Intelligence & Common Sense - Navalny's Death

Intelligence - the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. 

Common Sense - the ability to think and behave in a reasonable way and to make good decisions. Sound, practical judgement concerning everyday matters, or a basic ability to perceive, understand & judge in a manner that is shared by nearly all people.

Oh boy, do we need more people to have both of these today.

We who are free to think, believe, speak, act, read, vote in free elections, need to use that gift effectively to stand up for those millions in the world do not have similar freedoms. 

Aexei Navalny is dead. He was 47 & had been held in “Polar Wolf” IK-3 penal colony in Russia's Arctic north. Conditions are unimaginable -  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68322113  The likelihood is that Putin authorised a final successful murder. Equally likely is that the body has not been released to the family because the state wants to delay any opportunity to examine the body for evidence of poisoning by Novichok or other agent. It is very difficult to detect.  https://www.rferl.org/a/everything-you-need-to-know-about-novichok/30964840.html

Navalny was one of many brave people who fight for the freedoms we take for granted. Russian dissidents make a very long list. Wikipedia lists 88, which may not be up to date - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Russian_dissidents 

People are rightly appalled by the total disregard for human rights. We cannot say we do not know. It is all over the press & media. It has only taken me minutes to research for this Blog Post using reliable sources. We clearly know what is happening in so many parts of the world. We cannot remain silent & do nothing. We must use our intelligence & common sense to try to change things for the better in places where conflict is destroying lives  https://geneva-academy.ch/galleries/today-s-armed-conflicts  Dictators & corrupt politicians must be made accountable & stopped. 

If we don't do that what is the point of us? What is the point of being intelligent & able to think?