Q&A: A Question About One’s Attitude Toward Russia’s War in Ukraine
A Question About One’s Attitude Toward Russia’s War in Ukraine
Question
I naturally feel sorrow over the war, but I spoke with my grandfather, who is a Holocaust survivor, and he said that he is very happy about it, and he reminded me of some “pleasant” experiences he and his family had with the Ukrainians during the war. I felt there was something real in that, even though in contemporary morality it is not acceptable to think that way. Do you think there is room to be happy about it?
Answer
I mentioned in the column my mother, who wishes complete success to both sides—that they should kill each other until they bleed dry. It is hard for me to identify with that completely, although I entirely understand the feeling. The Ukrainians were among the worst antisemites throughout the generations (including during the Holocaust), murderers and robbers and rapists for no reason at all. Human savages. I understand that even nowadays there is still quite a bit of antisemitism there (I heard descriptions from relatively young people, although of course that requires more systematic verification).
It is true that one does not visit the sins of fathers upon sons, and people today should not be punished for the sins of their ancestors. But that only means that I will not do anything to them. But am I obligated to be saddened by what is happening to them? I am more saddened by what is happening in other places, where the disasters are worse and the suffering people are less wicked.
Of course, the best thing would be for no one to suffer and for tranquility and peace to prevail in the world.