higure: (teddy on the beach)
[personal profile] higure
Today I plan to send emails to about 7 different states of the world on 3 different continents. I also plan to read my friends page on an Internet site called LJ, knowing I see all of them without any censure. I had already searched youtube, again without any filter. There is no Chinese wall of firewall when I access Internet and the only time facebook or twitter doesn´t work for me is when they have (and really do have!) a maintenance, not when there is a big public gathering somewhere.

I have been to many countries, have seen so much of Europe, even a small glimpse of US where I stayed for a year and could come back (could go there in the first place). I can complain about my government and about my country. I can write this. I can smile and welcome over 100 of conference participants from all over the world (I do not exaggerate, the most exotic this year is probably Lebanon) on Friday, they are not afraid to come here, they come back year after year.

My parents earn their living the way they want to. They didn´t have to sneak into the church in the middle of the night to christen my brother, because my mom and maybe my dad as well would lose their jobs if they did it openly and not in secret. They too have seen more than a former Yugoslavia who used to be a “friendly country” and the only possible vacation destination. They raise us in freedom and we take it almost naturally.


November 17th 1989 was given the honor to be labeled as the official start of the end. The day when so called “velvet” or “gentle” revolution started in former Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic and Slovakia, split in peace). Berlin wall had already fallen at the time, Slovak students held a manifestation in Bratislava a day before Czech students decided to turn an allowed meeting to commemorate students killed by Nazis into a spontaneous walk into the center of Prague where they faced police troops. No one was killed that day, even though the rumor that one student died had spread. There was violence, of course afterwards, but no killings and people who came out onto the streets in the following days have stayed very mature and calm, caring flags, clinging the keys, burning candles that are a big sign of the revolution.

Some people say it was a conspiracy; that is was planned and the public were just a puppet. The fact that communism in general was falling is true. People say with a frown, that leaders on the tribunes were fools and big idealist.

No revolution, no step forward of a human race can be done without those. Fools and idealist.

November 17th was a trigger a beginning and the end. I want to remember it and value everything good that it brought to me. Because despite all the faults the current system has, I can live with my eyes open.


I am adding a video from a concert held by Karel Kryl on December 3rd 1989, less than a month after 11/17 Karel Kryl was a huge persona, a singer who was banished from the society, whose songs were banned and so everyone new them. He is a legend. The one phrase he says before he starts playing is “Hello, Citizens”.


I was able to meet you!!!

Date: 2009-11-17 01:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] crystallekil.livejournal.com
thanks for sharing this. :) i feel a little more educated about your country now.

Date: 2009-11-18 11:03 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sashjun.livejournal.com
I really just wanted to show how much I appreciate the change that happened back then and all the good things it brought, it have been put down a lot lately and many people think we were better off back then. I however feel the possibilities it has given me more as I get older.

I guess the fact that someone found some new info about "my part of the world" comes as a nice bonus. XD

BTW *__* at the icon!

Date: 2009-11-17 03:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] beltenebra.livejournal.com
That was really wonderful to read. It's very good to be reminded of all the freedoms I constantly take for granted.

No revolution, no step forward of a human race can be done without those. Fools and idealist. This is so, so true.

Thank you for sharing this post, I was really moved.

Date: 2009-11-18 11:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sashjun.livejournal.com
I am glad you feel that way, I would love to remind that liberty we gained back then to people in my country even more, they seem to take them too lightly!

And I glad you agree with me on the "fools" statement I like to think it is one of the brighter thoughts of my brain:)

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higure

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