This is a very worring posting by Maxim. He is a bigger jerk than I originally thought. That is spelled with a capital J. Obviously he can't read or understand what he reads. Now he is attacking Estonian women. It takes a big man (spelled with a P) to attack females. I am an "eesti mees" and I will stand up for my mother, wife and daughter anyday. First I call on Maxim to make an apology to the Estonian women. If this does not happen I call on the "Eesti Elu" to banish Maxim. If this doesn't happen I call on ALL readers to boycott EE ! Enough is enough of this mad man poisioning the Estonian community ! Can you tell I am mad.

again you are trying to make things up to appear how you would like them to appear ... 'estonian women flirting with russian occupiers' in 39 ?` - this is a real stretch ... why do you not send us the link (in english)where you have supporting evidence .... until then, we'll keep filing your entries under fiction.

The fact that this information seems to have passed you by indicates that you have had little contact with people who were on the cutting edge of life in Estonia in the late 1930's. As yet Estonia doesn't have it own Anthony Beever, but I among other people have heard a significant amount about "deals" done in the twilight of the Estonian Republic. I wasn't the only one party to these discussions; but unfortunately there are all too many people who want to push this information under the too hard basket. Pouring scorn on information that has bypassed you is not really the way to progress towards getting better answers to unanswered questions; it would be better to look these problems in the eye for what they really are. To come back to my initial point (and Paul Goble is very critical on a different point in today's EPL, but I think he and I agree on many other issues including the topic under discussion today) it's easy to go finger-pointing at the Russians. We seem to have made this a top priority in our outward vision of Estonian foreign policy, but Goble, for one, warns Estonians in today's EPL that we won't get far keeping up that kind of attitude. I would suggest my critics take that thought on board more seriously in future.

I wonder why I have difficulty believing that Maxim has had plenty of "contact with people who were on the cutting edge of life in Estonia in the late 1930's"?
Could it be that it's because most of them died before Maxim was born?

Most of the 1930's elite has already died before Maxim has had a chance to grow up. He's a sick child who he believes his fantasies: that Estonian women were sluttish; that Lutherans are the "white trash" of Estonia; that Canadian-Estonians are nazi sympathizers; and etc.
What he has been doing here isn't therapeutic for him and Eesti Elu could do him a favour by cutting him off from this site.

Once again I have been outrageously misquoted by this particular correspondent, who takes delight in putting all my comments into a different contextual framework. This is called intellectual dishonesty; and then this person has the audacity to suggest that I be the one that should be muzzled from this site, when I have in fact been the target of flagrant misquotation. I have never heard anything so outlandish in my life, but at the same time I would never suggest that this particular correspondent should be banned from making comments. I'm just sorry that this correspondent never seems to have anything interesting to add to the subject, and when I have called upon him/her to write something original, then it has only resulted in another round of frothing at the mouth for no reason whatsoever. Don't waste your effort-because if EE muzzles me, they will sure as hell muzzle you as well for continuing to be the intelletually dishonest character that you apprear to prefer to be. Stinging language doesn't go down well with me nor with most readers, I suspect, and calling me names gets you no brownie points whatsoever. At least I'm not going to be reduced to playing the same games as you do.

Maxim said, 'Knowing the level of "casual co-operation" among Estonian citizenry during the late 1930's-I've heard some especially worrying tales about Estonia's "fair maidens" flirting with both the Germans and the Russians...'

This was paraphrased as implying that, "Estonian women were sluttish..."

Was the truth twisted here?

Where on earth in my quote can you see the word sluttish??? Don't misconstrue the context please!

You were not quoted; rather, you were paraphrased. In other words, (because you need a dictionary) your sentence was reworded without change in meaning.

The context -- the behaviour of Estonian women in the 1930's -- was not shifted to anything else.

Can you suggest an alternative, synoptic paraphrase for your convoluted assertion:

"Knowing the level of "casual co-operation" [implying, 'promiscuity'] among Estonian citizenry during the late 1930's-I've heard some especially worrying tales about Estonia's "fair maidens" [implying, 'sluts'] flirting with both the Germans and the Russians..."

Is there a more accurate paraphrase than "Estonian women were sluttish"?

To put a more accurate picture on my quotation, let me add that the context is foremost political, not sexual. But you take it as automatically implying a sexual context, which it wasn't, and then add words like sluttish etc to put an even more colourful spin on your comment. My friend, it just doesn't work that way. Next time you have a question to ask on me, ask me and get a straight answer before you begin to put words on my mouth. I have constantly rejected the use of the word sluttish because of the very fact that I'm talking about highly sensitive political information obtained from both the Germans and the Russians. If you have proof to the contraty, I would be more than glad to hear about it. Otherwise...put up or shut up!

I, like you, find some people all too trigger happy to shoot you down in flames. I agree with you that the context is clearly different when taken in a political context. However, don't expect your opponents to see it that way; they're got it in for you!

It's not about sex? Well, pardon me. Tell us, then, what you mean by,

'Estonia's "fair maidens" flirting with both the German's and the Russians...'?

Do you or don't you have proof to the contrary, that this sort of activity didn't exist? So far there is nothing to indicate that what I have stated is in any way untrue. Can you prove otherwise?

Maxim writes that he has 'heard some especially worrying tales about Estonia's "fair maidens" flirting with both the Germans and the Russians..."

When challenged, he claims to have learned this from the exclusive Estonian cultural elite of the 1930's.

That's challenged because that elite died before Maxim reached adulthood.

Maxim responds by saying that the statement is about politics, not sex.

That's incomprehensible. Naturally, Maxim is asked what he means by it.

Maxim responds by saying that, "Do you or don't you have proof to the contrary, that this sort of activity didn't exist? [What sort of activity?] So far there is nothing to indicate that what I have stated is in any way untrue. [What you have stated is yet to be ascertained.] Can you prove otherwise? [Not until you tell us what you mean when you write about 'Estonia's "fair maidens" [sluts or politicians?] flirting with both the Germans and the Russians."]

Your just plain ignorant and you don't know it-and what's more you seem to revel in it. I think you should stay that way since it's obvious that no amount of information will convince you one way or the other. There are plenty of people who would have jumped at the opportunity of doing some more research on what I have said, and they've come up with their own conclusions, rather than coming back here and acting like a windbag. I'm happy to say that Estonian history is a colourful and as honest as I've portrayed it to be. No one is forcing you to believe what can only be called intellectual honesty. Better luck in the future.

You seem genuinely surprised when people resist your insults. It seems like you believe your illusions and, for that, you should get some therapy.

Not so much surprised as glad to always draw forth a response of some kind from you, though in all honesty sometimes I wish you'd say something intelligent with value-added meaning of the subject at hand.

"Most of the mentally ill know that they have something wrong with them,"...

I don't know any mentally ill people as you seem to, so I'll take your word for it!

If it's a good subject, I suppose I'll consider writing something about it. Meanwhile, get some rest yourself, since I understand you appreciate the opportunity of being here week in week out as I do. It's called democracy in case you've never heard of the word before. Best wishes to you..from a very friendly "crackpot".

You still haven't told us what you mean by your original posting.

...includes the right to slander

Before you take offence, Maxim, read this statement in a political context.

Well done. Poiss on seljaga vastu seina nurgas.

We all have to take responsibility for our words and actions in the end. I'm happy to say my have not committed intellectual dishonesty. I hope you can do the same-then we're on an equal footing. I wish you only the best, even though at times I get the feeling it is not mutual. Using words like whore doesn't do anything to further your argument when I have said all along that my argument is political. However, I do respect your right to abuse me if that is what you feel in your heart, and hopefully next week we can turn a new page.

Your mother was a "fair maiden" (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

Does that choice of words suit you better, Maxim?

It seems fairly clear to me that my critics are merely looking for an argument-any argument will do!-to inflame empty passions. Let me make it perfectly clear. The Estonian Republic's Intelligence Service used a variety of methods to obtain information from German and Russian sources. Much of this information was obtained through the resourceful actions of many Estonian citizens, many of whom were women. If this information led to a bolstering of our nation's security, that can only be seen as a good thing. Where on earth some people have got the idea that I have made a connection with brothels I will never know. I think that people make these things up in an attempt to smear me yet again. I will say for the last time that it will NEVER WORK.

You could avoid all this strife by setting up your own web-page. There you could broadcast your wisdom to willing recipients.