Intelligent people are aware that not all Russians support Putin’s madness. There are Russians who support Ukraine and who respect and love Latvia very much, and speak Latvian language. But there are also unreasonable people who put all Russians into one category, this hurts Russian people who sing Dievs, svētī Latviju! [Latvia’s national anthem] with all their heart.
Russian-speaking Latvian Vladislava Romanova shared on Facebook her thoughts about this topic.
She writes: «There is a lot of hate in me now. It’s the hate about everything around me. The hate about Latvian vatniks that fall further and further every day. It’s the hate about Russians sick with putinisis of the brain shame my native Russian language. It’s the hate over the fact that I have to prove myself, prove that I’m integrated, so that Latvians consider me one of them, not as a vatnik by definition. And it’s not hate towards Latvians. No.»
«This is the hate for all the long years during which people who don’t deserve to live in our country tried to force Latvia, at least partially, under Russia’s three-colour fag.»
Vladislava writes that whenever she speaks Russian with her mother or friends in public places, she instinctively looks bank and thinks to herself, «Lord forbid someone thinks I’m a vatnik.» «This is where we’re at.»
«No one can prohibit me from thinking and dreaming in Russian.»
She shares her thoughts: «Any language seems awful when it’s used by monsters and seems magical when used by wizards. Any language. I will speak with my children in Russian language, because it’s language using which I can say the most important things in the best and the most beautiful way even though I can also say ‘I love you’ in Latvian language without an accent as well. But this doesn’t change the fact that in Latvia there can be only one state language. The language that I consider to be one of the most beautiful languages in the world – Latvian. (And I promise that my children will know Latvian language at least as well as Russian). But this way of thinking will not change the fact that sometimes people will call me occupant, Russian whore, Russka. I understand. But I cannot accept.»
«An apocalypse is going on among Russians in Latvia. Let me explain. We have divided into norms and vatniks. And this is painful. Painful because I can’t call any of my grandmothers on the phone. Painful because the husband of my mother’s sister writes public posts in which he shames me and my beliefs. Painful because my father follows those posts. Painful because my mother and my brother suffer from all this. Now multiply this by the thousand Russian-speaking families in Latvia. Normal Russians, let’s call us like that, are at war with ‘our own’,» says Vladislava.
She also stresses in her post that she does not compare this with what is currently happening in Ukraine. «I myself have a big ‘sword’ and a great deal of hate I can use to ‘behead’ anyone who says something that goes against my and my country’s values. An in addition to normal Russians having to deal with their families and friends, they also have to prove to Latvians they love Latvia even though it is apparent. I consider this my emotional duty. Maybe the only one, because what I have inside me is some super guilt over something I haven’t done and I want to apologize for every vatnik that lives in our dear Latvia.»
«Many people support me. Many people motivate me. Just recently I broke down to the point when I collapsed on the floor crying when getting ready for my friend’s birthday.’
«I read awful comments about myself. I frequently receive threats of rape, getting my throat cut, and to look back twice when I return home alone at night,» Vladislava shares. «I’ve read so many comments that I’m fat, ugly and look awful for 28 years, and that what I need is for some guy to f*** me properly so that I stop talking nonsense,» she continues.
She continues: «No matter how angry and full of energy I am to beat everyone up, I stopped looking in the mirror. When I hear ‘Russians have no place here!’, ‘UnRussian Latvia!’ or something the like, which seems normal for any Latvian, something very important dies inside me. With all understanding that this does not apply to me. But I get called all the words – Russian, Russian-speaker. Call it what you like, I can’t change anything here. It’s the wording and interpretations.»
«Dear Latvians, were running to you. Reach out to us or stand aside so that we can fulfil our shared dream for a free and beautiful Latvia!»
«The rest I will talk out with my psychologist,» concludes Vladislava, a Russian-speaking Latvian, as she puts it.