Another Pole lost in Russia
The week past had a few things rattle us but somewhat show the amazing collage of life and its events that we live in to experience and contemplate on.
Just yesterday we were greeted with an unfortunate tragedy which cost the life of the President of Poland [1] on Russian soil as he was on his way to commemorate the massacre of the Polish elite by Soviet Russian forces 70 years before.
Our hearts go out to the people of Poland on this great loss, sometimes history pens itself long before have the time to collect the thoughts around us to understand the significance of how it would affect us – but today, it is sympathy and condolences that matter.
The theatre of the caged primate
In the middle of the week, we were offered a glimpse in a future that the ruling party of South Africa would do well to avoid. A youth leader who had become a law unto himself spewing out rhetoric that belongs to times we would rather not remember.
I was compelled to write [2] that Julius Malema was the face of the worst of African youth, many commentators were forced to agree even though the young man seems to have a populist message that appeals to the basest of our instincts with the ability to inspire to the reprehensible and the despicable.
This embarrassment of a person had quite embarrassed the leadership of the ANC that they were forced to release a statement [3] reprimanding the miscreant and they set out a range of principles and views as to how anyone in leadership should conduct themselves for the good of South Africa at large.
One would hope Mr. Malema’s propensity for the theatre of the encaged primate would be restrained for the redeemed character of a probably rational human-being with a sense of responsibility and comportment – my expectations of him are however not that high.
Artyom Savelyev
The story of the 7-year old Russian boy returned like a malfunctioning toy [4] to the “shop of adoption” by a 33-year old [The original news story say she was 27] American nurse still riles and irks beyond comprehension.
The more one reads of the tale, the more incensed one gets as they try to paint themselves as victims [5] in the light of their utterly abhorrent behaviour.
The questions pile up from how two supposedly motherly women (this includes the adoptive grandmother) could have schemed to commit this heinous act to how isolated they are in their community.
In the light of other adoption mishaps [6] of Americans on children of Russian progeny, one can almost thank the heavens for Artyom’s good fortune of not being murdered and buried in the back garden where his toys lay idle [7].
It is amazing that they did not seek professional help to address the issues they raised in their adoption annulment note but with the use of the Internet which is a revelation of the bad influences of seeking information and assistance online probably obtained legal advice and then procured a stranger to help dump the child 7 time zones away from his source orphanage.
A Nobody if not American?
However, what matters the more is the reaction of society to this contemptible travesty of humanity and care – the idea that this child has no rights in the United States because he had not yet been registered as a citizen even though the adoption had been finalised and he had been with his adoptive family for at least six months is inexcusable.
Surely, your life and welfare cannot be insignificant and inconsequential because you are not American, though if he were American the basic charge of child abandonment would have been leveled.
Indeed, it is probably for some of the most particular import to bear American citizenship but in this case, to split hairs about the citizenship Artyom whilst Russians take umbrage and Americans assume a position of indifference and the legal inability to act is just unspeakable at best – meanwhile, that rotten family obtain vindication by default.
I fear, it sets forth a precedent that affords the abuse of non-Americans with impunity and without consequence. There must be some responsibility and accountability for what happened to Artyom regardless of the fact that many Russo-American adoptions are a reflection of failings within the Russian system.
Add your voice to this matter by joining the Facebook [8] page that supports Artyom Savelyev.
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