What is Ukraine

Yesterday afternoon (Wednesday Jan 22^nd) , having read so much disturbing news coming out of Ukraine on the Yanukovych regime’s cynical repression of democracy protesters, I came across a very moving piece by Vitaly Haidukevych. 

For me, it reflects the enlightened and inspiring outlook of so many people in Ukraine who want to build a beautiful country for themselves and their children. Amid the violence, not to mention the pretty lousy coverage of events by the CBC and other Canadian and international media, I thought that it would be useful to share it in English with our friends who do not read Ukrainian. As I am not a professional translator, I thank the author and readers for their indulgence, but nevertheless hope that with the assistance of Internet technology I have captured the spirit of the original which can be found at  https://www.facebook.com/v.gaydukevich/posts/638163776243379.

Taras Pidzamecky, CEO    Jan 22, 2014

What is Ukraine?

By Vitaly Haidukevych

It’s the football fans of different clubs who overlook the fundamental hostility dividing them and become a Great Indignant Army that strikes fear into the trash in and out of uniform.

It’s the spiritual leader of the Muslims who conveys greetings and words of respect for the spiritual leader of the Greek Catholics.

It’s the famous actress with infinitely kind eyes who calls upon wives, mothers and grandmothers to stand before the security forces, for mothers to call upon their children in uniform to come to their senses and go over to the people.

It’s the young man detained before a kangaroo court for rioting, who facing the prospect of a 15 year prison sentence, dictates the unwritten portion of his unfinished children's book to his friends!

It’s the mayor of a town who guarantees casualties completely safe medical treatment 600 kilometers from the place of battle, if in the capital the doctors lack conscience, heart, or courage...

It’s the interior ministry troops who with gratitude to the protesters blocking them in so they can’t go fight against their own people, provide firewood to the protesters blockading them...

It’s the blind people with guides holding trays of sandwiches to host protesters - they also help, they are also of service!

It’s the beautiful little girl actress who recounts with tremendous excitement in her eyes how she defended people from monsters on Hrushevskoho Street and how, as she sat at the base of a lamp post, the animals in uniform threw grenades at her. 

It’s the firearm owners who in no uncertain terms intimate to the head of the Organized Crime Group called the Ministry of Internal Affairs not to sow a storm lest he not be pleased with the harvest. 

It’s the residents who overnight organize self-defense teams and capture imported bandits in the middle of town.

It’s when my child, having watched the news, greets me in the morning after the night shift with the question: "Dad who attacked our Independence?" and continues “Are you off to the Maidan or to work?”

I do not know how many of us they will imprison, beat, kidnap (or, God forbid, worse). I don’t know whether the people will prevail now, or a little later. But He cannot not win. God (no matter what name whomever calls Him, and how He is addressed) has already kissed our foreheads.

For Ukraine is detesting to your core the state machine, but loving to tears all these incredible people. 

Translated from the original at https://www.facebook.com/v.gaydukevich/posts/638163776243379

by Taras Pidzamecky with thanks to the author for his indulgence (and inspiration!)