Posted by Jerry on July 20, 2000 at 14:37:09:
In Reply to: Can an American be Ukrainian posted by Donna on July 19, 2000 at 01:30:01:
: I was born in Poland and emigrated to Chicago when I was 3. Only the Ukrainian language was allowed to be spoken in the house, even amongst my sisters and I. We all rebelled until we were allowed to understand the importance of heritage as we got older. I appreciate all the years I was "forced" to go to Ukrainian school on Saturdays while my friends went to birthday parties and watched cartoons. Unfortunately the language will not be passed on in our family. My husband is "American" and we do not live near a Ukrainian community in California. However my children are no less Ukrainian because they are brought up with customs and stories, pierohy and pysanki. Becasue of their upbringing, they will have the benefit of living in a country -USA- that allows them to be anything they wish to be yet have the blood and soul of strong Ukrainian women like their ancestors. What more can one ask for?
WHAT MORE CAN WE ASK FOR? Here what I think,that the new emigrants continue to support all that what the old emigration build up in the of Ukraine.But I have doubts about the new emigrants. They don't emigrate for the same reason that "WE" the old emigration did.We the old emigrants, left the country,emigrated due to persecutions and to save ourselfs from the Soviet tyrany.The new emigrants, emigrate due to economical reasons. As far as I see they don't try to keep up the Ukrainian tradition the same way the old emigration did.After all they were born under the Soviet Union rule,and believe they had better then in free Ukraine.They don't know much about freedom and don't know what it means to be free in their own country,that we the old emigrants had to find in foreign countries.They pay high price for the "VISAS"in $(Dollars) just to earn that same money in a year or two.But who gets the money for the visas?The same person will be rich in no time,and make more people leave the country for economical reason. They could have lived in Ukraine with that money for a while,better then they live in foreign country.That money would do more benefit to the Ukraine and the people then in someone elses pocket.Most of the new emigrants don't feel the same way about Ukraine as the old ones did and still do.They:most of the new emigrants do not see anything wrong by talking in Russian as half or more of the Ukrainian population still does too. Who they expect to build better free country, the few dollars they send their families so more of them can and will emigrate.The poor poverty stricken government can not and will not build better free country, only united suporable people accomplish that in time.By getting rid of dishonest people and politicians that are rubbing country to poverty and poor depressed,desolationed people of Ukraine.Country is build by honest caring and hard working people that see the brighter future.At times I don't understand all of this,that such"RICH AND HIGHLY EDUCATED POPULATION"in country like"UKRAINE"all I hear and read only bad things:Debt,lack oil,lack energy, lack of money for pensions for workers,teachers and so on and on.Communist,Russian,language, religion,minorities.Are there any Ukrainians that speak up on the behalf of their nationality, language,religion or they are so carried away by their own welfare only.I know there are those that speak up for the good of the country and the people,but they are the minority.All I wish just to see and read about something good and pleasant that Ukraine and the UKrainians accomplished something good for the countries future.