In the first paragraph, you state that, "Canada espoused the universally honoured facts that Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania were occupied by force and illegally annexed." In reality, Russia is noisily asserting the opposite and is probably supported by the world's lunocraties: Belarus, North Korea, Cuba, Syria, Zimbawe, among others.

Someone should tell you that 'universal' is a categorical term and, similarly, that facts aren't espoused or honoured. They're asserted, or denied and it's ideas, tenets or doctrines that are espoused or honoured. Check your dictionary. Furthermore, there is no such thing as "de jure" continuity. It's a republic that can exist "de jure" or otherwise, not continuity. Your clumsy sentence construction should be modified to reflect the fact.

These are errors that appear in the first paragraph of your letter. The rest of it is in suit.

In a free country, we're all entitled to make an ass of ourselves as we wish and, therefore, I wouldn't call you to account if it were not for the fact that, to our embarrasment, you have written to the Prime Minister on our behalf.

All of you at the Estonian Central Council have been educated (or perhaps miseducated) at English-language universities. Surely, there is one among you who possesses a dictionary and a grammer. Consult it. Better still, have a peek at the "Open Letter to 5 World Leaders" in this edition of Eesti Elu. There, Kalju Mätlik and and Mart Niklus (who have English as a second language) write in a manner that serves as an example to you all.

I didn't know that all the EKN people had been educated at North American Universities. I certainly would never have guessed this given many of the English language releases they have put out in the past. Yes it is sometimes an embarrassment to some of us when they purport to speak for the entire Estonian expatriate community, especially at this level.
Is there some reason why they simply will not or cannot pay either the editor of Estonian Life or some other competent person to fix up their English beforehand?

Anonymous is full of him(her?)self. Open letters are statements of opinion. They're not legal documents. I think the letter has been extremely well crafted.

Anonymous' picayune, petty attitude betrays a snobbish arrogance that isn't helful in the Estonian Central Council's efforts. I say lets applaud the Central Council for the initiative they are showing in exposing Moscow's hypocritical May 9 celebrations.

"De jure" can of course be applied to continuity. It implies successor status based on certain legal principles. Anonymous' lexical correctness pretends to be as childishly intimidating as the current trumpeting of political correctness. His "I'm smarter than you" whining is rather boring.

to get the ekn letter because it does not challenge the weaknesses of the current governement ..... and please give ekn some credit here - to date they are the only ones that have been visible in trying to communicate to a broader audience the true story of stalin's occupation of eastern europe during ww2

Your self-righteous, pompous nattering is rather tedious. EKN at least is one of only a few groups in Canada willing to put this to a public forum.

Unfortunately the "needles in this haystack" are none other than our old-guard Vironian club members, who will argue about grammar till the cows come home. Because this is their primary motive for living, nothing of importance ever gets done by this mob. No lifelong learning for them-nope; you'll never match up to anyrhing they've achieved in their days at Uni. I applaud the efforts of the Estonian Central Council in Canada, and call upon the Vironians to do the same, instead of barking up a fallen tree!!

... and they say women are cruel!

Maksim, hoo are dem Vironians guys? Is dey som kinda universitee klub or vat?
Vat is madder wit youse peoples? Vee should be fight wit dose dam Rushians not wit eetch udder. So EKN not write so good Hinglish-Big deal, who kare?
You good guy, Maksim,why no run for da EKN president? You good Hinglish write-how about da Estonian?

It seems as if Maxim got the boot from Vironia. Quite a feat. You have to be pretty loony for that to happen. But that he is. He proves it everytime he appears with his characteristically incoherent rants.
It is embarrassing to read. Poor fellow thinks that he is the only one in the world that knows anything. And he is always as mad as a wet hen because all that wisdom is locked up in a body that can't communicate.

OK, let's step back a bit and look at the "big picture". May 9th was indeed a "trap" the foreign affairs thugs working with Putin set for the East and Central Europeans. Figure this out for your selves... duh.

EKN's letter (and no, I had no part in it) reads better than most newspaper articles and makes a point... one that should be made!

To get hung up on whatever mistakes you have made in your POLISCI papers and to berate this letter because of its similarities is to DEFEAT its purpose: Putin's thugs want to make a mockery of Baltic claims of injustice... this should be expressed by OUR PM.

So stop showing everybody how "smart" you've become in university and pitch in. Obviously you care... make your efforts relevent.

T.

All this nattering, back-stabbing & overall useless whining makes me SICK!
Surely there's got to be something better you complainers can do with your time!
.... like volunteer to help the EKN

In answer to "What can we, ordinary Estos, do to help the EKN's efforts?"

Here are some starters:
1. Drop by the ESTore whenever you're at the Esto House and talk to Avo to find out what's going on and whether you can help

2. Create an informal group willing to offer EKN input / proof-read stuff, etc.

3. Above all stay informed, read what you can about Estonian Russian relations... subscribe to Marian & Tunne Kelams "heads-up" e-mails (email me and I'll give you instructions)

4. Run as candidates for EKN (two years from now). Don't concern yourselves with whether you'll get the votes or not. May be get a "foreign policy" group together and present some candidates. I'm sure Eesti Elu can run free profiles for the recently graduated. AND turn out and VOTE for yourselves!!

As I said, this is just a starter list from the top of my head. If you wish to get involved, there are many ways I haven't even thought of. Will you be welcome?

Yes... and resoundingly so.

Niisuguseid avalikke kirju peaks ka teistele riikidele ja riigimestele saatma, muidugi kohandavalt ja varjeeruvalt sellele kuidas olukorrad seda lubavad.