NEWS AND VIEWS: Thirteen years later (09/12/04)

NEWS AND VIEWS

Thirteen years later

by Christine Hoshowsky

The news of Ukraine's independence on August 24, 1991, resonated with joy in the hearts and minds of Ukrainians throughout the world, but how prepared were Ukrainians, then and now, to accept the fait accompli? Then, it seemed as if Ukrainians were caught by surprise and struggled to rise to the occasion. During centuries of occupation by other nations, the role of martyr rather than sovereign was the norm. Even today, 13 years later, Ukraine searches for definition and acceptance.

The expectation that Ukraine's upcoming election for president will be riddled with wideapread corruption, the continued attacks on the free press and the suspicious fiddling with the Ukrainian Constitution to suit one or another faction is evidence that a singular identity to promote the common good eludes our people. Our nation struggles to be born.

In the rush to establish democracy and capitalism we have given short shrift to the task of nation-building in favor of growing "state-ism." A state is an administrative unit complete with organs of government that assures a civil society. It does not require a commitment of the heart. A nation is a group of people who share a common bond - heritage, language, patriotism and spirituality. A democratic state is an invention derived of reason; a nation is the embodiment of the soul. Together these combine into a powerful, progressive, enlightened and soulful nation, sovereign of her own destiny.

To date, the interests of Western democracies mold Ukraine's identity to fit a "state-ist" mold. Regrettably, many of these nations and their leaders are trapped in a 1930s mind-set and believe that Ukraine is still merely an extension of Russia. Consequently, the West structures opportunities for Ukraine's development in order to nudge Ukraine closer and closer into the Russian sphere.

They do this by denying Ukraine her ethos as did America in the "Chicken Kiev" speech on the eve of Ukraine's independence when America levied a pre-emptive strike against Ukrainian nationalism that set the tone for future Ukrainian American relations. The message was clear: "If we must tolerate an independent Ukraine, then let it be without the overtones of nationalism." Since then, Ukraine has soft-pedaled its nationalism to curry favor with Western democracies and this has robbed Ukraine full reign over its sovereignty.

As a state Ukraine is a follower; as a nation Ukraine becomes a leader.

As a nation Ukraine could determine the alternatives it has should the West refuse its appeals to join NATO and the European Community within a reasonable time-frame. Possibly, Ukraine could follow a policy of non-alignment similar to that of India, rather than cozying up to Russia. Such a policy need not be exclusive of Russian or United States interests, but it should definitely be in the interests of Ukraine.

Like Switzerland, a nation that has honed a unique role for itself in Central Europe, Ukraine could carve out a special economic, political and diplomatic identity to suit its temperament and geo-political location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

In order to achieve this end, Ukraine must choose to be a nation and not settle for just being a state. The place is here; the time is now.

In order to begin the process of national consciousness-raising, we should refer to Ukraine as a nation and not as a state and we should expect other nations, leaders and citizens to do likewise. Next, we could kick-off a renaissance of national awareness by encouraging Ukrainian artists, musicians, athletes, scientists, historians, doctors, lawyers, industrialists, bankers, educators, linguists, entrepreneurs and all others to become patrons of Ukrainian culture. We could further develop a cadre of statesmen, unlike politicians, who would serve the best interests of Ukraine. And we could look to our respective Churches for spiritual guidance in pursuit of compassion and humanitarianism.

We could symbolize our national unity by creating a human chain. We could hold hands from Kyiv to Lviv, to Ivano-Frankivsk, to Odesa, to Dnipropetrovsk, to Donetsk, to Kharkiv and back to Kyiv. Imagine such a spiritually uplifting sight as Ukrainians in their embroidered finery, holding garlands of flowers full circle around the nation against a panorama of golden wheat fields dancing to the melodies of Ukrainian songs that echo far into God's sky-blue heaven.

Ah, then our forefathers and we, ourselves, would truly rejoice at our nation's independence.

Christine Hoshowsky, Ph.D., is a community activist from Rochester, N.Y.

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