Dear Editor:
Two commentaries in the August 2 edition of The Weekly continued our community’s lively discussion on the volatile issue of race relations. The writers, Ihor Mirchuk and Myron Kuropas, seem to be suggesting that Ukrainian Americans should play no role in addressing America’s problems with racial inequality. This is a bit puzzling since they both implicitly acknowledge that racism does indeed exist but, since in their view Ukrainian Americans have played no active role on creating these abuses, they argue that we should be excused from any responsibility for ending them.
While Mr. Mirchuk rightfully underscores Ukrainians’ long history of enduring ethnically based abuse and oppression, he does not then advocate for Ukrainian Americans to join in efforts to end these practices in today’s America. With his customary prescient wisdom, none other than Taras Shevchenko pointed the way. In 1858, our former serf met the American Ira Aldridge, descendant of slaves and Shakespearean actor, in St. Petersburg. They formed an instant bond as they shared their stories of triumph over obstacles we can only imagine.
I would hope that today, in 2020, we can follow Taras Shevchenko’s lead.
Andriy Ripecky
Chicago