Maidan

A classic illustration of the power of information, I�d say. A nation of poverty concealed within a nation of plenty. It is the nature of political power, East or West when a part of society contradicts the whole by virtue of its own existence. Your views no doubt, will be as welcome as those who struggled to alert the world to Ukraine�s Holomodor more than 70 years ago. Though it may serve factious purposes in the short term, we both know that truth is seldom suppressed ad infinitum.

Yet, you�ll have more than the New York Times and Walter Duranty to contend with in this information age. A powerful alliance will stand against you. They�ll use words like Democracy and Freedom to defend their actions, yet like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, they�ll travel the world to dispense it, totally unaware of what�s in their own back yard.

The same people, caught wrong-footed by the Orange Revolution are now claiming they bankrolled it. Democracy has been unleashed and they didn�t see it coming. It�s no wonder a few panic buttons have been pressed as they frantically attempt to re-write recent history. Dollar Democracy doesn�t seemed to have worked, no wonder they�re worried, the mantle has been snatched while they weren�t looking!

You�ll remember Terry, how we talked some years ago of a legacy, the Dickensian allegory of Ignorance and Want. Today it finds you in Ukraine. They read it too, and found Ignorance worthy of investment. Without information a small number can suppress the Want of millions. It�s a lot more cost effective to just pretend it isn�t there.

Onward and upward my friend, but remember the old saying � It�s difficult to soar like an eagle when you�re surrounded by turkeys � Good job you left them back home in the yard.

Jeff Mowatt