Posted by Joe on September 16, 2000 at 21:31:53:
In Reply to: Re: Ukrains'ka Pravda for Yanko and Ihor posted by Ukie on September 10, 2000 at 16:22:34:
To Ukie from Joe
The worst treatment you can get - to be called Ukrainian. Why do you care?
RE: It is the very basic right of every individual to consider himself/herself Rusyn, Ukrainian, Russian, etc. This is not your, mine, Mr.Kuchma’s or Verchovna Rada’s business. If this principle is violated, the democracy is grossly violated in Ukraine. Thus, it should be the business of each and every Ukrainian citizen who cares about the fate of its country and democracy that this principle is not violated. You have justly rejected the policy of the Bolshevik barbarism towards Ukrainian people (collectivization, holodomor, rusification etc.). However, on the other hand, you cannot adhere to the same Bolshevik principles because it is suitable for the Ukrainian nationalism. In addition, if it is irrelevant issue, you, Ukrainians, just call yourself Russians and, most likely, you will have fewer problems with energy supplies (gas & oil).
You call themselves Russians so often, isn't it an offence?
RE: As I explained it previously, one hundred years ago in the USA, Rusyn, Rusjkyj were wrongly interpreted into English as Russian instead of Ruthenian. As you know, comparing to Europe, nationalism (at least in its intensity) is not an issue in this country. Thank God!
If truly democratic system could be built in Ukraine, economic situation will allow people to create their own destiny without any governments.
RE: Currently, the problem is, that the fate of Rusyns is more ambiguous than the fate of other nationalities in Ukraine. An anti-Rusyns policy in Subcarpathia (Transcarpathian Ukraine) only will keep the trend of the spontaneous slovakization, polonization and madiarization of Rusyns.
Right now there is no info in Ukr. passports who are you by nationality.
RE: This is a plus.
Hope democratism prevails.
RE: Let’s hope.
Who cares about nationality in America? Rusyns almost lost their language here and seems to be happy, don't blame America.
Re: See my response above. Why America? I do think that it is not important at all, whether Rusyns in America speak the Rusyn language or not, although it is interesting that many Rusyns of the second and the third generations started to learn the language of their ancestors. However, it is far more important that Rusyns in Subcarpathia learn English. Furthermore, it is far more important that Rusyns preserve their language in Subcarpathia and they are not forced by Ukrainization to substitute completely the Rusyn language by the Ukrainian one. It is contra-productive for Ukraine, because the forced ukrainization by the communists resulted in slovakization of Rusyns. Instead of 150 000 Rusyns in Slovakia, only 50 000 are using the Rusyn language. Take in consideration that the Rusyn language is using Cyrillic while Slovaks using Latin. There is far more to it why it is important for Ukrainians to preserve the Rusyn language and culture, however, suffice to say that the Rusyns have been serving as a buffer between the West and the East Europe. Subcarpathia has about five different ethnic groups and they are not killing each other as in Balkans or other places in Europe. This is an extremely important function of Rusyns and has to be preserved.
There is nothing strange about Selezniov or others like him, it's always been this way.
RE: Perhaps, there is “nothing strange”, but it doesn’t mean it has to be “this way”, and a “Russian Selezniov” has to be substituted by a “Ukrainian Selezniovko”.