"Every generation in my Belarusian family was forced to start from scratch" - unfortunately, this is so true. "From scratch" is the right word choice here. I also describe it as a family tree with no branches, because they're constantly cut off and thrown away by whoever is in power.
This is a very good and chilling metaphor, but what helps me to have hope is that the tree has deep roots that give (or will give) life to new branches. I love this saying: “They tried to bury us, they didn’t know that we were seeds.”
I was born in the United States under a lucky constellation of stars: to parents who fled from advancing Soviet armies as Estonia fell in WWII as children with their families--exactly 80 years ago to the day in my mother's case; to grandparents who grew up in the independent Republic of Estonia. Some did not make it. A grandfather deported to Siberia leaving my father with only a hazy memory of one. Grand Uncles who were pressed into the fight on one side or the other. Grand Aunts and cousins who remained behind and endured the brutal Soviet regime which followed. We are grateful that Estonia and her neighbors are part of NATO's Eastern Flank, as that--as you write--has enabled some space to heal, but it only makes it more obvious that with russia as the disease (infecting the free world though its neighbors feel its cruelest blows), Ukrainian victory is the prescription.
Thank you for sharing the story of your family, Mark! I love how you said: “with russia as the disease, Ukrainian victory is the prescription.” Very spot on!
That's why Eastern Europe must form its own military-political alliance, along the lines of the Intermarium concept. This is the only way for Eastern Europeans to acquire their own historical agency and solve the Russian problem.
"Every generation in my Belarusian family was forced to start from scratch" - unfortunately, this is so true. "From scratch" is the right word choice here. I also describe it as a family tree with no branches, because they're constantly cut off and thrown away by whoever is in power.
This is a very good and chilling metaphor, but what helps me to have hope is that the tree has deep roots that give (or will give) life to new branches. I love this saying: “They tried to bury us, they didn’t know that we were seeds.”
I was born in the United States under a lucky constellation of stars: to parents who fled from advancing Soviet armies as Estonia fell in WWII as children with their families--exactly 80 years ago to the day in my mother's case; to grandparents who grew up in the independent Republic of Estonia. Some did not make it. A grandfather deported to Siberia leaving my father with only a hazy memory of one. Grand Uncles who were pressed into the fight on one side or the other. Grand Aunts and cousins who remained behind and endured the brutal Soviet regime which followed. We are grateful that Estonia and her neighbors are part of NATO's Eastern Flank, as that--as you write--has enabled some space to heal, but it only makes it more obvious that with russia as the disease (infecting the free world though its neighbors feel its cruelest blows), Ukrainian victory is the prescription.
Thank you for sharing the story of your family, Mark! I love how you said: “with russia as the disease, Ukrainian victory is the prescription.” Very spot on!
On a similar theme, a letter to the editor of our local paper: https://open.substack.com/pub/marklagus/p/russia-is-the-enemy?r=1tggo9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Thank you so much for your advocacy and support!
That's why Eastern Europe must form its own military-political alliance, along the lines of the Intermarium concept. This is the only way for Eastern Europeans to acquire their own historical agency and solve the Russian problem.
I absolutely agree!
Very well written, clear and understandable. Thank you Darya!
Thank you, Matthew!