Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Would Stepan Bandera be pro-European Union if he were alive today??

 Or if your Nazi uncle really WAS a Nazi. Actually, I do know people with real Nazi relations. I told Bettina Goering that she has both sides of the issue since not only was one relative a high level Nazi (Hermann Goering), but he assisted his brother Albert, who saved Jews. 

Stepan is more nuanced even though he is as maligned/celebrated.

I still wouldn't be a Bandera though. I prefer more inclusive. Which is where things get interesting. 

Stepan was born in Poland. Carpathea/Galacia which is home of the Hasidim as well.

Even though Stepan has closer relatives, I was born near his death: 11-12 days before. I think he knew I was an addition to the family when he was killed by a KGB agent (NEVER say I was influenced by Russians).

The issue is that he was a nationalist. His followers and associates killed those who prevented Ukrainian Statehood. Unfortunately, there is the guilt by association, or family, in all this. Even though I don't share his prejudices. 

I like think I am not prejudiced, but accept people as they are.

He wanted his identity as a Ukrainian. I am pretty certain he would accept you if you accepted him, which is what most people want.

I'm a mutt. So, I accept everyone.

I watch Brexit and see how Northern Ireland holds up the process. The Unionists want to be part of Britain, but when it comes down to things: they ultimately want to be Irish and part of the European Union. The EU was what made the Good Friday Agreement possible: even though nationalists on both sides (Republican and Unionists) hated the EU. 

One of the European Union's purpose is to promote peace. It promotes peace by making artificial borders meaningless. A country can contain multiple ethnicities and linguistic groups. 

I think he would appreciate that Ukrainians are uniting whether they speak Russian, Ukrainian, or any of the other languages/cultures comprised by Ukraine, to fight the Russians.

I have a weird feeling that if being a part of something larger protected Ukrainian identity, Stepan would have been for it as well. In fact, I think being a part of the European Union as something which would promote peace through diversity, he would be so pro-EU it would make me laugh.


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