Why do i care?
The purpose of this site is to provide information and analysis about the use of media for the purposes of activism and revolution. Well, one might ask, why choose Ukraine as the focus of this topic?
The answer is simple. The story hits a little too close to home. Literally.
The answer is simple. The story hits a little too close to home. Literally.
I am originally from Georgia; not the state, the country. The rather tiny stretch of land off the coast of the Black Sea and south of Russia.
When I tell people I am originally from Georgia, after clarifying that it is indeed a place in Eastern Europe, more than a few of them reply with: "Oh! You mean Russia!" It's hurtful knowing that so many people associate with, or worse, define Georgia by its tyrannical neighbor up north.
When I tell people I am originally from Georgia, after clarifying that it is indeed a place in Eastern Europe, more than a few of them reply with: "Oh! You mean Russia!" It's hurtful knowing that so many people associate with, or worse, define Georgia by its tyrannical neighbor up north.
I have lived in the US for most of my life; I consider myself just as much an American as a Georgian but admittedly I am much more familiar with the American culture and lifestyle. I am used to the sense of security and lawfulness that we have always taken for granted. I am used to the feeling of justice, whether it is a perception or reality. Most importably, I am used to knowing that this nation is one of the most powerful in the world and used to the feeling of invincibility that comes with that knowledge. I certainly could not relate to the feeling of uncertainly and fear about my safety in the future because of armed conflict.
I was not used to the feelings of panic and helplessness that come with knowing that the airports were shut down, that tanks were rolling into my hometown, that hostile planes were flying overhead and enemy troops were shooting to kill. Any and all sense of control and power shattered in a moment when my grandfather called from Tbilisi in panic saying he couldn't get to my grandmother because the roads to and form Tbilisi were closed off by the Russian troops.
My entire family lives in Georgia. It's hard enough being so far away and missing them normally, but knowing that the situation could get worse and someone might get hurt was absolutely terrifying.
It seemed unreal. All I could think was that things like that should not be happening in the twenty-first century, that people were supposed to be diplomatic, that there were international organizations set up for the purpose of preventing these events from escalating. It's painful seeing my home country shrink little by little because because of power-hungry nations like Russia. It's even more heartbreaking realizing that Georgia is just one of the pawns in a game for power that the leading nations of the world are playing. Before, all the things we learned in school and all the stories on TV seemed just that, stories. And despite the fact that we all feel bad but no one really understands until there is a personal experience that makes it into reality.
So the current situation is Ukraine is understandably infuriating for me. These events almost parallel those which occurred six years ago in Georgia and Russia does not seem to have any qualms with repeating them because there were no really serious consequences the last time. I am angry that
It seemed unreal. All I could think was that things like that should not be happening in the twenty-first century, that people were supposed to be diplomatic, that there were international organizations set up for the purpose of preventing these events from escalating. It's painful seeing my home country shrink little by little because because of power-hungry nations like Russia. It's even more heartbreaking realizing that Georgia is just one of the pawns in a game for power that the leading nations of the world are playing. Before, all the things we learned in school and all the stories on TV seemed just that, stories. And despite the fact that we all feel bad but no one really understands until there is a personal experience that makes it into reality.
So the current situation is Ukraine is understandably infuriating for me. These events almost parallel those which occurred six years ago in Georgia and Russia does not seem to have any qualms with repeating them because there were no really serious consequences the last time. I am angry that