Hope in hopeless times
Personal experience of growing up in a dictatorship and a story about perseverance.
I grew up in Belarus, which has been a dictatorship most of my life. I know very well how people can choose “stability” in exchange for their freedom and the freedom of others. I also know how extensive the power of Russia is. Russians spare no expense to achieve their desired goals, which is domination and control over not only the neighboring countries but the entire world.
Looking at the situation in the U.S., where I live now, I see what I already saw in Belarus – people choosing the person who promised simple solutions to complex issues and ignoring the red flags proudly being waved from the tribunes. When people don’t want to do the work and are looking for a savior who will immediately fix all their issues, they end up with a dictator. It’s happening in so many countries around the world, but when it happens in the country that is considered the leading democracy, it shakes you to the core and makes you lose hope.
This week, I felt disappointed, hurt, betrayed, scared, and angry. Someone told me that they were very sorry that the country where I sought refuge had let me down. For many years, I heard the same words from my lawyer during an extensive legal battle for my rights. My opponent was a white American man twice my age who did everything in his power to bring me under his control or to be deported if I refused to conform. I was a young woman and an immigrant. The laws and the entire system were on his side, and the majority of the lawyers I saw refused to pick up my case. When I almost lost hope, I met a lawyer who, after hearing my story, looked me in the eyes and said that they would fight alongside me until we win. We thought that the process would take a few years, but it took eight. They were full of setbacks, exhausting paperwork, and tears, but also friendship, support, and hope. Despite enormous pressure and obstacles, we won, and I got my freedom back. The U.S. will get its freedom back, too, but it will take time, work, and a joint effort of people who will come together in unexpected ways. Mistakenly, many treat the events of this week as the end, while it’s only the beginning.
Below, there are two quotes from my previous essays:
My battle taught me to never give up and never stop fighting for freedom. I learned to keep going even when it seemed pointless and everything and everyone was against me. I learned that even if you are weak now, if you keep fighting, you will gain strength as you go, and you will meet people along the way who will help you win.
Unstoppable - Sharing a story of the most important battle of my life and the lessons it taught me.
There is so much work and fighting against injustice, lies, and greed ahead. The scale of it is enormous, but I realized the fact that it’s big doesn’t make me small. The fact that it has power doesn’t make me powerless.
Shooting for the Moon - Vulnerability, courage to dream, and power of community.
Whether you live in the U.S. or not, this election affects us all. Let’s keep fighting.
Warmly,
Darya
Email: daryazorka@substack.com
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My heart hurts for the whole world. I am embarrassed as an American. We are so easily manipulated. I had hope that we would choose a better future and yet we did not. We have become the good Germans from WWII. I won't stop fighting either Darya. It's just become a lot harder. Thank you Darya for your words of experience.
Thank you Darya for the words of warning to those buying cheap promises for simple solutions to complex problems...It will be a while before we see the worst of what we Americans have wrought from this week.