La Republica on Ukraine

[Alina Israeli]

Elena Gapova wrote:

>I was suspicious of the Pavlik Morozov story even as an oktyabrenok. But
>the genre seems undying. Here's a little gem.
>http://www.inopressa.ru/repubblica/2004/11/26/17:23:00/ukraina

Since I could not read this particular cyrrilic translit, I am grateful for
the URL.

The precursor to that little story is not Pavlik Morozov, but Gavroche of
Les Miserables (not a musicle but a novel by Victor Hugo). Maybe even
Gavroche had his precursors but I cannot remember off-hand (maybe someone
else remembers if this motif is elsewhere prior to the French revolution).
Gavroche was helping the insurgents, was a model of kindness and honesty
and was shot at the end.

Pavlik Morozov should have been a model for studying ethical dilemmas: What
is one to do when suspecting a member of your family of a crime. This is
the stuff tragedies were made of, when both outcomes are bad (и так плохо,
и так плохо). Pavlik Morozov would not be the only case in history. Quite
recently the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski was turned in by his family.

Also don't forget that Pavlik Morozov was murdered by his own family, which
makes him a perfect martyr in the tradition of Boris and Gleb.


On a different subject:

>What about the orange tie of Vladimir Pozner?
>
>Comment: Mr. Pozner is the famous Russian TV show host.

Precisely. He is not a reporter but a host, he can express his opinion.
Although I know of a case when reporters expressed their opinion: a French
TV anchor wore dark glasses when Jaruzelski arrived in France with a state
visit (way back when). I suppose as a state employee he could do that. It
would not have been possible in the US, not on a part of an anchor or a
reporter. A talk show - yes.

Still on the Polish subject (sort of). One NTV anchor announcing Lech
Walensa arrival in Kiev said the following: Что этот в прошлом
антисоветчик, а ныне русофоб приехал делать в Киев?

If I had to intorduce Walensa I would first think of Solidarnosc or Nobel
prize, maybe of his status of a former president. Besides, the
"antisovetchik i rusofob" is not visiting Russia, he is visiting Ukraine.
But from their perch they could see only one thing. At least this
particular personality could see nothing else.

__________________________
 Alina Israeli
 LFS, American University
 4400 Mass. Ave., NW
 Washington, DC 20016

 phone:    (202) 885-2387
 fax:      (202) 885-1076 

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