I am convinced that since the beginning of the confrontation in Ukraine, but perhaps even much earlier, a fundamental mistake has been made in our media world, but also in interpersonal relations, which not only divides, but I would say that it tears the nation apart. It is not only an inability, and especially an unwillingness to understand. There is no need to repeat the basic lessons until you get tired. Of course, we have our experience with the Russians, i.e. with their state, with the Soviet Union, basically the Russian Empire. Despite their honorable and unforgettable liberation mission, our opinion is determined much more by what happened in our country after this liberation. Starting with the abduction of our citizens to Russia, where many disappeared forever (e.g. our general Vojcechovsky and many others), through the Soviet “advisors” of our STB, who taught it to torture not only political opponents, but also its own communists by confessing to incredible things , through the disruption of social structures, which we probably still feel today, to direct military interventions to maintain the communist regimes in Poland, Hungary and finally in our country. Does anyone think that people don’t remember, or rather that they don’t know? And that someone would like a state where it would be possible to have this at their borders? Barely.
But that’s not the only truth. After all, many also know that before the aggression, Ukraine was the least successful state of those that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union, that its great natural wealth of the country served, with the disinterest of politicians, only for corruption and oligarchs, and not for the needs of the country. That it was a state that, without the necessary political feeling, for reasons stemming from recent history, tried to remove from its territory the Russian population, which of course had lived there since time immemorial. Because the boundaries of empires and states changed in the Middle Ages and in modern history. And part of the citizens do not think, perhaps rightfully so, that the state where the statues of Stepan Bandera are installed could enrich the European Union and contribute to our security.
Of course, this is just an attempt at context awareness, and not a pro-Russian campaign. But not distinguishing this naturally contradictory view of what is happening around us, calling those who have their doubts and know how it is, how it was and how it could be in the end, pro-Russian cockroaches and friends of the aggressor, is simply not true , but also insulting human dignity. Above all, this is overwhelming for mutual understanding and unity of society and nation.
This was fully manifested in the election campaign, “Russia for you all”… Criticizing who ever went to Moscow reveals the smallness of Czech politics. As if the whole of Europe and finally the whole world didn’t go there. And a completely general statement, namely that this war will not bring anyone anything good, to pass off in the election race as an opinion in support of the aggressor is futile. Few believe that. Somehow it was forgotten that the war in Ukraine refuted the threat that terrified Europe in the 1950s and 1960s, namely that a wave of Russian tanks and infantry was rolling over Europe. Threats that the army that is conquering a difficult Ukrainian village will be in front of Prague tomorrow are also hardly believable for many citizens. No sane person questions the aid to refugees before the war, but it is somehow impossible not to see with embarrassment that tens of thousands of men capable of fighting in our country, and in Poland, are asking for this help. Especially when we compare this to the fact that after the attack by Hamas, many citizens of Israel hurriedly returned home to help defend their homeland.
It’s okay to have your opinion no matter what, it’s possible not to see what I don’t want to see. But let’s stop insulting each other! This will not help us in anything, AND it is necessary for our future life together…
The author is an ombudsman
