Readers Sound Off

I am of Russian descent and was born and grew up by the Volga. There was a Ukrainian village several kilometers from ours. Its official name was Novoselki, but before the 1917 revolution it was popularly known as Mazepintsi. It was inhabited by settlers. I will not say anything bad about my native village, but Novoselki always had a special meaning for us children. Their village homes looked neat, white-washed, solid fences, sunflowers growing under the windows, and orchards everywhere. Every spring people in our village would say, either enviously or accusingly, I am not sure which, 'See, khakhly have everything in bloom again.' And would add with an intonation I could then understand, 'Their men don't drink, you know.' I would later realize - and am still convinced - that Russians and Ukrainians are close ethnically, yet quite different and no one should be offended by it.

I write this because of heavy pressure from that Slavic Fraternity in  relation to events in Yugoslavia. Yes, we are all Slavic brothers. So what? If that fraternity is to be represented by Tkachenko, Lukashenka, Ziuganov, and Milosevic, they can count me and my family out. In that case I will please ask everybody to consider me Papuan. Common blood is a thing to be considered seriously, but in the modern world another kind of fraternity, one based on intellect and conscience, is much more important. In this sense Kyiv's 'integration sentiments' look absolutely stupid. How can our Left fail to understand that Russia needs us more than we do Russia? It is important for Ukraine to sell rolled metal and wheat to buy oil and gas. For Russia, another 'reunification' with Ukraine is a guarantee of its imperial rebirth. The Baltic states called it quits, the Caucasus is about to follow suit, and befriending Lukashenka can only smear one's reputation.

"It has long been observed that slaves fight not only for freedom, but also to become slaveholders themselves. The Russian state system historically emerged and matured based on the savage mentality of the Golden Horde. This is not Russia's fault but a very big problem, yet no one has to bear its cross with it, less so instead of it. Chernihiv landlord and Russian poet Aleksei Konstantinovich Tolstoy ("And vain, worldly cares of the ball..."), a landlord with an estate at Chernihiv, once wrote in his diary that has never got through to Russian politicians or the intelligentsia: "My hatred of the Horde is akin to an idiosyncrasy; it is not a trend, it is me. Whenever I think of the beauty of our history before the Horde came I feel like falling and rolling on the ground with helpless rage." And Slavic history before the Golden Horde is precisely the history of Kyiv Rus. Nestor the Chronicler lived and died in Kyiv, and Moscow simply did not exist in his lifetime. Here on top of one of the Kyiv hills neither Ukrainians nor Russians should forget about this. We have no reasons to abhor our Slavic brotherhood, but neither do we have any reasons whatever to return to the imperial stables under its slogans. Also note: none of the integration-minded gentlemen has ever mentioned Bulgaria whence Cyril and Methodius came to us. Why? Because Bulgaria has rid - or is effectively ridding - itself of the last Communist ideological holdovers, although Orthodoxy has always been an inalienable component of its world outlook."
Respectfully,
S. V. TSAREGORODTSEV,
history teacher, Kyiv
 
  Klara Gudzyk's Eye-Opener Dear Editor,

Just read Klara Gudzyk's article, "Paradise Lost" (The Day, March 30) and wanted to let her know that it was great. As for the two examples from her past, the first one (foreign visitors) didn't surprise me much. The second one (vacation) just blew me away. Guess you had to watch who you picked for friends. Hope the article will open some eyes and show them that the death of Stalin and his communist ways are not something that should necessarily be mourned but rather a time and way that no human being should ever have to experience. Can't understand why some just can't look past the differences of others, let them go on with their lives as they should let you and everyone just get along. We will never always agree with each other nor should we have to. Worst thing about this kind of stuff is it is always the innocent ones, who can get along and live together, that pay the biggest price. Once again would like to say I thought your article was great and wish you luck in trying to pry closed eyes open.
Barry Michaluk (beemer)
Manitoba, Canada