...for fans, friends & all who love Lithuania
Attack
Hello everyone,
This evening I had the unfortunate pleasure to be attacked by someone I don't even know. I was walking between the shopping centres Akropolis and Ozas. I was walking on the main road and not in a residential area. As I approached Ozas, I saw a group of eight young people preparing to cross the road to go over to Ozas. One of them ran across first and I didn't think anything of it. I figured he was just showing off for his friends. I turned away and continued toward Ozas. When suddenly this young boy (around maybe age 14 or 15) runs up on my left hand side. He swings his right arm hard right into my nose. Immediately I started bleeding as if someone had taken a lead pipe to my nose. I was in no condition to retaliate. Also is the fact there were eight of them. I was a afraid if I did anything that his friends would join in. Fortunately, the others got him away from me. Then they returned without the idiot. They apologized many times and took me over to Ozas and helped me clean up in the bathroom. I saw a mask of blood on my face when I walked in. I have never bled that much in my life. I am just lucky that my nose was not broken. It doesn't hurt now and my breathing is normal. There is still some blood coming down from the bridge of the nose where he hit me. I have already had one attempted assault take place here in Vilnius this year. That one took place right in the heart of the Old Town. Again it was by an underage boy. He threatened me in Lithuanian with pepper spray if I didn't give him my money and cell phone. I told him to F off and fortunately since I did it in English, I think I suprised him. He pretended it was all a joke and took off running. At least he tried to run. Clearly he was completely drunk and this was in the early afternoon. The assault today took place before 7pm. The young punk today was also drunk according to his friends. What is Lithuania becoming when children get drunk and go out on the streets to attack people? I lived most of my life in San Diego. The population of San Diego is more than twice all of Vilnius. I was never attacked once. I lived two years in Los Angeles. That city has the same number of people as all of Lithuania. I was never attacked there. It makes me wonder about life here. I do love this city and this country. It would just be nice to feel safe when walking the streets.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Marina F. on -
I'm sorry to hear about this, Wyman... I thought Vilnius was relatively safe unless you're a participant in gay parades. To be wary of children is truly sad indeed. Be safe...
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Permalink Reply by Wyman Brent on
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Thanks Marina,
Sadly Vilnius grows more violent on a daily basis. It would help if the courts and government did not encourage the violence. A blind eye is turned to skinheads and neo-nazis. A court in Klaipeda ruled the swastika as a national heritage symbol. It is not difficult to find here people wearing nazi uniforms and waving swastikas. This only encourages the nuts to believe they can act out by attacking others. Then add to that the fact it is extremely easy for children to get alcohol. So you have to watch out for skinheads, nazis, and children as well. I hope that the government will work to stop the nuts, and work to stop the easy access children have to alcohol.
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Permalink Reply by Marina F. on
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And I thought the biggest challenge facing LT youth was suicide (see the article posted by one of our members.) I see children's problems are serious in many ways. We need to get people involved in turning this around, before our favorite country gets ruined. Are you worried about anti-semitism or is it just drunk behavior in general?
M.
Wyman Brent said:Thanks Marina,
Sadly Vilnius grows more violent on a daily basis. It would help if the courts and government did not encourage the violence. A blind eye is turned to skinheads and neo-nazis. A court in Klaipeda ruled the swastika as a national heritage symbol. It is not difficult to find here people wearing nazi uniforms and waving swastikas. This only encourages the nuts to believe they can act out by attacking others. Then add to that the fact it is extremely easy for children to get alcohol. So you have to watch out for skinheads, nazis, and children as well. I hope that the government will work to stop the nuts, and work to stop the easy access children have to alcohol.
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Permalink Reply by Maryte Gureckas on -
I haven't checked in here in a while and I am saddened to hear about your attack(s). I feel a need, however, to defend Lietuva a bit in this case. This kind of threat actually exists in much of Europe, not only Lithuania. I was attacked in Madrid in broad daylight and I love Spain and would go back there in a heartbeat. I always felt very safe in Lietuva, but I do walk around speaking the language and maybe "look" more local so I am left alone.
Predators, young punks, pick-pockets and muggers tend to organize themselves.
I felt on my last visit the drunks in the streets had lessened quite a bit from the level of my first and subsequent visits. As for young people drinking, come visit my apartment complex in Montreal. It's not so different.
In San Diego and Los Angeles there is a social net for the unemployed, the down and outs, even street people. The social net hasn't developed as strongly in Lietuva yet. Kids still go home in Lietuva. They don't live in the streets with their dogs and squeegees. It's a very different lifestyle.
Everything in perspective, I suppose. However, my opinion does not defend or detract from your horrible experience. I feel very sorry that this has happened to you and others while living in Lithuania.
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Hello Maryte,
You are right about these kind of incidents that can and do happen anywhere. As for your speaking the language and looking like a local, when the kid punched me he started yelling at me first in Lithuanian. He had no idea that I was American. He was simply a drunk young teen who felt the need to have his fist meet someone's face. Yes it does happen everywhere. No country is immune. The main thing which bothers me is the Lithuanian government's recognition of the swastika as a national heritage symbol. Which other country recognizes the nazi flag and symbol as a source of pride? That is the truly scary part for me. However, I am working closely with the Lithuanian government to open the Vilnius Jewish Library. So there are both good and bad elements as everywhere. I just wish that the legal embrace of nazi symbols was at an end.
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Permalink Reply by Maryte Gureckas on
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Well, again, I feel you are taking things from just one perspective. The "Nazi Flag" is not the only use of the swastika (which comes from a Sanskrit word). Many cultures use it as well as many religions. But in terms of Baltic culture it has a long history and heritage dating back to the Bronze Age. It is an important symbol as well, seen in much of our weaving and cloth work. It is a symbol deeply embedded within our folk culture and pagan religion (something many Lithuanians still uphold). Depending on how it is placed it refers to our pagan gods of Fire and Thunder (Perkunas). It also represents the god of creation (the Sun).
It is definitely a symbol of national heritage and is everywhere around you on linen and sashes and existed long before the Nazi's were ever on this planet. Should Hindu's and Buddhists and Celts stop using the symbol as well? Many countries recognize the symbol as a national heritage symbol.
I seriously feel that the symbol should be reclaimed to its rightful place. Otherwise we keep giving the despicable confiscators of the swastika continuing power over society in general.
Wyman Brent said:Hello Maryte,
You are right about these kind of incidents that can and do happen anywhere. As for your speaking the language and looking like a local, when the kid punched me he started yelling at me first in Lithuanian. He had no idea that I was American. He was simply a drunk young teen who felt the need to have his fist meet someone's face. Yes it does happen everywhere. No country is immune. The main thing which bothers me is the Lithuanian government's recognition of the swastika as a national heritage symbol. Which other country recognizes the nazi flag and symbol as a source of pride? That is the truly scary part for me. However, I am working closely with the Lithuanian government to open the Vilnius Jewish Library. So there are both good and bad elements as everywhere. I just wish that the legal embrace of nazi symbols was at an end.
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Maryte,
The people are going around dressed in nazi uniforms waving exact replicas of nazi flags. All the while some of them shout Jews outs and Lithuania for Lithuanians. There is no reclaiming the swastika as you say. Certainly not in the way the government has gone about recognizing it. They make no distinction between the use you mention and between a fullblown nazi flag and nazi armbands. Perhaps it should also be taken from the perspective that Jews are understandably nervous when a government does nothing to crack down on the open display of nazi regalia. Seriously, please tell me which other country in Europe that legally supports the display of the swastika, especially when that display is an exact duplicate of how the nazis used the symbol?
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Permalink Reply by Maryte Gureckas on
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I will certainly have to talk to my cousin in the Seimas to find out exactly what the ruling is. I don't think anything promoting hate is usually accepted by any democratically based country, but regardless of that, Neo-Nazi's and the Klu Klux Klan etc. still function. How widespread are the skinheads in Lietuva? This is, quite frankly, huge news to me and I did not see a large contingent (or any) while I was in Vilnius and Kaunas...nor in Klaipeda. But you live there, so you see them on a more regular basis and would know these things. I will look into the ruling accepting the swastika as a symbol of national heritage in Klaipeda and get back to you.
And I completely agree with you that the police should follow through by cracking down on skinheads. I wouldn't mind them cracking down on mafioso boys and their molls as well - but there again goes another blind eye. You would think Lietuva has had enough of the Russians.
Wyman Brent said:Maryte,
The people are going around dressed in nazi uniforms waving exact replicas of nazi flags. All the while some of them shout Jews outs and Lithuania for Lithuanians. There is no reclaiming the swastika as you say. Certainly not in the way the government has gone about recognizing it. They make no distinction between the use you mention and between a fullblown nazi flag and nazi armbands. Perhaps it should also be taken from the perspective that Jews are understandably nervous when a government does nothing to crack down on the open display of nazi regalia. Seriously, please tell me which other country in Europe that legally supports the display of the swastika, especially when that display is an exact duplicate of how the nazis used the symbol?
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Permalink Reply by Maryte Gureckas on
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Hi again. I was told that any signs/symbols promoting hate are banned in Lietuva. That is why the four students were arrested. They made their case in a municipal court in Klaipeda regarding the historical context that I wrote to you about earlier. The judge felt their argument was convincing and made a ruling allowing the symbol to represent something from cultural heritage. The sign they had posted was not in the known colours of the Nazi flag (it was a rather drab grey), nor was it tilted off-centre. However, none of this really matters because, as you pointed out, it is causing the disaffected youth and crackpots to use the Nazi symbol as they please. It’s a nightmare and headache for the Lithuanian government.
I can also see how this is upsetting to the Jewish community without a doubt. It’s hard to control something that goes “viral” so to speak. And it’s completely different from having a stylized version on linen, architecture, etc…You are there and you are among the Jewish community, so you know what is happening. The Jewish community and concerned citizens should keep on the government with letters of complaint, media, and such.
I try to see the positive in situations, or at least look at it from several perspectives. That is where I am coming from. Part of the reason for this is that I hate violence and have promoted peace all my life, and another part is that I love Lithuania and want it to prosper, grow, and evolve. I am also fortunate to have lived in a country all my life that has never known war. Yet, I am affected by the results of war. From the Holocaust to the Armenian genocide, to Russian occupation/oppression of Lithuania, the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the killing fields of Vietnam, the Rwandan massacre, 9-11, Iraq, Afghanistan, the Palestinians…war solves nothing.
I hope we can continue a dialogue about this and other matters. You are doing good work and it would be unfair for you to leave Lietuva because you feel unsafe and/or unwelcomed.
Maryte Gureckas said:I will certainly have to talk to my cousin in the Seimas to find out exactly what the ruling is. I don't think anything promoting hate is usually accepted by any democratically based country, but regardless of that, Neo-Nazi's and the Klu Klux Klan etc. still function. How widespread are the skinheads in Lietuva? This is, quite frankly, huge news to me and I did not see a large contingent (or any) while I was in Vilnius and Kaunas...nor in Klaipeda. But you live there, so you see them on a more regular basis and would know these things. I will look into the ruling accepting the swastika as a symbol of national heritage in Klaipeda and get back to you.
And I completely agree with you that the police should follow through by cracking down on skinheads. I wouldn't mind them cracking down on mafioso boys and their molls as well - but there again goes another blind eye. You would think Lietuva has had enough of the Russians.
Wyman Brent said:Maryte,
The people are going around dressed in nazi uniforms waving exact replicas of nazi flags. All the while some of them shout Jews outs and Lithuania for Lithuanians. There is no reclaiming the swastika as you say. Certainly not in the way the government has gone about recognizing it. They make no distinction between the use you mention and between a fullblown nazi flag and nazi armbands. Perhaps it should also be taken from the perspective that Jews are understandably nervous when a government does nothing to crack down on the open display of nazi regalia. Seriously, please tell me which other country in Europe that legally supports the display of the swastika, especially when that display is an exact duplicate of how the nazis used the symbol?
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Maryte,
I will not leave this beautiful country. Yes, there are problems here. However, that can be said of every country in the world, including my native USA. The Lithuanian media and the Lithuanian government have been incredibly receptive to the idea of the Vilnius Jewish Library. I want to stay here the rest of my life promoting Jewish culture to Lithuanians. Then when I travel around the world, I will promote the beauty of Lithuania in every country which I visit.
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Permalink Reply by Maryte Gureckas on
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I agree so much with you both. Wyman's work is important and necessary. Also, the new attitudes and acceptances must prevail over a knee-jerk reaction to revert to a default position of bigotry. I'm glad you brought up the issue of gay acceptance as well. Unfortunately, Lietuva is so out of step in that regard. For someone to be openly gay it would be as bad as being so in Jamaica.
Part of the problem is that many educated, curious and enthusiastic young people are leaving Lithuania to work else where. What gets left behind? Unemployed, disaffected young men and women who may look to violence, alcohol to relieve their frustrations. It's not a good situation.
I know if I were living there, I would definitely be involved in a social cause.
Wyman Brent said:Maryte,
I will not leave this beautiful country. Yes, there are problems here. However, that can be said of every country in the world, including my native USA. The Lithuanian media and the Lithuanian government have been incredibly receptive to the idea of the Vilnius Jewish Library. I want to stay here the rest of my life promoting Jewish culture to Lithuanians. Then when I travel around the world, I will promote the beauty of Lithuania in every country which I visit.
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Marina,
I was there the day the gay pride parade took place. I am neither gay nor Jewish. However, I am all for equality for all. The police were standing literally next to people who were dressed in full nazi regalia flying the nazi swastika. I mean the flag as the nazis themselves would have proudly flown. The police did absolutely nothing even when asked by various people to intervene. They were so close to the neo-nazis that if one the nuts had dropped his flag it might very well have landed on a police officer. The fact that the Lithuanian Parliament voted overwhelmingly to pass a law which criminalizes even the mention of homosexuality is deeply disturbing. However, instead of running away, I will stay here and work from within.
Marina said:Labas Wyman and Maryte! Sorry but I can't help but comment on your conversation, I was really disappointed and upset about the acceptance of Neonazis at the gay parade in Vilnius in May. I have heard from my friends there that day about how "normal" people were cheering on the skinheads throwing rocks at the participants and saw some scary photos of uniforms and boots just like the brownshirts and plenty of swastikas carried proudly. These were not just young people, these were all ages.
I've heard many countries in the area are extremely hateful toward gay people and allow the skinheads to do whatever they want. I am so proud of my Lithuanian heritage except for the bigotry, I remember grandma was pretty mean about any minority, anyone other than white Catholic folks. This is ridiculous. I had heard attitudes are changing but clearly there is a long way to go.
I've heard that the Neonazis march around holding up the national Vytis symbol next to the swastika and other stylized ancient symbols, and singing Lithuanian songs, this is how they gain acceptance by the people who probably think they need thugs to protect them from those "terrible gays". It's very twisted in that Hitler was the one who handed Lithuania over to Stalin in the first place. How can that be so quickly forgotten? This is not a peaceful display of ancient symbols such as those who practice Romuva, the current version of the native pagan religion.
I believe this behavior is due to deep-down fear and is just part of the ongoing evolution of a nation that has been hostage time and time again, but this time they get to choose which path to take; and to learn how acceptance and love is the only real way to survive. Maryte I know this is your philosophy as well.
Wyman's work is the first step in healing these deep wounds in Vilnius. Where innocent people felt compelled to betray their Jewish neighbors (and partisans fighting the Soviets) and lead them to the killing fields. Let's hope this loving intent of healing becomes the new virus and spreads through all of eastern europe.
Thanks to you both for your perspectives.
Marina
Wyman Brent said:Maryte,
I will not leave this beautiful country. Yes, there are problems here. However, that can be said of every country in the world, including my native USA. The Lithuanian media and the Lithuanian government have been incredibly receptive to the idea of the Vilnius Jewish Library. I want to stay here the rest of my life promoting Jewish culture to Lithuanians. Then when I travel around the world, I will promote the beauty of Lithuania in every country which I visit.
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