Saturday, September 19, 2009
Cry Wolf!!
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Russian Revolution! And the revolution inside me!
My brother gave me a video compilation of Russian Revolution, a revolution which had been forefront of changing the world, making it realize that there is another society! This video was through the eyes of sailors of Kronstad. True to the name, the whole focus of the show was on the sailors. I could not help believing it though I for one will not be able fully convince myself that this is what happened unless I get first person account. So I will leave myself to the temporary idea that sailors were the ones who initiated, helped and the somehow mysteriously disappeared from the whole scene, their voice nowhere in the scene of the revolution after their much needed help was obtained. And it is voiced in the program that the sailors were an educated lot!
The point of me writing is not because of the sailors or the program being 'colorful'. I couldn't digest what the speakers, many of the professors in various universities in USA, UK and Russia (and are they really professors?) spoke of Lenin. I had always great respect for all the leaders, regardless of the country and ideology, who lead their country through turmoil or a new era. No person can judge them unless they face the same situation. As for Russia, the country so vast and vibrant with a history so rich, everything is different. I will surely compare Washington and his legion with Lenin and his followers. I will not for once compare them on their paths taken but on their motive. I will not compare them on the situational decisions they took but on the goodness of their decisions.
I will surely say the situation which Lenin had with discontent in people at peak (time ripe for revolution) and war on fatherland taking his beloved sons and daughters, was not a thing which Washington had to handle. The enemy which is miles away from shore and fighting in your territory is very different from your fence-neighbor fighting with you claw and nails. I will also ask the Americans where are the Indians and their culture now. Where have the Mexican Indians and the Cherokees and the Yukons and the rest. Were they not forced to change, by force, to the new way of life. A way of life which the settlers thought were good for the natives. Were they given a choice? Is there any account in the history of world where people had every right to choose freely. If the real ideal of revolution was a success then it would have happened. People had to understand the real meaning. Humans for one need to let go of their sense of superiority and be equal with the weak and the ignorant and the disabled. This has happened in the history once. For a period of three years, world united against an evil which sought to be superior. I will not say here also that Hitler was right or wrong but surely he was wrong in the end and that made the sane people fight. Again if he had not sought the world then, world would have ignored him and he might have proven to be worst ever for Germany after all the good he has done for the fatherland.
Would there be any thing more worse than what the Imperialist nations did to entire continent of Africa till the end of 20th century! Will it be less said that China, so proud and great had to be weakened by opium because UK and others who had a share of Chinese melon didn't have the guts to fight them toe to toe! I remember seeing a Merchant- Ivory movie called savages. It asks only one question, and seeks answer from those who may think that it is their duty to answer, that why do we think we are better and all others, only because the way they did was different, are inferior. The African Americans had a single word which symbolized every freedom seeking humans in the world – respect! If this is given to every single person as he/she deserves for being a human, for being a living being which can sense love, peace, hatred, anger, deceit &c., then there will be a lot more life in this beautiful planet of ours!
I can speak freely of my country, how free we are. I can say that people are biased here, I can say that there is great amount of corruption in every sector, I can say that people have hatred towards biasing and not towards another human being. I can say a lot more and everything which I say will be true for every country! I am in a country where people have natures as different as the colors of setting sun differs on any two given days! I hope for a day where people can think everyone as their kins. For this everyone should be educated. Educated in history, to be proud of their past and to preserve the present for the future.
Intellectuals have put the name Utopia to that land. It will be millions of years before this land is achieved! I hope it will be in a few centuries!
Labels: China, History, Russian Empire, Russian Revolution, Soviet Union, United States
