ძალა ერთობაშია say the Georgians ‒ “Strength is in Unity”. United we can fight, resist, attack,
defend. Without language, though, there’s no unity, therefore, no strength. With
a common language, humans can understand and identify with one another, share the
same worldview, join in the same activities, develop a single culture, stand
together against outside threats. Precisely because of that, for the invader it
is imperative to destroy the language of the invaded. Once the language is
destroyed, unity is destroyed, for there is no more communication between the
members of the group. As the individuals are assimilated, switching to the
language of the invader, the notion of us vs. them gets blurred; what was once
familiar becomes alien, frequent object of disdain and hate. The brave and
untamable are long gone now ‒ only those who bowed and accepted the new order
survived and their descendents, the oppressed, are born into a system where how
things are so they shall be, after all, questioning the system is bad for your
health. The rulers of this new society, though, understand the importance of
the Georgian motto and will do everything they can in order to maintain their
language as an instrument of domination, making it virtually the sole means of
education, media, politics and military force. Education should indoctrinate
the masses to be obedient, not to question the status quo, think in the state language and identify with the
culture of the imperial masters more than with any other; media should shape
one’s opinion and worldview as the elites desire, manipulating their minds for
their purposes and against their fears; politicians and the military should
control and monitor this whole structure, using education and media as the
Wizard of Oz used his tricks to create the false image that they have the
power, whilst, as they secretly know, no one holds it and they are, in fact, the
most vulnerable ones in this game, should the people unite against them. Language is power and power lies in unity; the oppressed people speak the same
language, they can unite. The prey that was once swallowed by the imperialist beast can
prove to be a poison in its belly. To speak English, Russian, Chinese,
Portuguese or so many other languages often historically imposed in detriment
to the local, often dead or dying languages, does not mean to love them, their original speakers or everything they represent. Once we
become critical of our past, the same instrument that has been used against us
can be turned against our oppressor.
...
(Belarusian) Захаваць мінулае - дбаць пра будучыню
To remember the past is to take care of the future
To remember the past is to take care of the future
