Sep 8, 2011

Tribute to Vitali Silitsky

Sally Blair, Director, Fellowship Programs

September 8, 2011

It is my special privilege to pay tribute to our irreplaceable friend, colleague, and brother-in-arms, Vitali Silitski. How can one summarize someone whose intellect, spirit, and sense of humor was—as he often joked about himself—larger than life? He once complained to Rodger Potocki that, as he attended the World Movement for Democracy’s global assembly in Durban South Africa—he was unhappy because the airlines lost his bags and nobody had any clothes big enough to loan him. As we gather today to recognize and appreciate this impressive scholar, activist—human being—let us remember how funny he was—how he made us laugh. If he were here with me now, at the podium, you know he would be cracking jokes—left and right.

Another memory—Vitali was a fount of factoids and political knowledge—a kind of whiz kid who would have done brilliantly in a game show setting. NED Vice President David Lowe always takes time to meet with the Reagan-Fascell fellows to talk about the U.S. Congress—a former teacher, David knows the subject inside out and will “quiz” the fellows on “facts and figures” concerning American politics. Needless to say, Vitali knew the answer to everything—the who, the what, the when and the how—even the most arcane sort of question to do with special features of a state’s constitution, or why the District of Columbia is not a state.

For years after his NED fellowship, Vitali would visit town, arrive unannounced, plop himself down on a chair in my office, and say “Hi, Mom.” I think he was the one who first officially dubbed me the “den mother” of the fellows program, and there was no one I was more pleased to fuss over than Vitali. Yet, looking back to my notes at our farewell ceremony after his fellowship in summer 2005, I see that, in fact, our relationship continued to blossom after the fellowship… Here is what I wrote for him, when I was still working part-time as program manager and working mom:

Vitali, how is it possible to have you leave the program? You will have been with us for 11 months, and we have come to rely on you for your politically incorrect jokes and cartoons—and for your willingness to serve as an imposing “bouncer” at our events if things would turn ugly for any of our fellows. I regret that I didn’t see more of you, as my hours were 9 am to 3 pm and yours were 3pm to 9 am, but we managed some vital conversations, and I was grateful to find you at your desk one evening at 10 pm when I called to catch up. I have noticed by the way that, as a night owl, you are incredibly productive. [I recall Vitali spent some all-nighters at the office!]

I want to share with you the tribute of Vice President for Research and Studies, Marc Plattner, who unfortunately cannot be with us today. As editor of the Journal of Democracy with Larry Diamond, Marc wanted me to mention that the January issue of the Journal will feature a tribute in Vitali’s memory. Here is what Marc wrote:

Vitali Silitsky was a frequent and highly valued contributor to the Journal of Democracy. He wrote a couple of superb articles about Belarus, of course, but he also wrote with keen insight about a considerably wider range of subjects, including the color revolutions, the nature of the autocratic regime in Putin’s Russia, and Natan Sharansky and the phenomenon of dissidence. Moreover, in his writings about Belarus he introduced concepts with much broader application. Especially notable in this regard is his analysis of the strategy of clamping down on opposition, perfected by Belarusan dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka, that Vitali labeled “preempting democracy.” In his words, “hard-line authoritarian regimes ensure their continued stability and survival not just by sporadic reactions to already existing political and social challenges, but by preemptive attacks that eliminate threats before they arise.”

Vitali was extraordinarily learned as well as insightful. I believe that he was simply the best political scientist of his generation to emerge from the former Soviet Union, and it is a tragedy that we will not be able to benefit from the scholarly achievements that he undoubtedly would have made if his life had not been so rudely cut short. But Vitali was also a dedicated democratic activist and an enormously engaging man. He will be sorely missed not only in the scholarly world, but by his many friends, fellow democrats, and brothers-in-arms.

I would also like to share Vitali’s own words—his farewell e-mail to “everyone” at NED in August 2005.

"If I wanted to write everything I want to say – and thank for – to everyone, this would have made another fellowship project. So, I will simply say I am leaving you in hope that you will continue – and finish one day – the work for which you all have to take an enormous pride. And what a great bunch of people you are to do this noble work! You have some time to recuperate after all my jokes – if you eventually want more – just write. More (and less) serious inquires are also welcome."

And he subsequently wrote to me on his return to Belarus on October 3, 2005

"Hey, Sally:
Just to let you know that I am safely - for now - home.
Hope to see you in December.
Vitali"

Vitali knew us all, worked with us all, did so much—and with such a happy, loving spirit—it is difficult to name and mention all of the people and programs, activities and projects, articles and books he touched. Needless to say, he was a respected and loved member of the NED family, a fellow in the Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program, a multiple-time contributor to the Journal of Democracy, a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University, a co-author with colleagues in this room, a person whose embrace was, happily, also larger than life—we all felt it, and we will continue to bask in the memory of his warmth and vitality. Vitali was a vital person—vital to us all. We will miss him terribly.