No sooner than I had recalled 1982 Ronald’s speech in Berlin did Timothy Snyder slap up a bunch of Thomas Mann quotes on Twitter1.
Modern history tells us that Ukrainians haven’t been well served by their elected leaders, most of whom have been cahoots with Russia or stupid2.
More six years since the start of the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine remains a sham democracy. It is a primitive post-soviet feudal autocracy. Democracy here is not underpinned by elections or coordinated work of institutions, but by popular uprisings. Absent them, even the illusion of democracy would not exist3.
One year of war hasn’t changed this.
Looking on the positive side, the Russians haven’t killed us yet.
While death claims all in the end, it is the struggle to survive that defines life, as evinced in the first stanza of the original lyrics of Ukraine’s national anthem:
Never perished is Ukraine, nor her glory and freedom!
Still upon us, young brethren, fate shall smile!
Our enemies shall vanish like dew in the sun;
We shall rule in our beloved country.
Enclaves of Our Un-normality. Kyiv doch Bleich Kyiv (February 21, 2023)