too.  Enjoy!