Shame on a national level
The UOC community in Hlyboka turned to J.D. Vance for help. Photo: Kozak1 TV channel
Imagine a situation where, for example, a number of Catholic parishes in Germany turn to French President Macron for protection because their churches are being seized or forcibly transferred to another denomination. It sounds absurd. In any civilized country, any violent actions against religion are, by definition, impossible. And if conflicts arise, they are immediately suppressed by law.
But in Ukraine, there have already been cases where UOC communities are seeking help from the U.S. government, most often from Vice President J.D. Vance. Notice, not from local governors, not from the government, not even from Zelensky but from an official of a distant overseas country. And all signs point to the fact that there will be more and more such appeals. What does this indicate? It shows that Ukrainian believers do not expect help from the Ukrainian government. In fact, they no longer expect it. They used to turn to Zelensky, and often. One can recall the cry for help from the Cathedral in Ivano-Frankivsk. We all remember how it ended – with an assault by people in balaclavas, using tear gas, and subsequent seizure.
Since then, it has only got worse. The government not only fails to protect its citizens from violence but it also helps the bandits. That’s why people are turning to the "big guys" across the ocean. Now, many of these bandits just giggle, saying, "Write to 'Sportloto' instead."
But there is really nothing to laugh at. When people “over heads” ask outsiders for help, it is a shame on the government. And it is a sign that they do not trust it. This means that at the first legal opportunity, they will replace it with another one.
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