Michael Ignatieff calls Ukraine Little Russians in Blood and Belonging

[thegreendestiny]

Russia comes in three forms, the big (Russian Fed), the small (Ukraine) and the white (Belarus)

[ryan84160]

What does he mean by embroidered peasant shirts, the nasal wine of ethnic instruments and phoney Cossacks is cloak and boot? I don't understand what he means when he says this.

[casperado666]

@ryan84160 he's putting down a whole culture, just because his family happened to oppress Ukrainians at some point in history. This guy is obviously an asshole.

Ukraine has been a land of free armed people since the Mongolian invasion. Before the Russians came we didn't have any slavery or tsars.

[koshovey]

"My problem with taking Norwegian nationalism seriously is that I have roots in this country, and theyre Swedish." ..."My problem with taking Croatian nationalism seriously is that I have roots in this country, and theyre Serbian." etc.

Mike, just because your family was part of the Russian minority from Ukraine that doesnt cancel out the legitimacy of Ukrainian nationalism. I thought you were an intellectual? Youre not a 'great Russian' at all, youre just a douche.

[marika19502011]

Wow, I did not know that Mr. Ignatieff was so ignorant and insensitive to Ukrainians. How could that be? Did he not learn History? Is he still uneducated to the Russian imperialism? To think I voted Liberal all these years. With so many Liberals of multi-cultural backgrounds, unbelievable that he is so unaware!

[macplumber]

Don't worry Mike My family used to call people much worse.

[vladtheeditor]

By the way, Ukraine can be literally translated as "suburb". Get on it, nationalists! :))))

[vladtheeditor]

For centuries Ukraine was called "Malorossia" both by Russians and Ukrainians  (e.g. Gogol, Shevchenko, Skovoroda) which translates literally as "Small Russia". Therefore, Urkainians were called "Maloross", literally "Little Russians". I don't see anything offensive here. I am Ukrainian.

[truevoiceofsanity]

Ah, ..., he seems to be saying that his familiy biased him.

He didn't actually say whether or not he AGREED with his family.

He probably doesn't.

[MatrixSaturation]

@truevoiceofsanity

You should ask an Ukrainian what he thinks Ignatieff's statement really means...

Maybe he could draw a picture.

[universalradio]

So?