A tale of a true Ukrainian

In conjunction with the birth anniversary of the journalist, historian, political figure, and humanist James Mace The Day is carrying a series of commemorative articles. Still, there is an irresistible need to say something about Jim, which would shed new light on his image and help our readers, as well as those who knew and respected him, and those who are studying his creative legacy, to see new hitherto unrevealed traits of this distinguished personality.

It is important for us to realize several fundamental things. First, contemporary Ukrainian society simply has no chance of avoiding the glaring truth that Mace conveyed to us. This is not a matter of someone’s political will but objective reality. Second, no truth can blaze its own trail just like that, even less so the hair-raising truth about the Holodomor, the mechanism of which was designed down to the minutest detail; the truth about the postgenocidal nature of our society; the truth that rises from the pages of Mace’s works.

It is worth recalling here Ovid’s saying: Gutta cavat lapidem (The drop of water hollows the stone). From classical literature we also remember the image of saxifrage, a plant with an iron will, which breaks up stones.

There is much work that must still be done in this field. Finally, I will risk saying that Mace was a great moral and ethical maximalist. He was always aware that there is no “someone else’s pain” — that was precisely why he became a great Ukrainian — and that those who deny this are either killing or getting ready to become killers. It is vitally important for our young people to recognize this ethical stand of the late James Mace.