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Submitted August 25, 2005
Regarding
Presentation of the Athenagoras Human Rights
Award to Mikhail Gorbachev |
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Dear Editor,
I am at a loss as to why the Order of St.
Andrew, an Orthodox organization, would go out
of its way to present their prestigious
Athenagoras Human Rights award to Mikhail
Gorbachev. The news item gave two reasons for
this. First, he is being credited for
ending Communism in the Soviet Union. In fact,
this was not his intention at all. He wanted to
keep the USSR intact while reforming the way
Communism was being implemented. China has had
to modify its form of Communism in recent
decades, as well, but it is still Communist. If
Gorbachev had had his way, the USSR would still
exist and would be just like present-day China:
allowing for "openness", but still oppressing
its people and denying human rights. Gorbachev
did not end Communism. Rather, his reforms got
away from him until he was finally ousted. To
say he ended Communism
would be like saying George III of England
deserves credit for founding the USA, since his
actions were key. When Russia had its first free
elections, Gorbachev received only 1% of the
vote. Many outside of Russia fail to understand
how unpopular he has
always been among his own people.
As for his having been baptized Orthodox, this
is a disingenuous attempt to justify giving an
Orthodox award to an avowed atheist. After all,
Stalin was baptized Orthodox, too. In interviews
in recent years, Gorbachev has been asked about
his religious views and he is always evasive. He
has identified himself in the past as an
atheist, and has never done or said anything to
disown this.
I cannot understand what purpose it serves for
the Orthodox community to give an award to such
a man. Does this promote the Orthodox Faith? I
cannot see how. I believe it only results in the
world seeing the Church promoting secular values
rather than Christian
ones. Why not give Orthodox awards to Orthodox
Christian who actually advance Orthodox causes?
Priest Peter Jackson
Sts. Theodore Russian Orthodox Church
Williamsville, NY
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