I have great sympathy for Mikheil Saakashvili as a strong personality and, in my opinion, the only Ukrainian politician with a great future. However, I completely do not understand this populism with the Ukrainian language. Why are you doing this, Mikheil?
I understand why Azarov, Yanukovych, and other Yatsenyuks were involved in this. Their main tool of maintaining power was and remains precisely populism: “a style of rhetoric appealing to the needs of the common people as opposed to the needs of the elite”.
The Ukrainian language is a wonderful way to show care for the needs of the people, especially now, during the tension in relations with Russia. By emphasizing the special value of the Ukrainian language, any politician easily plays the card of the “external enemy,” opposing us, true Ukrainians and patriots, to them - the imperial aggressors. Language is a kind of flag that can be quickly raised: if I speak Ukrainian, it means I am for you and against them. At the same time, collaborating with the real enemy or actually being one.
During times of military action, when the main enemy is truly outside, the ability to quickly unite the masses around oneself and one’s plans is vital. For example, the authorities of the USSR during World War II called the war a people’s and sacred war, and the land Russian. It was vital, the enemy was outside, and it was important to set a clear direction for the fight: we are Russians, they are Germans. This manipulation of mass consciousness made sense at that time and served the goals of the ruling elite of the USSR: the enemy objectively was external.
Now, in Ukraine, according to Saakashvili himself, the main enemy is internal: corruption. Officials in offices with stamps and calculators, not separatists at checkpoints with guns and leaflets - these are our main enemies. In the movement against them, we expect you to call for unity.
So why distract with imaginary enemies and raise false flags, Mikhail?
If you spoke Russian and didn’t even try to learn Ukrainian and switch to it, you would only emphasize your clear position towards the main strike - against corrupt officials, regardless of their nationality and language, and avoid suspicions and accusations of populism.
Translated by ChatGPT gpt-3.5-turbo/42 on 2024-04-20 at 14:27
