It was proved once again that even "an old witch makes a mistake". In our case the mistake was made by an experienced "gentlemen" from "Idealist". Five or six years ago they started a rabid anti-Semitic propaganda in this unrespectable newspaper and now they seem to have serious problems with law-enforcement agencies, and not only with them.

The thing is that the guys went brash a little. As you know already, in June "Idealist" published the "List of Yids of Ukraine who ruled, are ruling and want to rule further, making slaves from native Ukrainians, thus destroying the ethnos". Besides, some Jews disliked by "idealists", this "postscript" included famous Ukrainian writers, former party leaders and almost the whole present Ukrainian political establishment with the President ahead, having called him Kuchma - Goldstein and nephew of Golda Meir...

Then, it turned out that when "there is a wish", appropriate measures can be taken. It is who different things - to curse "Yids" and to call respectable gentlemen and comrades "Yids". It is nothing but a breach of democracy!

It was the President administration that started the campaign. Its letter to the Jewish public said.

"We share your disquietude about the inadmissibility of kindling hatred between nations in domestic mass media. Taking into consideration the importance of the problem, the Chief information policy department appealed to the management of the State Information Policy Committee of Ukraine to analyze the "Idealist" publications for abidance to Article 3 of the Law of Ukraine "On Printed Mass Media (press) in Ukraine" and take appropriate measures if non-abidance is revealed". It seems that the contents of this message were not a secret for Ukrainian security service, because almost immediately after the mentioned message a letter signed by Y.Vandin, Deputy Chairman of Ukrainian security service, was published. It said: "Your appeal about the article published in "Idealist" №6 (69), June, 2002, was thoroughly studied. In our opinion, the author of the article "List of Yids of Ukraine who ruled, are ruling and want to rule further, making slaves of Ukrainians, thus destroying the ethnos" breached the law envisaged in Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ("Breaching the equality of citizens depending on their race, nationality and religion"). According to the Code of Criminal Procedure of Ukraine, the investigation of this breach is the competence of public prosecutor's office. Hereby, we inform you that your appeal was sent to the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine in July 23, 2002, for investigation".

The smell of democracy and law filled the air when the Lvov oblast prosecutor's office began more decisively than before to investigate the case of people from "Idealist". In the statement signed by the deputy of oblast prosecutor G.Ozhoga we found what the prosecutor's office should have said several years ago: "The Lvov oblast prosecutor's office has examined the appeals which came from the General Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs about publications in the "Idealist" newspaper. It was proved that during 2002 the articles "Age-long criminal, Yids, Ukraine", "Yiddy tricks", "Yids persecute journalists", "List of Yids of Ukraine who ruled, are ruling and want to rule further making slaves of Ukrainians, thus destroying the ethnos", "326 Yids in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine", "SOS" -Yids are destroying the population of the planet!" and others contained anti-Semitic statements arousing national hatred, humiliating the national honor and dignity, limiting the rights of citizens because of their nationality. In order to terminate the unlawful activity of the "Idealist" newspaper the Lviv oblast prosecutor's office, based on materials collected during 2002, July 31, 2002, opened a criminal case as envisaged by Article 295 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which was sent to Lvov Department of internal affairs for investigation".

July 31, 2002, the oblast prosecutor's office sent adduction to the Chairman of the State Committee for Information Policy, TV and Radio for taking necessary measures to liquidate the infringements of Article 3 of the Law "On Printed Mass Media (press) in Ukraine" by the "Idealist" newspaper through canceling the government registration of the abovementioned newspaper and terminating its activity as an organization, which propagates animosity and hatred between nations. Adductions were also sent to the Chief of the Lvov oblast department of justice demanding to take appropriate measures to stop the activity of the Organization of idealists of Ukraine as envisaged in Articles 25 and 28 of the Law "On Associations of Citizens".

Well, better late than never. Of course, it would have been better if it had been done earlier.

The problem has not been solved fully yet. However, even "idealists" nosed that this time it would be hard times for them. Having come to the capital's main square - Independence Square - where newspaper agents used to openly sell and advertise "Idealist"- I was surprised to discover that the "idealists" apparently "had gone underground". The newspaper is sold now under the counter and only to persistent customers. Such customers are few but each merchandise has its own customer. Speaking frankly, some part of the customers buying this kind of newspapers are people whose scientific or public interests are to study inter-national relations. That is why I was not surprised to meet there, not far from people selling ultra-radical newspapers, my acquaintance - a scientific worker from the Institute for political and ethno-national studies of the NAS of Ukraine. Her name is Tatyana Klinchenko. I asked her if she had read the latest issue of "Idealist".

- Yes, I did. To be more precise, I studied it, she said. The impression is rather...

- Like that of a scientist who studies death-bearing bacteria through microscope?

- Exactly. It is horrible and wild. It seems that we are not in the XXI century but somewhere in the Middle Ages.

- Does it matter what century are we in? Einstein and Hitler were in the XX century at the same time.

- That is right. However, the horrible tragedies of the World War II taught us what leniency towards such extremist as "idealists" might lead us to. No doubt, many "Idealist's" publications are funny, but at the same time they are terrible. The Government, if it calls itself democratic, must be rigid towards them, otherwise the disaster is inevitable.

- It seems that they have already started taking measures against "Idealist".

- Yes, but mind, only after many of top officials got into the list of "Yids".

- As if it is already a crime to be a Jew?

- This is what I want to say. The "idealists" are not worth speaking about. But I cannot understand the logic of those who have decided, at last, to fight them now.

- What is your opinion, why were all cases against "idealists" blocked before? May be it was as Vysotsky sang in his song about anti-Semites: "Though they are not legal, they are enthusiastically supported by millions..."

- I think it is an exaggeration about the millions. But I assume that some of those who are entrusted to react against activities of "idealists" do not consider Judophobia to be a big sin.

I think that the reason of this an age-long mudding left from the Soviet times is the habit not to respect laws and not to interfere into the problem if it does not bother you. Not long ago I attended one conference. For the whole week the lecturers from universities and institutes from all over Ukraine (not for the first time) were studying the methods of teaching the course "basics of democracy" in the higher and secondary educational establishments.

The purpose of such conference is not only to teach us laws and basics of democracy but also to teach us how to use these laws in our everyday life. I know by sure that courts and prosecutor's offices do have different methods to call to account those who are spreading hatred.

Our country has survived horrible historic tragedies - deportation of Ukrainians to Siberia, holocaust of Jews, deportations of Crimean Tatars, Germans, Greeks and other nations. With all this in view, one wonders how long such newspaper as "Idealist" has the right to survive and be looked upon as a mere fact of absurdity. Furthermore, there are concrete names of people mentioned in the lists of "Yids". I can't imagine how their families can live quietly. In fact, the publication of such lists is a hue and cry to persecute these people. The circulation of this dirty newspaper is small. But it can be bought any time in the center of Kiev. Someone is distributing it. Maybe this someone is needed to pump mistrust among people of different nationalities? I don't think we need to tolerate such a phenomenon further.

- You have mentioned the seminar you attended. Is there any use of speaking about extremism at conferences the participants of which are unanimous against it? In other words, at such conferences the participants convince each other, roughly speaking, not to drink water from tap and not to eat raw meat otherwise Ukraine will have a sick stomach. This should be explained to the savages, too, and even slap on their hands if they try to eat the "raw meat".

- I do agree with you. We needn't convince each other because we all, who organize and come to such conferences, have common points of view. I think that in the clinical case with "Idealist" one should use only legal ways and use them decisively. Our country has a dramatic history. We survived a lot. Even in the last decade.

I remember the time when Rukh was being created. There were many provocations around it. Rumors were spread that it was of anti-Semitic nature. In those days many of my friends and acquaintances used to pack their luggage and leave Ukraine. Hasty decisions were made, many human fates were broken. The basis of all this was fear.

Therefore, "Idealist" means danger. Danger not only to Jews, though they are more than others referred to. I know by sure that such publications, though they are laughed at, do hurt. One shouldn't stab with a knife at sensitive places. First of all, it is dangerous to Ukrainian democracy because it is chilling for many to live in a country where such lists are published.

I am a believer, a Christian. That is why it is dreadful to me to hear "idealists" making references to Christ in whom they allegedly believe. Today, all literate people know that Christ in his earthbound life was a Jew and his mother Maria was also a Jew. How can people hating Jews be Christians? Nothing of the kind! This is not a struggle for Christ but a kind of devildom.

Yes, they are devils, no more. The faster Ukraine gets rid of them, the better people will feel in Ukraine.