“I wish I could live to see the day when Ukraine stands firm on its feet.”

We are often asked where we find such contributors. Some even say such letters are composed at the editorial office. The thing is that such ‘microelements’ that are added to this newspaper by its gifted readers are impossible to fake. They represent that other Ukraine that not everyone can see, but which has always been in front of my eyes. In 1997 Den’s motto was “Ukrainian Means Intellectual.” We have been receiving priceless contributions from hamlets, villages, towns, and cities in every region. Working on every daily issue, we remember that they expect high standards from us.

The following letter from Viktor Zoloty reminds me of the epistolary genre, the kind of culture we have all but lost, which is thus even more important. Zoloty sent his letter in an envelope with another blank envelope inside to spare us the postage should we decide to reply — this is touching indeed.

For many years now Den’ has been created using the “people’s construction” method, so we are always eager to receive letters from our readers.

Dear Ms. Larysa Ivshyna,

I hope you will kindly forgive my impertinence, the impertinence of a man who digs dirt and has the nerve to write to an editorial office, to professional journalists. I also know that this newspaper does not correspond with its readers. However, what do I to do here, in a remote village in Mykolaiv oblast, when my desire to have a copy of Oxana Pachliowska’s book Ave, Europa! overcomes all my fears?

You may think, Why should this subscriber need such a highly intellectual work? Will he be able to cope with it? Perhaps you are right. However, when it comes to the destiny of my Fatherland, I can perceive things with both my mind and my heart. If only I could buy a copy anywhere around here, I would never bother you and you would not have to waste your precious time reading this.

I learned about this book from your newspaper. I must say that I started subscribing to Den’ in 2008, and it happened by chance. Once, switching channels on my TV, my attention was drawn to a pretty lady sitting in a studio and talking. I heard several phrases, I don’t remember what she was saying, but her words were balm for my soul because they precisely echoed my feelings. I thought I would watch the rest of the program and find out who she was. It ended soon and I learned that the lady’s name was Larysa Ivshyna and that she was the editor in chief of the newspaper Den’. I went to the post office right away and subscribed to the newspaper for 2008. Of course, you understand that the reason was not that the lady was so pretty. I only wished I had subscribed eleven years ago. I keep every issue and I have a file of clippings with articles written by Oxana Pachliowska for whom I have high regard.

However, more than ten last year’s issues never reached me, so I had an argument with the local post office. I don’t know whether it was their negligence or they dumped the newspaper on purpose (they couldn’t read it). All I know is that they don’t like the position advocated by the newspaper — they openly told me so on several occasions when I had to sort out my relationships with them. They called Den’ an ‘orange’ newspaper. It was from them that I learned that in 2008 I was the only subscriber in all of Snihurivka raion. There was another person, however, who received only the Friday issue.

The local post office’s performance is disgusting. They bring you the paper twice or sometimes even once a week, so the publications are no longer topical because it is not a magazine. They bring you three, four, even five issues and the latest one is two or three days old while the previous issues date back five to eight days. The good thing is that you have enough time to read in winter. In summer a farmer toils from dawn until evening, without any days off, so there is practically no time left for reading. In the evening you have to choose between reading the paper and dropping dead into bed because tomorrow is another hard day.

I don’t know if you have had the patience to read my letter thus far, but I would like to continue. Please bear with me or simply throw this letter into the garbage can.

Let me say a few words about people’s attitudes here in Southern Ukraine. This is not a sociological study, of course, so there is no percentage. This is the result of my contacts with people who live next door or whom I met by chance, maybe as a voluntary propagandist who is not affiliated with any political party. This is nothing other than my own initiative.

In fact, where people live in a city (Kherson or Mykolaiv, for example) or countryside, they have the same attitudes. They are being guided by materialistic concerns and are most often hostile, or at best, indifferent, to Ukraine’s independence. People are nostalgic about the Soviet Union.

Since Ukraine proclaimed its independence I have assumed presumptuously that I would not fail to convince my fellow villagers that good life is possible only in our own country, not in a colony. [As Shevchenko wrote in My Friendly Epistle:] “in your own house you will see /True justice, strength, and liberty!” Yet the harder I tried, the more convinced I became that my intentions were of no avail. The conclusion is twofold. I am a poor agitator in the first place. Second, this post-genocidal society, to use the designation of your good friend and consultant James Mace, is very inert, glued to its [Soviet] past so much that it is very difficult to guide it to a better life, the way our closest European neighbors are doing, not to mention Western Europe.

Meanwhile, the state is doing nothing along these lines. It lets everything follow its own course. As one of your contributor writes, last year anti-NATO classes were held in schools (starting with grade 5) in Dnipropetrovsk and several other oblasts. This was done under the strict supervision of the school principals who personally took part in the project. The enemy forces are paving the way for the future. What concerns the older generation, in their mind’s eye these people still see NATO as an aggressive bloc, the way it was portrayed by the Soviet media. They can’t understand that Ukraine must join this collective security organization, the sooner the better. If we are too late, we will be sent Solovki, Siberia, Kolyma, and elsewhere; there will be enough permafrost to accommodate all Ukrainians.

Regarding the sociopolitical situation in Ukraine, I need to mention the Crimea. Is there another non-national autonomy in the world? This autonomy was created as a time bomb, so this peninsula could be eventually torn away from Ukraine. It is the scene of continuous anti-Ukrainian demonstrations, with people brandishing communist symbols and Russian flags to the accompaniment of Russia’s national anthem. Russian emissaries and their fleet feel at home there. If it were not for the Tatars, the Crimea would now be de facto and de jure Russian.

Here is another example of how our state is taking care of our future. A recent graduate of Mykolaiv Teachers’ Training College, a history major, believes that Hetman Ivan Mazepa was a traitor. Here is a question: What kind of history will she teach her pupils? What country is this higher education establishment training schoolteachers for?

Russia privatized our history long ago, along with Kyivan Rus’, its principalities, and Christianization — when Muscovy did not even exist. They even stole the name, although Rus’ and Russia are not the same thing.

Getting back to current realities, Volodymyr Lytvyn declares Ukraine’s active neutrality in Moscow, yet all the Regionals, Communists, Progressive — and less progressive — Socialists, and other fifth columnists have to do is call a legitimate referendum to make a large part (Southern and Eastern Ukraine and the Crimea), if not all of Ukraine, a region of the former empire overnight, and this even without resorting to the Georgian scenario or cutting off gas supplies.

Russia has the territory of seventeen million square kilometers, yet it is not enough for the Kremlin, and it makes no secret of its intentions regarding Ukraine. Ukraine does not even have a national land and water frontier with Russia. The main thing is that almost all Russians support this policy advocated by their leaders. The Russian democrats (Kasparov, Nemtsov, and Yavlinsky) don’t dare say a word against it. Compared to this aggressive, formidable neighbor, our lack of consolidation makes Ukraine especially vulnerable. Our political leaders are too busy with their feuds to perceive the biggest threat — we may lose the most sacred thing, our statehood.

We know that the government is a mirror reflection of a given society. So far we have been electing people to run the country. And what good did it do to us? Is there no way out because our society is what it is? How can we break loose from this vicious circle? Do we have to wait until our people awaken to reality? Time is running short and we may lose our state. Where is our Messiah who can awaken our people and transform them into a nation? We can no longer wait for his coming.

I can think of no answers to these questions.

I believe we should pray to God and hope that He will deliver us from the worst, which may come to pass, the way He helped us win our independence 18 years ago. Also, we should work hard. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. We must locate and develop oil and gas fields on our territory and switch to alternative kinds of energy, including renewable sources. We must give a fresh impetus to our economy, raise our young people in the patriotic spirit, and advance our culture. The latter two postulates are the highest priorities.

If only every second Ukrainian read Den’, as well as Oxana Pachliowska’s Ave, Europa!, we would have the Messiah we need so badly these days.

“He hasn’t even read the book, yet he offers his assessment,” some will say. My reply is that I have read excerpts from this book in your newspaper, so my statement is not totally ungrounded.

I wish I could live to see The Day when Ukraine stands firm on its feet.

Well, time is in short supply at any editorial office. Dear Ms. Ivshyna, would please ask the cleaning lady to write down the address of a place where I can buy a copy of Ave, Europa! (even though I doubt that the book is still available)?

If you do, I will ask an acquaintance who will travel to Kyiv to buy a copy for me. I cannot do it myself, and the reason is so banal that it will make you laugh. My wife and I have two cows and I am busy with them most of the time, so finding time even to visit the hospital is a problem, let alone get hospitalized.

These cows’ yield is low and we sell milk for peanuts. In fact, we don’t need the cows. The problem is that they are living beings and we care for them. Sometimes I find myself thinking that these animals are smarter than some humans. I would never find it in myself to slaughter them, yet I will have to deliver the verdict. Perhaps, the problem will solve itself the natural way (as is the case in India). We’ll see who will be the first to go: the cows or yours truly.

Please find enclosed an envelope for the cleaning lady.

Once again, please forgive me for taking your time. I promise not to bother you again.

Needless to say, we were happy to send our reader a copy of Ave, Europa! and another, no less precious publication — the latest book in The Day’s Book Series, James Mace: Your Dead Chose Me. His gratitude was beyond expression. I suggested barter: a photo with him and his special cows. Viktor Zoloty wrote that he couldn’t do it at the moment, but that he will as soon as the cows start grazing.