The indomitable Mr. Kasparov

I was beyond pleasantly surprised to be asked to be a "plus one" for the Empire Club luncheon at the Royal York Hotel where the one, the only, Grandmaster himself, Mr. Gary Kasparov was to address the assembled masses. I am beyond a bumbling schoolgirl about people like Mr. Kasparov - you can have your Brad Pitts and McDreamys because I am a complete sucker for a highly accomplished mind, thus my undying love for Mr. Lemony Lemonade who could easily be called Mr. Brainy McSmarty Pants - the man can read Latin, for the love of God and speak with conviction about economics and opening gambits. I digress.

Before I get to the nitty gritty and because I don't want to detract from the brilliance that is Kasparov, let me gush and say that the man quoted Einstein and Godel's Incompleteness Theorem causing me to swoon inappropriately into my strawberry shortcake. Thankfully for my family (the event was heavily covered by the media) I was able to maintain a modicum of dignity and refrained from pushing through the crowd and demanding that Mr. Kasparov sign my chest with a Sharpie like a common groupie.

Although I was disappointed that Mr. Kasparov didn't regale us with stories of his amazing chess career, attempting to beat and ultimately beating IBM's Deep Blue super computer , thoughts on the illusive Bobby Fisher and growing up a chess genius behind the Iron Curtain, what he did do was send the proverbial shot across the bow of those of us in the western world who have snoozed through the deconstruction of Russia and the rise of Putin, whose gaze, by the by, turns my blood chilly. As the Chairman of The United Civil Front characterised as "a broad, non-ideological coalition of opposition groups called The Other Russia" Mr. Kasparaov was passionate and eloquent in conveying his key message - that western leaders, by remaining silent have cloaked the actions of Putin and his government in a shroud of legitimacy, or as Mr. Kasparov suggests, have provided Mr. Putin with "demoncratic credentials". Not being happy with his criticism of Mr. Putin and his cronies, Mr. Kasparov also derided the UN as outdated and ineffective and chided the US and President Bush for a lack of a coherent strategy with respect to the Iraq War. Being a long time lover of all things controversial and provocative, I was giddy and I think I experienced a contact high.

I am not well informed about the internal politics of the Russian Federation and have only passing familiarity with such things as the alarming and highly suspect rise of the Russian oligarchs and the sensational and suspicious deaths of the dissident journalist Anna Politkovskaya and the just plain dissident and enigmatic Alexander Litvinenko. That being said, I listened carefully to what Mr. Kasparov said this afternoon and I have resolved to question those in power and will therefore, write another of my ubiquitous letters to my MP and to Mr. Mackay, Minister of Foreign Affairs (he can be reached at: 509-S Centre Block, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 or at mackay.p@parl.gc.ca). It may seem small and ineffective, but it is one of the few practical ways in which I can express my views and be counted.

In fairness to our Grande Queso, Prime Minister Harper, I will add that at the most recent meeting of the G8 in Germany, Stephen (whose gaze also turns my bloody chilly) acted in a most un-Canadian manner and confronted Vlad Putin about alleged anti-democratic behaviour and human rights abuses in Russia. Kudos to you Stephen. Putin, however, in what I perceive to be his typical unflappable fashion did the political equivalent of answering a question with a question and suggested that Canada is not immune from similar criticism and therefore should refrain from casting the proverbial stone. Duh?

In any event, read, question and make your voice heard. I, more than anyone, would prefer to buy a cute pair of shoes or watch really, really bad television but out there somewhere, people live in fear and the least that I can do is question, question and question some more.

In all, I was struck by the personal risk that Mr. Kasparov was taking without promise of any personal gain other than harassment and possible incarceration. It is a long way from the insular world of chess to the rough and tumble world of democratic/human rights activist. So, to you my geeky chess crush Mr. Kasparov, I say, check and mate.