LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (08/03/97)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Another perspective on dinner with Kuchma

Dear Editor:

As the primary organizer of President Leonid Kuchma's dinner with the Ukrainian American community, I was disappointed by your editorial (July 20). Still, constructive criticism is acceptable. Some of your points are valid, albeit hyperbolic, i.e., the number of participants, some crashing the event. However, I was distressed by the contempt you demonstrated towards the community you serve, which pays your salary and is undeserving, certainly, of your disdain.

The dinner was organized at the request of the president of Ukraine to enable him to familiarize himself more intimately with the community's concerns. Reciprocally, it was geared to permit the community a close-up with the president. Initially, the number of participants was limited to 40 from the community and 20 from the president's entourage. The final number increased by about 50 percent, enabling some Ukrainian American philanthropists to participate. Crashing was not permitted, but suffered in order to avoid a scene (only two instances). Picture-taking with the president was not encouraged, but, certainly, permitted. Frankly it is not unusual for people to desire a photograph with any president. You are being disingenuous inasmuch as you did publish a photo of Ulana Diachuk with the president. As you know, most governmental luminaries in the United States, including the White House, have official photographers who subsequently forward their product to the event's invitees.

Contrary to your arrogant assertion assuming journalistic sophistication, in my opinion the questions and comments by the community leaders were both insightful and, perhaps surprisingly without exception, eloquently presented. More importantly, they represented the community's concerns. Ukraine has no ally more faithful nor more effective than its diaspora. Arguably, a meeting with that diaspora is as important as a tete à tete with Vice-President Al Gore. The former serves to mutually inform and exhort. The latter, essentially, is political posturing on the U.S. side to "spin" selling out to Russia at the Denver summit as justifiable. In a democracy, power belongs to the people. People help formulate their representatives' perspectives and policies. I refer you to basic treatises on democracy as well as the influence of the Jewish American community on U.S. foreign policy as a striking example.

The Ukrainian American community is an integral part of the Ukrainian nation, its American citizenship and loyalty notwithstanding. I am reminded of the lyrics from "Man of La Mancha": "to be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause." The essence of these words has served as the clarion call for the Ukrainian nation. Having been the men and women of "La Mancha" for so long, the Ukrainian people wheresoever situated, certainly, have earned the right to converse with the president of their Ukraine. You owe them an apology.

Askold S. Lozynskyj
New York

The letter writer is president of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.

Editorial on reception was right on target

Dear Editor:

I congratulate you on your editorial about the Harvard Club reception for President Kuchma. It was right on target.

The diaspora is incapable of understanding that it is quickly becoming irrelevant.

I do think the president, or leading ministers of Ukraine, should meet with students from Ukraine. Within the network of the Ukrainian Student Association in the U.S.A. there are several students who could begin to make major contributions to Ukraine. They also need recognition for their hard work, academic excellence and connections. Several could already open doors to universities, to investment banks, etc. in the U.S.

But I will wait for their time to come.

Bohdan Oryshkevich
New York, N.Y.

The number of "n's" in Andrianna...

Dear Editor:

The report on the recent "Ptashata camp" brought back a number of sweet memories (July 20). Unfortunately, an error crept in the rendition of the name of one of the head counselors.

My daughter has a somewhat uncommon name: Andrianna (please, count the n's; one, two three!). We are sure that people call her Adrianna unintentionally, and no one really begrudges her the extra "n." Yet the feeling persists that "this person does not really care for me if he (she) does not even bother to know my correct name." It is the same as when people refer to me as Hawrylak or, in the case of a good friend of mine whose name is Kryzanowskyj, they call him Kryzaniwskyj.

Yarema A. Bachynsky probably would be less than ecstatic were someone to refer to him as "Mr. Bichynsky." It is a mark of a good journalist that he double-checks his facts before rushing into print.

Orest Hawryluk, M.D.
Elkins Park, Pa.

Please help us locate our former shipmate

Dear Editor:

I joined the U.S. Navy in December of 1940. In boot camp at Newport, R.I., I met another 18-year-old young man, Joseph Kwasny, whose grandparents came from Kyiv. My grandparents come from there, too (named Shikoff/nee Karpovich). Joe and I became close friends. At that time his folks lived in Trenton, N. J.

We graduated boot camp and were assigned to the USS Louisville at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. It was a heavy cruiser and became one of the most decorated cruisers of World War II. Before the infamous attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor, Joe and I enjoyed nine months in Hawaiian waters aboard this ship. When we returned to San Diego, Joe was so homesick that he went AWOL, but was brought back to the ship. We spent four years on the Louisville and earned 12 of the ship's 13 battle stars.

After a couple of direct kamikaze hits, 32 dead and 125 wounded, our ship was relieved of duty and came back from the Philippines to San Francisco. We all departed the ship separately and went back home in 1945. I got married and lost track of Joe Kwasny. I tried to find a telephone listing for any Kwasny in Trenton, N. J., without success.

The USS Louisville Reunion Association now meets every two years in various cities, coast to coast. Joe Kwasny doesn't know this.

We have a player piano at home. One day, my wife and I were playing and singing a song named "When Day Is Done." I started to weep. My wife asked why, and I told her because Joe had told me that song always reminded him of his home.

Wherever Joe is, if he's still alive, I know he is with his fellow Ukrainians. Six hundred active shipmates in our reunion association would like to hear from him.

I would appreciate it if you could help us locate Joseph Kwasny.

John Duffy
Palisades Park, N.J.

The letter writer may be contacted at 321 Ninth St., Palisades Park, NJ 07650.

Russian language resurgence in Ukraine

Dear Editor:

On page 2 of the July 20 issue of The Weekly, it is reported that 44 percent of Ukrainians support the idea of joining a Russian-Belarusian union. It is a shocking and disturbing statistic, but it shouldn't be totally surprising.

Being involved in military interpreter missions for the last five years, I have seen a dramatic shift during my last visit in June. In previous years, military officials made every attempt to use Ukrainian as the national language. Ukrainian military terminology was being developed; you sensed that Ukraine was moving forward as an independent nation.

This past June I was once again a Ukrainian interpreter on a military mission to Kyiv. Without saying a word, the general began speaking in Russian at the opening session. At least we were provided a translator from Russian to English. Russian was used as if we were in Russia. To be diplomatic, I asked if any sessions would be in Ukrainian. I was not given a reply. Instead the general (Ukrainian) stated that "they were trained in Russian and the manuals are all written in Russian." The same general later spoke to me in excellent Ukrainian. There were sessions held in Ukrainian, but it was because the group insisted on Ukrainian. Nevertheless, it was a daily battle.

It appears that there is a push to revert to Russian, to become essentially a Ukrainian/Russian state. Individuals would emphasize that Russian is the language of government and diplomacy, while Ukrainian is "not fit" for such matters, yet members of the Ukrainian government visiting us in the U.S. state just the opposite. Why the difference? Perhaps we are told what we want to hear and refuse to see what actually exists.

Are Ukrainians responding to this newest wave of Russification? No, this change to Russian appears to be just below the radar screen. Perhaps my experiences are limited and not representative. Perhaps. The Ukrainian Embassy will emphatically state that Ukrainian is the national language. Yet, the Peace Shield 97 mission, to be held in California, put out a call for primarily Russian interpreters since "the Ukrainian military continues to communicate mainly in Russian."

So the next time members of the Ukrainian government speak, look at what they do and not what they say. Most Ukrainians agree that if they lose the language they will lose their freedom. What does it all mean? Another evil empire? Good chance.

At any rate, I doubt it would be in our national interests to have Moscow once again rule Ukraine.

Roman G. Golash
Schaumburg, Ill.

Note from the editor:

The Ukrainian Weekly welcomes letters to the editor and commentaries on a variety of topics of concern to the Ukrainian American and Ukrainian Canadian communities. Opinions expressed by columnists, commentators and letter-writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of either The Weekly editorial staff or its publisher, the Ukrainian National Association.

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