Pocketful of stories
A broken lightbulb, a shortage of bread, a corrupt leader…these were things that just were.
1997 Lutsk, Ukraine
Large buildings in Lutsk had massive double doors and though the doors were impressive, inevitably one door was always locked. Lesa Ukraina University had eighteen foot double doors and no matter how many students crowded in and out, they squeezed through one door. I assumed this was a good way to save heat in the very cold winters. However, this theory failed in light of the fact that only one door opened even in the hottest summer months.
I asked a friend why the university, the banks, and the department stores always locked one of their double doors. Looking puzzled, he answered, “Hmmm. That is a good question. I have no idea. We just know that one door will be always be locked.”
The one locked door, a metaphor for life in Ukraine in 1997, is the way things were. That is the way they have always been. A broken lightbulb, a shortage of bread, a corrupt leader…these were things that just were.
The Soviet government recognized that people needed a time to complain; complaining was seen as a part of life. And realizing that their oppressed citizens can be a fussy bunch of troublemakers, the Soviet government institutionalized complaining. The Communist Party set up a regular time for meetings where citizens gathered to complain about the government and their life in the Soviet Union. No one expected change, the people just needed a place to vent. Without a place to complain, the people might revolt.
The Russians made complaining a whole genre of humor and Soviet anecdotes were still apropos.
“A Frenchman, a Brit, and a Russian are admiring a painting of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.
The Frenchman says, “They must be French, they’re naked and they’re eating fruit.”
The Englishman says, “Clearly, they’re English; observe how politely the man is offering the woman the fruit.”
And the Russian notes, “They are Russian, of course. They have nothing to wear, nothing to eat, and they think they are in paradise.”
Waiting for someone else to fix a problem was not invented by the Soviets. Generations of Ukrainians and Russians were oppressed and raised to believe that problems were to be endured. The Tsars did not encourage individual initiative. A well educated, self starting population might ‘self start’ a new and different government. If the people could solve their own problems, they might wonder why they still tolerated their repressive Russian, Lithuanian, Polish, and then Soviet governments.
With independence in 1991, the people in Ukraine found less and less comfort in the leadership of the Party (which no longer existed) or the Leader (that was not much different or better than the Soviet one). When the dead Soviet system was replaced by a system of private property, the new state failed to come up with a modern infrastructure, and the old infrastructure decayed. Apartment buildings crumbled, lights didn’t work, streets were cracked, towns ran out of gas, parks became overgrown. Hunger, low wages, poor health, mediocre education systems, and corrupt governments were things to be expected.
What if an individual or a collection of individuals said to the university president, “Why don’t you unlock the second door so that more students can easily come in and out of the university. It would be safer and easier for all.”
The closed door is a fear of being judged, of being mistaken, of being viewed as different. The closed door is a photo of the mind of a victim. Dark and helpless. It is symbolic of a fear to try something new. To say something different.
The Open Door is open to new ideas. Sometimes ‘crazy ideas.’ Sometimes dangerous ideas.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky, a former actor, got his start in politics by playing the president of Ukraine on TV. In 2015, Zelensky created and starred in “Servant of the People,” which told the story of a high school history teacher who gets elected to the country’s highest office.
You can watch the show on Netflix. The show highlighted many of the same problems I observed in Ukraine. It is these real problems that the real Zelensky was elected to combat. Now, he has to lead the country in a life threatening defense of his homeland.
News update. May 23, 2022. Day 89 of Russian-Ukrainian War.
Though it is sometimes difficult to know what news out of Ukraine and Russia is accurate, we know this.
Russia troops and planes continue the assault on Ukraine.
The Russians were unable to take Kharkiv and the capital of Kyiv and have withdrawn. Though badly damaged, those centers of battle are being repopulated. The Americans reopened their embassy in Kyiv on May 18. For how long we do not know. The Senate confirmed Bridget Brink on May 18 as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. The veteran foreign service officer was nominated to the position last month by President Joe Biden and she was confirmed unanimously by the Senate.
The Russians have shifted their concentration of their military efforts to the east and the south.
The Ukrainian city of Mariupol in the southeast has been taken by the Russians after two months of fierce fighting. Mariupol is located between Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and the region of Eastern Ukraine called Donbas, much of which is controlled by Russian-backed separatists. Taking Mariupol is part of the Russian campaign in the south and the southeast to connect the Russian-held areas. By controlling Mariupol, Russia has solidified its land bridge to Crimea and now controls the north shore of the Sea of Azov.
The Russians are accused of committing war crimes of killing innocent civilians and raping women. The first trial for war crimes was conducted in Kyiv. A young Russia soldier was arrested by Ukrainians and is on trial for the killing an innocent civilian. The International Criminal Court (ICC) sent a team of 42 investigators, forensic experts, and support personnel to Ukraine to advance an investigations into crimes falling into the jurisdiction of the Court. This is the largest single field deployment by the ICC since its establishment.
Military and humanitarian aid continues to stream into Ukraine. On May 21, U.S. President Biden signed a $40 billion bill to send weapons and economic aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
As of April 21, over 6.4 million refugees have been forced out of Ukraine. 1/3 of the people have been displaced.
Finland and Sweden applied for membership into NATO.
In response to American led sanctions on Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry has drafted a list of 963 US citizens, who are permanently barred from entering Russia, including US President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris. Neither Former President Donald Trump nor Senator Mitch McConnell is on that list. No journalists or hosts from Fox News were banned by Russia.
On May 15, the Ukrainian group, Kalush Orchestra won first place in the Eurovision contest for their song, "Stefania.” The Russian contestants were banned from the contest.