Who carries the torch for the Macedonians

[Risto the Great]

From the beginnings of time the keepers of the flame for Macedonians have been the peasant farmers. Unaffected by the times, they maintained their traditions and kept the identity of our people alive and thriving. The influence of the Turk, Greek, Serb, Bulgar was kept in check by an indifference and a strong desire to retain that which is "nash".

Times are obviously different now. We have politicians who try to be very diplomatic. We have students who are USA-centric, we have middle aged people who have endured and learned to admire Serbo/Greco mutterings.

Who is actually committed to keeping the identity from decaying into something completely abhorrent to us. Who carries the torch for Macedonians now? Is it still the peasant farmers? Is it up to the Diaspora with their patriotic mindsets. Or is change simply inevitable and their is no point even trying to steer the change?

I often wonder why the Prime Minister and the President cannot maintain a tradition that seemed to exist a few months ago when we had a different President .... namely instead of a single message ... why not a bit of theatre? Let Ivanov be the diplomat, Gruevski can be the mad nationalist. They can maintain a healthy balance .... with Gruevski always winning.

I just don't see many "torches" at the moment.

[Soldier of Macedon]

We've come of age, in my opinion, it is time for this responsibility to extend to every Macedonian.

[Dejan]

Good answer SoM

[Risto the Great]

I don't know.
Many of the intellectuals of Macedonia are doing more harm than good.
The young generation should not be expected to drive this, they do not anywhere else.
I think we even had an Albanian cultural minister at one point.
Direction is necessary and appears not to be forthcoming from the leaders of the country.

[osiris]

I don't know.
Many of the intellectuals of Macedonia are doing more harm than good.
The young generation should not be expected to drive this, they do not anywhere else.
I think we even had an Albanian cultural minister at one point.
Direction is necessary and appears not to be forthcoming from the leaders of the country.

tragically so true risto, in my personal experience it was not completely but mainly people from egei in the diaspora who bled the most for macedonia. the izgoreni dushi i call them, the first to give of their time money passion and energy for the cause. in sfry times being a nationalist was considered reactionary and stupid, we are still living in the slipstream of that culture. it may take time to cultivate a new intelligentsia with the neccessary pride passion and comrmitment to the macedonian cause to develop and grow i only hope we have the time for that to happen.

[King Makedon]

I talked to a guy from manu.
he said:"We know in what kind of a difficult position we are. So we dance the oro. Two steps forward and one step back"
so that's also the policy of the governement.

I do not agree with that policy. we should be more aggressive (no war) in our postion. Our country exist now 18 years. So it's grown up and has the status of an adult country i guess and so i do believe that we have to make adult politics not the childish of the past.

[Soldier of Macedon]

I don't know.
Many of the intellectuals of Macedonia are doing more harm than good.
The young generation should not be expected to drive this, they do not anywhere else.
I think we even had an Albanian cultural minister at one point.
Direction is necessary and appears not to be forthcoming from the leaders of the country.

In your opinion, who do you think should be carrying the torch?

[Jankovska]

I still think it's the old uneducated people, the peasants who will never give in and the Diaspora. My gran is 77, never went to school but she always says' nie sme makedonci, koj kako saka neka ne vika nie znaeme koi sme. And than I have an uncle who is a very educated man who always says to me, oh shut up with your patriotisam blah blah, we are sloveni, grcite se vo pravo, nie nemame nisto so antickite makedonci.
Now the problem the Macedonians are facing is the peasants are old and the Diaspora are far away. Go figure

[Rogi]

The Government and Major Non-Institutions in the Republic of Macedonia.

The Schools, the Culture Ministry and the Media should be working in unison to protect the Macedonian culture, language and identity.

Presently, they are doing the exact opposite.

[Risto the Great]

In your opinion, who do you think should be carrying the torch?

It certainly should be the leaders and academics of the country.
And if it can't happen, then it is time for revolution.

Jankovska hit the nail on the head. The inferiority complexes of many Macedonians make them unreliable.

[King Makedon]

Times of Revolution. Sounds nice.

But after every Revoluton hardtimes are ahead.


so get it on.