Dear – relatively speaking, Cristopher Bennett,

We are sending you this message in hope, you’ll find space in Nato Review to publish it:

Faculty of Social Sciences (from now on FSS) has always been a popular target of our government’s intentions to propagate its proEU and specialy proNATO political propaganda. This does not come as a surprise, if we bear in mind, that the faculty’s dean, dr. Igor Luksic, is an ideologyst of a second largest govermental party, United List of  Social Democrats, while three biggest Slovenian ‘Natomaniacs’, dr.Dimitrij Rupel (Minister of foreign affairs), dr. Anton Grizold (Minister of defence) and dr. Anton Bebler ( President of association Northatlantic Council, which is being sponsored by the government) are professors on the FSS. 

Still some opposing voices can be heard on the FSS. Dr. Vlado Miheljak and mag. Andrej Kurnik are both well known critics of Nato’s politics and potential slovenian membership in this organization. The first one was not long ago arrested for walking to close to American Embassy (he was 200 meters away and was on his way home), while the latter was last summer interogated by the police for supposed ‘act of terrorism’ on Italian Embassy. (Police officer investigating this was fired recently, while Italian Embassy still doesn’t have any knowledge of a terrorist act being commited against them at all.)

While some professors get arrested and troubled for all the ridiculous reasons you can think of, others are freehanded to organize special proNATO lectures for students bringing in international guests, such as Nato’s number one speaker, Jamie Shea, etc. When we heard, that another such event is about to happen, with the editor of Nato review coming to our faculty, we said: “Enough is enough!”

On the night before your arrival we graphitied walls around the FSS and hang out three big transparents on the faculty itself stating our disagreement with Nato’s politics and our government’s official intentions to join this organization. Although it might seem to you, we assure you, that the action was not carried out against you personaly, its purpose was to send a clear message to the administration of the faculty and to the general public, that there are opposing voices on the FSS (and elsewhere), voices, that will not be silenced anymore. 

As you have stated yourself in your lecture, there are many ‘Nato sceptics’ in Slovenia. By the lastest public opinion poll regarding the eventual referendum on Slovenia’s joining NATO, 41,3 % of people would oppose joining, while 38,8 % would agree with it (representative sample N = 941, deducted by Public Opinion and Mass Communication Research Centre (CPOMC), Faculty of Social Sciences). 

Our government is well aware of public’s opinion, but doesn’t really know, how to respond to that without using already heard and washed out political stereotypes. That’s why they are calling upon foreign politicians and Nato’s representatives, which then appear in our medias, parliament, FSS, etc. and interpose to slovenian public their (your) view on why Slovenia should join Nato alliance. You are just a pawn in a chess game, that our government is playing against its own people. Our direct action was therefore carried out against the chess board. 

You are (we are guessing) probably wondering, who are we. It might seem cowardly to you, but nevertheless we insist, that our names and faces are not important. All you need to know about us is, that we are a part of that growing population, that will get Slovenia away from Nato – one way or the other. The inevitable future will proove us right. And as far as you are concerned, consider yourself no longer welcomed on our faculty. 

With no special regards,                           
Say NO NATO
www.geocities.com/recinenato/