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Borys Kosarev: Modernist Kharkiv, 1915-1931 at The Ukrainian Museum thru May 2, 2012
Posted by Habelok on March 28, 2000 at 11:18:36:
In Reply to: Re: The problem of languages in another countries posted by lesia on March 28, 2000 at 06:39:31:
Dear Lesia,
First of all, I am a Ukrainian. Secondly, I think that Ukrainian language must be in the official use. Then, I prefer to speak Ukrainian, and it is my primary language. I haven't begun speaking Russian until I was 18 years old. In my small town of 10,000 everybody speaks Ukrainian only. But it is not the point. The point is that we as Ukrainians must be above the resentment we acquired during the years of foreign dominance of the Ukraine. That is past, this is present. The present is a result of the past, but still the past is irreversible.
What are Ukrainians? There is a possibility that you will disagree with me, but on my humble opinion we are those Scythians who rode the steps for five hundred years, we are those "black hats" that settled in the Central Ukraine in the 12th century, we are the Lithuanians, we are the Poles, and the Russians, and those Slavs whose language became Ukrainian language, and those peoples that is a part of us but who vanished without a trace and whom we may never will know. We are the Ukrainians not by the blood, we are the Ukrainians by the belonging to the same land, to the same country.
Russians of the Ukraine the same Ukrainians as YOU ARE, Lesia they are the part of the people and the same nation - Ukrainian, they ARE part of us. (I know you don't like this idea. Do you?). As the Ukrainian citizens they are, as any Ukrainian citizens of ANY background, entitled to the expression of their political opinion and will. They are entitled to desire, demand, or simply to whim to have Russian as one of the country's languages. It is their constitutional right to do so. But every time, when this discussion comes up some people simply can not distinguish b/w past and present, oppressors and their relatives, or people that have the same background as the oppressors. Dividing our citizens into categories is against my beliefs and my conciseness. If it doesn't bother you, it is fine with me. YOU ARE entitled to your own opinion, Lesia, though your ideas disguise me very much.
I know, Lesia, it is impossible for us to agree on this. See, I have no ability to hate or to resent "others". We are one big family. All Ukrainians are "us" for me. I love all and each of them. I hate our politicians, though, same as those people who turn one citizen against another.
Take care, wish you well,
Habelok.