If you have been paying any
attention to the news lately you would have either seen the current distress
in Ukraine or Justin Bieber's DUI but ill be talking about the former.
Within the past week, a
drastic change has taken over in Kiev, Ukraine, the capital of the Eastern
European country. The truth about what is going on in Kiev spawns from a choice the Ukrainian government made not to long
ago. Instead of declaring its trade allegiance with the EU (European Union), they have decided to strengthen ties with Russia, upsetting the general population immensely. (Here is an article for a more in depth overview if you are interested.)
In the foreground of the
picture embedded (source: google images), you can see two soldiers. One is lighting a Molotov cocktail
(make shift explosive) for the other in preparations to ward off protestors in
the city of Kiev. In the background, a line of soldiers blend into one wall of
metal, all wielding riot shields and black protective gear. The reason the
photographer took this photo? Most likely to show the world whats going on, and to show the extent to which the government employed soldiers are using vicious tactics to hurt and potentially kill protestors.
At first glances, Im happy to
say that i'm able to sit in a safe home where none of this type of apocalyptic/war
type protesting is going on but then again there might be. There is a lingering thought in my head
regarding what would really happen if something like this would develop in the
United States. In terms of Civil liberties at stake, the Ukrainian government
has put in specific laws to make protesting, marching, being openly
anti-government and some internet privacy laws in place. Another controversy related to the laws passing is that that specific votes went uncounted and machine were "broken" when legislation was up for vote. Although this chaos
isn't occurring in the United States, in past wars and times of conflict the US
has suspended civil liberties in order to “win the war”, or that’s at least
what they say.
According to Ariel Cohen, a Ph.D holder with an expertise in Eurasian studies, "the law bluntly violates the basic human rights of the Ukrainian citizens, such as freedom of speech and freedom of association, turning Ukraine into one of the most authoritarian regimes in the post-Soviet space". Protestors aren't getting to say what they really want. They are being oppressed and rightfully fighting for their rights. Laws put in place are unconstitutional in regards to the Ukrainian constitution and I believe that the protestors are doing the right thing. If you don't think something is right, stick up for yourself and your people until you believe that it is right. Mr. Cohen is absolutely correct. This new legislation is wrong and oppressive. I think this Ukrainian government should be replaced and become more of a democratic state, instead of turning authoritarian, like Cohen says.
In our current state in the US, civil liberties are being put at stake in a war most Americans are unaware we are still fighting; the War on Terror. The War on Terror has opened up phone records of civilians, allowed for warrantless wiretapping, and other still unknown violations of constitutional rights, right here in America. People in Ukraine are in the early stages of a possible country wide revolt due to compromised civil liberties but in the US, we seem to not even know that our OWN civil liberties are being taken right under our noses. With that in mind, why do you think that is? Why are Americans so much less eager to flood the streets and stand up for what they believe is right and for rights that they deserve.
In our current state in the US, civil liberties are being put at stake in a war most Americans are unaware we are still fighting; the War on Terror. The War on Terror has opened up phone records of civilians, allowed for warrantless wiretapping, and other still unknown violations of constitutional rights, right here in America. People in Ukraine are in the early stages of a possible country wide revolt due to compromised civil liberties but in the US, we seem to not even know that our OWN civil liberties are being taken right under our noses. With that in mind, why do you think that is? Why are Americans so much less eager to flood the streets and stand up for what they believe is right and for rights that they deserve.
2 comments:
Really interesting post Will! I agree with you that the conflict in Ukraine is very disturbing and in violation of many human rights, but there is a big difference between the War on Terror and the Ukrainian conflict. Yes, many people IN THE U.S. have had their constitutional rights suspended because of terrorist suspicions, but that is on a much smaller scale than the Ukrainian conflict. Also, we are not protesting because most people are not revolting against the U.S. Government.
@Josh, I think that although the war on terror and Ukraine conflict might seem very different in proximate or ultimate cause but what they both share in common is the fact that they violate guaranteed civil liberties as stated in the countries own laws.
I agree with you that people arent protesting because they arent revolting but the meaning of this post was supposed to help people realize what others are fighting for while the same type of thing is going on right in our backyards.
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