Dustin Hoffman and other famous Ukrainians. New Exodus post-2012?

During the PDO, the 3 fellows were taken on a tour of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, and shown the gallery of photos of famous Americans with Ukrainian roots.

Oleksandra Iegorova, Cultural Affairs Assistant, who was hosting us at the Embassy, told that this gallery was their favourite exhibition.

Seeing that so many famous names - from Hoffman to Stalone - have Ukrainian ancestry, was a true discovery for me (I knew about Igor Sikorsky and few others - but not so many!)

It's a pity, of course, that the reasons that drove their ancestors to the distant shores, were state failures, wars and famines. I guess that many new names will rise to world recognition - from among those who fled the country during and after the collapse of the empire. 

It is not difficult, but rather sad, to foresee, that a new wave of Ukrainians is about to flood the globe after the coming elections will be falsified, and not recognized as free and fair by the international observers.

This new exodus has actually begun as a growing trend couple of years ago - I even heard from my friends and former students, that they wanted to go. I think that after the Fall elections, those who still had strong aspirations - and even political ambitions - to bring change, will get disillusioned themselves.

Democratic Alliance - a new party, born out of a national-wide NGO composed mostly of Millennials - is such a case. They were not even allowed to enter the race, where all the spots have been long occupied by compromised politicians, drivers and bodyguards of oligarchs, and barely speaking sportsmen.

Unbalanced and unable to evolve through natural - democratic - feedback mechanisms, this system WILL enter a new homeostasis. The question is - at what price? Hope, Vaclav Havel is still watching @ Ukraine ;)

P.S. Why so many famous Americans - from Odessa? A question to Mr. Hebb, perhaps :)))

Keywords: elections, Havel, Ukraine, US Embassy, Kyiv, Hoffman, Odessa,