The smile of a leopard

Once upon a time, in the 1950s, the best American boxing coach was asked how he managed to bring up famous champions. What technique he uses to bring up unbeatable fighters like undisputed world champion Joe Louis. The coach answered without much thought, “I go to church!” He was asked again – about his selection methods, individual training routine, special pedagogical techniques. The coach repeated his answer, “I go to church and pray to God to send me more guys like my Johnny!”

In my appeals to Allah, I also ask him to help the people of Tatarstan in defending the rights and dignity of our nation. I ask to reason those who have not yet understood that our main enemies are our own inertia, reluctance to look at ourselves from the outside, preoccupation with minor everyday problems.

There are enough brave daredevil guys in Tatarstan who are able to show strength and perseverance in achieving their goals.

Attempts to intimidate a Tatar, in most cases, is a useless undertaking causing such resistance, such an outburst of immense righteous anger that one will not find it funny.

All this has been proven by centuries of participation of the Tatars in various wars and conflicts. The Tatars never trailed far behind. To show courage and bravery is in our countrymen blood. And they do it dashing, with a cheeky Tatar smile on their faces. The smile of a leopard.

I am waiting for the new waves of these guys, who are capable of remarkable and fearless actions for the benefit of their worthy people, to join the political life of the Republic of Tatarstan. I am waiting for the youth from our villages and cities to feel the call of history and respond to it with mass demonstrations. Tatarstan can and should be the independent state, having a prominent place in the international community. Today hundreds of Tatar celebrities are presented to the world as representatives of Russia. But it’s not true! One can see Tatar names in the lists of sports stars and artists, outstanding scientists, beacons of business, etc. In Ukraine, one of the richest people in the country today is also a Tatar, Rinat Akhmetov. See what we can do! Tatars are able to achieve success in any direction of human activities. They are also capable of rebuilding their country. All we have to do is to instill in our youth in big cities, or small towns and villages, pride in the achievements of the Tatars and faith in their own national strength, without prompting and control from Moscow.

We wish we had more such fighters like Kashapov brothers and Fauziya Bayramova, who are not afraid to defend their views and ideas out loud, putting at the stake not a successful career, but personal freedom. And one more thing!

If only we could establish a reliable feedback, pass a thread of mutual understanding between the fighters – ideologists and daredevils – fighters from the street, from the common people. They are sensitive to injustice, but they are not always able to fully understand its causes and organize themselves for the nationwide rally for human rights.

Leaders are needed, they are not enough at the moment. The intellectuals, whose role today looks like the role of a sage, should have their say as well. This sage can not necessarily take part in street clashes, but he will honestly and selflessly direct the aspirations of the people in the right direction. As Fauziya Bayramova did at the World Congress of the Tatars. She was not given the floor to express her vision of the issue, she was simply pushed aside. And what did she do? She just got up and left. She was not trying to get to the podium by force,  she did not fight with the organizers. She simply refused to trust them. She did not accept the proposed role of an obsequious stooge. And everyone understood the true value of this congress. F. Bayramova took responsibility and showed the right way of responding to the deceit. In other words, she fulfilled the calling of a leader. We need more such men and women – smart, educated, highly moral and indestructible.

I am waiting for the moment when the brave people from the streets of Tatar cities, urban partisans, will find their heroes in the struggle, when new leaders will emerge among them. I ask Allah to send worthy ideological leaders to the Tatars. And the Tatars always had enough daredevil people. They will not hesitate to speak up. And they will be able to have the smile of a leopard even in the most difficult struggle.