Letters for Monday, March 28, 2022

Democracy, oligarchy and the Ukraine war

In prior articles about military theory, I discussed issues like war crimes and no fly-zones. You have enough information, with the help of the internet, to make up your own mind about the current war.

What follows is my opinion on Russia and Ukraine. I will not deal with the other breakaway republics from the Soviet Union, like Georgia. Feel free to disagree.

Abraham Lincoln described democracy as government of the people, by the people and for the people. Its framework is: the rule of law, due process, an independent judiciary, and a fair opportunity for all people to vote.

The second form of government is an oligarchy, or rule by a few. Lenin adopted this governance idea and created a Communist party to be administrators. Stalin demonstrated what happens in an oligarchy. One brutal man rises to the top by killing everyone in the way. Research reveals that maybe 99 out of 102 party members were killed. Research also reveals Stalin executed 3,400 of his military officers in 1938, fearing a coup.

Stalin’s policies of collective farms, scorched earth and other programs also killed his own people. For him, humans were a commodity to be used as he chose, and then discarded. We could discuss at length the Stalin era and its results.

In 1986, when Gorbachev introduced glasnost, he revealed the horror of the Stalin era. Nations in Europe began to decide how they wanted to live. Many chose democracy. Some stayed with the old style of governance: the oligarchy, or one-party rule. The shrunken Russian state and Ukraine continued with the Soviet governance system while adding some elements of a free market. The KGB was dissolved on Dec. 3, 1991, replaced by the FSB. The duty of the FSB: protect the leadership of Russia.

Boris Yeltsin, who succeeded Gorbachev, used the privatization of state-controlled property to reward his supporters, the oligarchs. They became rich. They gave Yeltsin enormous financial and political support, and he allowed these oligarchs to rule the country. The same pattern occurred in Ukraine, where the soldiers of suppression were the FSB and the SBU in the respective countries.

After decades of suppression of Ukraine nationalism dating back to tsarist days, plus the brutality of Stalin, Ukraine should have rushed to democracy like the developing nations to their west. They did not.

Yeltsin’s protégé, Putin, succeeded the older man in 1999. He created his own group of oligarchs and told Yeltsin oligarchs to stay out of politics. Ukraine did not rid itself of the rule by a few.

The opportunity for Ukraine membership in NATO occurred in 2008. Ukraine did not qualify, in part because its government had not adopted the rule of law and the oligarchs were in control.

Perhaps Russia sabotaged Ukraine’s chances of achieving NATO standards for admission. It is a murky story, a flirtation between Russian dominance and Ukraine independence. In 2013-14, the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity was followed by the Maiden Revolution. Many top agents in the SBU, secret police, fled to Russia, along with the head man of the Ukraine.

This convulsion of Ukraine independence led to Russia invading Crimea and aiding Russian separatists in the Donbas, eastern Ukraine. The eastern Ukraine area has been in constant turmoil since 2014.

Despite many opportunities to do so, Ukraine has failed to work with NATO to meet democratic standards, especially control of Ukrainian armed forces. In 2021, Ukraine had made “limited progress in much-needed reforms.” Until that reform happens, Ukraine is prevented from joining NATO.

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William J. Fernandez is a retired judge and Kapa‘a resident.

He’s remembering some special women

How do you remember the women that have made an impact in your life?

Today, I wanted to share a little about my Grandma Suero and Aunty Rita, who may not have been known throughout the world, but meant the world to me.

March 28 is a special day of remembrance for me, as it’s the birthday of my Grandma, Castora Suero. She passed away four years ago. It is also my Aunty Rita’s day of passing (Andrita Suero Perreira), 12 years ago.

I was lucky to have been raised in an intergenerational household, and my Grandma Suero and Aunty Rita were right there for it all. It’s a unique experience that if I had keiki of my own, I’d love that opportunity for them to have.

They were like my second moms while my parents were off to work. They cared for us and connected us with our family and Kaua‘i. My grandma loved being active, so we often spent our days fishing, helping someone or fixing something. My best childhood memories were at Nawiliwili boat harbor, Wailua bridge or anywhere my grandma brought us.

My Aunty Rita loved bringing people together, and would always have people over their house. They would play their card games, and I used to hang out at the bottom of her feet all night until I fell asleep. Her house was down the street from mine and I would ride my bike to her house almost every day to play in her backyard with my cousins.

My grandma was a butcher at the old Yoneji Store and my Aunty Rita provided foster care. I know this sounds like a typical grandma and aunty, just like many of you may have had, but their impacts on my life are astronomical. To this day, I am learning lessons they have taught me 30 years ago.

The power behind motherhood and womanhood is an amazing force that flowed through them, and whenever I meet a strong woman with that same energy, I see them. If it weren’t for my grandma and aunt, I would not be able to recognize these signature characteristics that make a person whole: Compassion, honesty, kindness, resiliency, openness and care.

There are days when I wish both my grandma and aunty were still alive so they could meet some of these powerful women I know now, who are continuing their legacy of being a woman.

Here’s to the women of history and making herstory.

Dr. Addison Bulosan, Lihu‘e

Practice ‘intellectual self-defense’ against propaganda

It has often been espoused that truth is the first casualty of war. Therefore, it is critical that we all learn to practice intellectual self-defense against propaganda.

These four general rules can be universally applied for filtering information, but must be even-more-dogmatically-adhered to when those who consider themselves our leaders start pounding their war drums and rattling their sabers:

1) Avoid binary thinking. Constantly striving for objectivity is absolutely crucial, particularly when censorship impedes your opportunity to hear both sides of an argument. The truth cannot be understood until one is willing to explore the nuance that exists between the polarity of simplistic perspectives. Just because you don’t fully align with your American politicians doesn’t make you pro-Russian any more than disagreeing with a Democrat position automatically makes you a Republican;

2) Don’t fall into the trap of conflating citizens with the regime that rules over them. For example, the reason why economic sanctions are fundamentally immoral as a political tactic is because they punish the civilians for the crimes of their rulers. You are not your government and you have no duty to accept their false premises which they use to manipulate you. Nor are you responsible for their poor decisions and destructive policies;

3) Demand proof before you blindly accept a narrative. Most corporate-media outlets, as well as social-media posts, are just parroting a story they have been fed. It is imperative that you accept the responsibility of carrying out due diligence since it is safe to assume that the talking heads have not done any. Pay special attention to phrases like “according to a government official.” This should be recognized instantly as propaganda and dismissed as such until verified by a third party;

4) Always ask yourself who benefits from this narrative. The agenda of news agencies are shaped by their advertisers, producers and, oftentimes, the state. (Look up project mockingbird if you are unfamiliar.) Attempt to recognize the subtle bias of the messenger which is influenced by their personal beliefs and opinions. The same scene will inspire wildly different paintings when interpreted through the eyes of different painters. We all recognize the variance in coverage we receive if we switch between FOX and MSNBC. Be especially wary of bipartisan consensus. The most-destructive agendas like war and debt are usually agreed upon by both sides.

It is critical for everyone to understand that all wars have historically been initiated by lying to the public to garner support for the atrocities that they otherwise would abhor as immoral and unjust. A great documentary which explains this phenomenon is called “Manufacturing Consent.” In the case of the ongoing Ukrainian conflict, the allegation that Putin’s military campaign amounts to mere unprovoked aggression is verifiably false. Unfortunately, I don’t have space here to present the evidence; but, please, don’t take my word for it. Confirm my assessment by doing your own research and come to your own conclusions.

War is dirty business, and no matter which side bears the responsibility of being the aggressor, both sides end up with blood on their hands. War doesn’t decide who’s right, only who’s left. When the dust settles, if we dare to look in the rearview mirror, we always discover we were lied to because that’s the only way we can be convinced to accept the senseless destruction of human life. The politicians and newscasters think you are stupid. Prove them wrong. Before you mindlessly follow the crowd do yourself a favor, practice a little intellectual self-defense and learn to smell the excrement that’s being shoveled your way.

Brady Stewart, Kapa‘a