Until early 2014, after the Maidan revolution, also known as the “Revolution of Dignity,” (www.britannica.com/place/Ukraine/The-Maidan-protest-movement) it is quite possible that most people in America never knew what or where Ukraine was, but that has all drastically changed now in light of Russian troops gathering at Ukraine’s border.
For those who don’t know, Ukraine is a country on the eastern side of the European continent, bordered by Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova and Russia. The literal translation of the word Ukraine is “Borderland,” and given Ukraine’s geographical standing, this name is quite appropriate.
However, being the neighbor to so many different countries has caused problems for Ukraine. After Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union on Aug. 24, 1991, the new nation had an uphill battle to fight, which the people of Ukraine are still battling today, and that battle is the right to maintain true freedom and independence from the Soviet Union, now considered to be Russia.
The relationship between Ukraine and Russia has never truly been friendly; it might be considered tolerable in the best of circumstances. Dating back to the golden age of Russian art, which is considered to be from 1850 to 1910, the Ukrainian culture and existence has been under siege. During the rise and fall of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, Stalin did everything in his power to eradicate the culture and existence of Ukraine from Europe and the world.
Is it even possible to eliminate an entire country of people and their way of life? Stalin and his government believed so. During Ukraine’s earliest years, much like in the present day, Stalin tried to force the Ukrainian people to abandon all of their Ukrainian traditions, such as speaking the language and reading Ukrainian literature. Even saying the name of Ukraine in public was a major crime from Stalin’s point of view.
While Ukraine’s current situation may not seem quite as drastic when you view it from afar, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that Ukraine is not a true nation but a creation of the Soviet Union, stating, “Ukraine was created by Vladimir Lenin” (NBC News). While Putin may believe that the Soviet Union created Ukraine, it is clear that the people of Ukraine and the rest of the world do not share the Russian president’s point of view.
Why should I or we as citizens of the United States of America be concerned with the well-being of Ukraine?
Ukraine holds a special place in my heart, as it is my rightful birthplace, and without its existence, I wouldn’t be the man I am today. I am connected to Ukraine not only through birth but also my burning sense of pride and love for my country, just like many American-born citizens. I strongly believe with all of my heart that it is my duty to protect the life of a nation where my own life began and was shaped in the earliest stages. While I know that my country is not perfect or a paradise, at the end of the day, I am and always will be Ukrainian. I refuse to sit idly by without speaking up for the people of Ukraine in any way I know how.
If there is one thing I have learned from living in America, it’s that you as a person and a nation have the right to fight and protect your way of life and freedom; both aspects for Ukraine are under attack by Putin and his extremely flawed viewpoint regarding Ukraine and its right to independence.
I am writing this article not to vent my internal frustrations about the current state of affairs for my birthplace but to raise awareness for the American people about a nation that is fighting for its freedom and way of life. It is time that we as American citizens act upon the democratic ideals that we have been raised to believe and fight for with all our beings.
As the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall once said, “To protest against injustice is the foundation of all our American democracy.”
