Re: Alex - what's up?

Music and Art at the Ukrainian Institute of America

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ BRAMA News and Politics Forum ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Alex on September 18, 2005 at 12:44:46:

In Reply to: Re: Alex - what's up? posted by Ain't that the truth on September 18, 2005 at 12:23:55:

I agree too. Yes I'm Jewish and I'm aware of my heritage very well and know what my people went through. At the same time I know that it is morally wrong and historically unjust to generalize entire nations based on the actions of the few. Most of friends are in fact ethnic Russians and Ukrainians (one of colleagues at work, his uncle served in the UPA and trust me we're the best of friends) and I have never engaged in any provocative statements against them because I know it is despicable and wrong to do so just like the case you have mentioned above with Marcia and what Haaretz does - just throwing
"Hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed in Ukraine over the centuries in pogroms staged by nationalists, and millions died during the Holocaust", without clarifying by whom was these killings were done and specifically mentioning in what kind of historical context those killings took place. As I have mentioned before I considering moving back to Ukraine because I love Ukrainians and I am perfectly aware that the vast majority of them are great people just like the vast of majority of Jews are.
: You've hit it right on the money. The generalization approach is just wrong but us readers should realize that gentlemen like Alex are a minority just like anti-semitic ukrainians are.

: Many years ago when I attended a university in the NY area I was dating a fellow ukrainian student who introduced to a girlfriend from one of her classes. They were friends from school. The conversation went like this (names are made up):
: Girlfriend: Marsha, I want you to meet my boyfriend Valentin.
: Marsha: Hi, ukrainians killed my grandmother.

: How is someone supposed to react to this. If you're a practiced debater or have prepared yourself for this kind of inappropriate greeting you would be ok but I basically had three alternatives:
: 1) stand there speechless and ignore her
: 2) say 'f__k you'
: 3) respond with the equivalent "when my grandmother wanted to go to church she had to ask the village jew for the keys because he was happy to control church use for the commies"

: I chose alternative 1.

: Alex is the type of person who spews out inappropriately like Marcia did and if I were more like Alex I'd have come back with option 3.
: ----------
: : : One person on this forumn says that "Jews tried to destroy Ukrainian language and culture" while another says that "Jews funded pomaranch" scum.
: : : We are screwed both ways...

: : This is what it feels like when a generalization is made from the actions of the few that gets extended to an entire group of people. But you are well conversant with what it feels like just as I am well conversant that every time thugs in Ukraine beat up a Jewsish person Haaretz includes the following --- "Hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed in Ukraine over the centuries in pogroms staged by nationalists, and millions died during the Holocaust."

: : BTW the wording makes it seem that UA was responsible for the millions who died during the Holocaust.

: : Someone wrote on this forum that the Holocaust began in Ukraine and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:
: I agree too. Yes I'm Jewish and I'm aware of my heritage very well and know what my people went through. At the same time I know that it is morally wrong and historically unjust to generalize entire nations based on the actions of the few. Most of friends are in fact ethnic Russians and Ukrainians (one of colleagues at work, his uncle served in the UPA and trust me we're the best of friends) and I have never engaged in any provocative statements against them because I know it is despicable and wrong to do so just like the case you have mentioned above with Marcia and what Haaretz does - just throwing : "Hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed in Ukraine over the centuries in pogroms staged by nationalists, and millions died during the Holocaust", without clarifying by whom was these killings were done and specifically mentioning in what kind of historical context those killings took place. As I have mentioned before I considering moving back to Ukraine because I love Ukrainians and I am perfectly aware that the vast majority of them are great people just like the vast of majority of Jews are. : : You've hit it right on the money. The generalization approach is just wrong but us readers should realize that gentlemen like Alex are a minority just like anti-semitic ukrainians are. : : Many years ago when I attended a university in the NY area I was dating a fellow ukrainian student who introduced to a girlfriend from one of her classes. They were friends from school. The conversation went like this (names are made up): : : Girlfriend: Marsha, I want you to meet my boyfriend Valentin. : : Marsha: Hi, ukrainians killed my grandmother. : : How is someone supposed to react to this. If you're a practiced debater or have prepared yourself for this kind of inappropriate greeting you would be ok but I basically had three alternatives: : : 1) stand there speechless and ignore her : : 2) say 'f__k you' : : 3) respond with the equivalent "when my grandmother wanted to go to church she had to ask the village jew for the keys because he was happy to control church use for the commies" : : I chose alternative 1. : : Alex is the type of person who spews out inappropriately like Marcia did and if I were more like Alex I'd have come back with option 3. : : ---------- : : : : One person on this forumn says that "Jews tried to destroy Ukrainian language and culture" while another says that "Jews funded pomaranch" scum. : : : : We are screwed both ways... : : : This is what it feels like when a generalization is made from the actions of the few that gets extended to an entire group of people. But you are well conversant with what it feels like just as I am well conversant that every time thugs in Ukraine beat up a Jewsish person Haaretz includes the following --- "Hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed in Ukraine over the centuries in pogroms staged by nationalists, and millions died during the Holocaust." : : : BTW the wording makes it seem that UA was responsible for the millions who died during the Holocaust. : : : Someone wrote on this forum that the Holocaust began in Ukraine and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ BRAMA News and Politics Forum ] [ FAQ ]