The series of interviews with market vendors, published under the title
"Petrivka 1999," (February 2) simply shocked me. Their reflections on the
reasons for contemporary poor state of our economy make one come to the
harsh conclusion: the average Ukrainian stubbornly does not want to become
a citizen. The simple idea, granted in the supreme law of our country,
the Constitution, that "...the people of Ukraine are the only source of
power," still has not got through to them.
In the American science fiction blockbuster, Starship Troopers,
which was recently televised (quite a shallow movie), there was a phrase
that impressed me deeply. A veteran who had lost his arm fighting huge
intelligent alien insects, asks the pupils of a graduation-class: "What
is the difference between a citizen and a civilian?"
"A citizen is the one who accepts personal responsibility for his country
and defends it with his life!" naps the star, and for the next hour and
a half of the movie he is crushing vicious space spiders, losing in the
battles a number of his classmates and the girl who loved him.
"Naive propaganda!" many of my compatriots will spit out in contempt.
For we inherited from Soviet times a deep and unexplainable contempt towards
Americans, Poles, Germans, and all other foreigners. But I would not hesitate
to rate any average John Smith above a hundred of Petro Vasyliovychs for
one simple reason: John Smith firmly, on the level of reflex, knows that
power, all power on the territory of the United States of America belongs
to him: to John Smith, to his wife, to their children, and neighbors, that
is, to the people of America. And the government of the United States has
only the power delegated it by the American people, including by John Smith
himself, temporarily and on the terms, described in laws and in the Constitution
of the United States.
Mr. Smith knows quite well that the government, any government, is inclined
to behave like a real bitch: all the time it tries to get out of hand,
to spend more money than the budget allows, to spy, to eavesdrop, and when
caught red-handed it lies shamelessly. And the only force that can (and
the main law grants it!) keep this badly brought-up madam well in hand,
is him, an equal citizen of his country, together with his wife, children,
neighbors, and all the rest of the American nation.
And if the constitutional mechanisms do not work for some reason (for
example, the Congress happens to be all bought up by the President), the
Constitution concedes the right of citizens to keep and bear arms to defend
against criminal encroachments by the government upon the rights and freedoms
of citizens! And it would never enter the heads of American Philistines
to demand an appropriate reward for doing their Duty. Mr. Smith is aware
that the government behaves just the way he allows it to, and no one -
neither the Russian President, nor the UN, nor the Pope - will do this
hard, and sometimes dangerous, work for him.
The average Ukrainian is not like that. Even thein manner of speech
betrays them as the passive building blocks of history that they themselves
chose to be: "I think, a leader will come... They sold us out to bandits...
We don't believe... They fooled us...". Ukrainians stubbornly put the conversation
into the sphere of: "They (government) must do this... They must do that...
And why, why are they so greedy?!"
Evasive answers to the question about the difference between Ukraine
and, let's say, Poland are quite remarkable: "Their mentality is different...
They started earlier... Their leaders are already sated, and ours are not
yet." And no one went further than that. Though to remember almost ten
years (1980-1989) of Polish Solidarity's struggle or the bloodless but
nonetheless dramatic events of the velvet revolutions in Czechoslovakia
and in German Democratic Republic will be enough to bring one to the conclusion
only those not afraid to fight for it get a better life.
Here I come to, as I see it, the most important reason for the chronic
failures of Ukrainian society in its strivings for a better life. I take
the risk of being criticized and accused of arrogance, but still I will
say it: the lack of Human Dignity. Yes, the absence of this very feeling
is what I have to accuse Mr. Boiko's interviewees of. I was stunned with
amazing statements about "bandits," who take but also give, that is, share,
just like Christ taught us. And they take care of pensioners, unlike the
bureaucrats. And they have conscience, even nobility, and compassion.
I would like to remind those who share such opinion: there is one, much
more significant point of difference between the embezzlers of public funds
and Mafia godfathers. The money that bandits throw into your begging hands
is not stolen. No. "Good" bandits do not steal money, they "make" it. The
children who they lay under big smug men in illegal brothels or film in
porno-movies "for connoisseurs,' hundreds of addicts burning every day
in the diligently fanned drug flame, racket, the illegal market of weapons
- these are the main sources of bandits' wealth.
A bureaucrat whom you deny a bribe will not demand even more. He will
not rape your daughter "for educational purposes" or sit in wait for you
with a knife. As for bandits, these things just go with their job. Their
money contains all the filth, blood, and tears of our sick time.
The complete moral bankruptcy of so-called "decent" people (and there
are many!), who would lick the hands of pimps and death-dealers to get
some little sops is what frightens me. So low is the price these people
can be bought for.
I can predict the indignant cries of my opponents: "These people are
on the edge of survival! It's easy to philosophize if one does not have
to struggle for the lives of one's family!" Now, I think, it is time to
mention the main source of our misfortunes. In my opinion, this source
lies in the invincible and primitive materialism of the average Ukrainian.
For him not only his state, his native country, but the whole world is
narrowed to the limits of not even his apartment but his belly, and the
bellies of his children.
The mass display of religiosity that is so fashionable nowadays is nothing
more than mere superstition. Typical answers to the question, why do people
have themselves and their children baptized, although afterward they do
not attend church, are the following: "I think, there's no harm in it(!)...
Maybe, there's something in it(!!!)." You, legions of early Christian holy
martyrs and saints, who accepted tortures and death not just for faith
in God (there were no atheists in the Ancient Rome), but for faith in the
Holy Trinity, for the acknowledgment of His supremacy and His Atonement,
forgive them, for they know not what they do.
The average Ukrainian will agree to remember Honor, Human Dignity, Civic
Duty, God, and other sophisticated matters before his belly, and the bellies
of his kin are full. And before that - I quote - "he doesn't care."
Fight for his rights? Only if he has "a 100% guarantee of success" and
for an appropriate reward! Is it better to die like a free man than to
live like a slave? Don't make me laugh, he has to feed his family!
But there can be no other way. If you do not want to take a risk and
struggle for your rights, then you will have to kneel down on all fours.
Uncomfortable? Be free to scream. You want to whine? Don't feel shy. But
you are not allowed to resist, for it was your choice, and this is the
point.
Don't think that the author considers himself to be more clever than
his readers. Believe me, I KNOW what Fear, Despair, and the feeling of
Helplessness are. But I do not see any other way than trying, again and
again, to be worthy of His sacrifice, of His precepts. That is why, meaning
myself, I repeat like an incantation:
"The fruits of freedom are not for the flocks,
They should be slaughtered and sheared."
By Oleksiy SIERY
Kherson
