FREEFORUM

Dear friends.

The Association committee met tonight in the Mission hall, the first emergency meeting since 2007. We will gather after the 11:00 Qurbana on Sunday and then walk downtown with the crimson banner (the old Captive Nations one; it was in the closet and it still smells of 1985).

Signs: "Irad is not for sale" / "Irad satylbayt". No signs about any person, please, only about the country. All welcome.

Toronto too. Saturday noon, in front of the provincial legislature. The kids from the Saturday class are making the signs. One drew a horse kicking a FOR SALE sign. We're using it.

Istanbul: we will stand outside the café tomorrow evening with a flag and a thermos. All eleven of us. Big numbers.

From Nurzhan now (came home last year), but my old brigade in Moscow asked me what to do. Jerdeshteri put out a statement condemning the remarks. A street rally in Moscow for migrants on Kyrgyz papers? No. They met in the hall after the St. Yuhanna liturgy instead. My friend says the priest from Nurzhan told them nobody can sell what God gave.

Is it OK if an American comes to the Chicago one? I feel like I should apologize in person. I'll bring a sign. I'll spell it right this time.

Of course. Bring a warm coat. And you do not need to apologize. You did not say anything. That is why we invited you.

Istanbul report: eleven of us, one flag, one thermos. A policeman asked what we were protesting. We explained. He said "nobody sells a brother" and bought simit for everybody. I am not making up my username, it was always the simit.

Toronto: about 150 people in the cold. The kids chanted "Irad satylbayt" until they lost their voices. A Kyrgyz family came with their flag and stood with us. Nobody asked about borders. Not today.

Chicago report: about 400 people. The old families, the new nurses, students, the Kenjebaev grandchildren, two Mexican-American families with Semiz relatives, our Polish butcher, and TD from Ohio with a sign that said IRAD SATYLBAYT (I CHECKED). We sang "The Spirit of Irad" and "Ride for Talas" (yes, both). A reporter asked if we are Russian. We said no. She asked if we are Kyrgyz. We said no. She wrote "Iradi". Spelled correctly. Small victories.

Best day I've had in years. A grandmother fed me boorsok out of her purse. Nobody wanted anything from me except that I eat more.

I went to the Chicago one with my mom. She hasn't been political since nursing school. She held the sign the whole time and corrected my Iradi in front of everybody. Worth it.

seeing your photos (no faces, good) from chicago and toronto on my phone in the dorm. we march in talas this week. you're not far. you were never far

Respect to the diaspora this week. I have said things about "Amerikanka" people in the past. I take back half.

Ruslan, take back all of it. Half an apology is a quarter of a laghman.

The Department of Public Information thanks Iradis abroad for their patriotism. Could the organizers share the list of participants, so that the Department can send thank-you letters?

No.

Small observation. This week some pro-government commentators asked whether a man with an American passport has the right to speak for Iradis. Interesting standard. Half of Nurzhan travels on a Kyrgyz passport and nobody is asking whether they have the right to march on Saturday.

For those of us who couldn't be home: Herald: thousands march in Talas. My mother is in the third photo, somewhere. She says the flag is hers.

Final note: the Association collected $6,300 at the gathering. It went to the St. Luka mission, as always. And somebody in Talas wrote "Amerikanka satylbayt" on the Alatau Heights gate, I am told. I choose to take it as a compliment.