I am always unfailingly amazed and enthralled when I see true courage in the face of adversity. In a world where we are taught to avoid confrontation, seeing this is incredibly inspiring. I have seen so many people in my life walk away unwilling to stand up to injustice, unwilling to do anything, preferring to find excuses why it’s ok to do nothing. I have decided long ago that I will never be one of those people.
Today, I watched a battalion of Belorussian volunteers who have been fighting in Ukraine being formally inducted into the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In their formal swearing into the Ukrainian Armed forces, the volunteers wrote their own oath. While Belorussia is struggling under a dictator that has been repressing and torturing its own people, these men under unimaginable pressure have come to Ukraine to fight the Russian invasion, knowing all too well that they cannot achieve freedom in their country without pushing back Russian imperialism. Below is a video of their formal oath. While this oath was being read, Russian propaganda machine had the temerity to accuse them of requesting Ukrainian citizenship. It’s in Belorussian, so I have taken the liberty to translate it into English as best as I could. When I did, it bought tears to my eyes, because I know what Lukashenko has done to their mothers, torturing them until they were forced to make fictitious statements on television. Just the other day, I met a woman in the fish market who fell into my arms crying over Ukraine, telling me how she is Belorussian and how Belorussians cannot get rid of their own dictator. The strength of these men amazes me. I have seen so many acts of heroism that every day I am inspired to be better, and to do better. May all of you also be inspired too.
I have no doubt Belorussia is on its way to being liberated, and that after Ukraine is free of its invaders, they will walk into Belorussia to free it together.
Reblogged this on Gangleri's Grove and commented:
Something to make you cry in the morning. this is beautiful. Thank you, Tove, for translating it. you can see the most ancient of traditions living in the souls of these men and women, even if it’s being expressed in modern worlds. those things are there. they resonate. they sustain.
Reblogged this on Gangleri's Grove and commented:
Something to make you cry in the morning. this is beautiful. Thank you, Tove, for translating it. you can see the most ancient of traditions living in the souls of these men and women, even if it’s being expressed in modern worlds. those things are there. they resonate. they sustain.
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