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MARTHA BOHACHEVSKY-CHOMIAK DR. L Y N N E C H E N E Y , C H A IR M A N O F T H E N A T IO N A L E N D O W M E N T FO R T H E H U M A N ITIE S , M E E TS R A IS A M O R O Z O V IN W A S H IN G T O N The invitation extended by Secretary of Defense, Richard Cheney, and Mrs. Cheney to Konstantyn Moro zov and Mrs. Morozov marked a historic occasion for both countries. The fact that Morozov was accompanied by his wife was an even stronger proof of the novelty of the situation. The presence of Raissa Morozov, a history teacher and the mother of an adult daughter (who is a fashion designer), in her husband’s delegation gave the Americans a rare chance to see the society of military families of Eastern Europe. It was the first time that a minister of an independ ent Ukraine formally visited the USA. The Ukrainian commander in chief made a friendly visit to the United States and offered to cooperate with us to help demilit arize the vast arsenal of the Ukrainian part of the former Soviet Union. But the Pentagon had to prepare a pro gram not only for General Morozov and his entourage. The Defense Department also had to care for Mrs. Morozov. The Cheneys are Washington’s “power couple.” They also personify the best America stands for, and that includes relations between the sexes. Richard and Lynne had known each other from high-school; and have been married for a quarter of a century. Vibrant, dynamic, and articulate, they have pursued complemen tary but separate careers, neither dependent on the other, both supportive of each other. While Richard worked in the White House as President Ford’s Chief of Staff and later served in Congress as the representative of Wyoming and eventually Minority Whip, Lynne, holds a Ph.D. in English Literature. She taught, wrote books, and worked on the Washington Magazine, before she became the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This is the post she holds currently for the second consecutive term. The Cheneys have two daughters. They are very much a family, but a family of individuals. Without fanfare, the Secretary helps with shopping, he is also a good cook. The Chairman con siders that a normal characteristic of intelligent couples and does not care to discuss how household tasks are shared. Why should she? After all, our country is built on cooperation and progress, and we value our privacy. Ukraine, as all Eastern Europe, is slow to assimilate peaceful social changes, even as the political situation undergoes cataclysmic changes. Morozov emerged in the public limelight only recently, the result of what must be one of the most dramatic peaceful revolutions of the century. The changes have not yet reached the position of women which remains difficult and still tambiguous — equal in theory, second class in practice. Women have not yet found their own autonomous voice in Ukraine. The visit of the Morozovs, however, offered one more illustration that Ukraine is on the verge of recovery of itself, of its own existence. The meeting of Lynne Cheney and Raissa Morozov was illustrative of the role of women in both societies. It was difficult to find out more than the bare outlines about Raissa Morozov. What hurt most was that all my inquiries elicited the same off-hand shrug and a dismis sal — why should the wife of a soldier have any inter ests of her own? The system did not foster individual interests, and women are not expected to have any. Raissa Morozov is primarily the wife of her husband, the mother of a grown daughter, and a teacher by training. She is not a person of interest in Ukraine. Dr. Cheney hosted Mrs. Morozov at an afternoon tea prepared by the Defense Department. The tea was held in the recep tion room shared by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts. By ethnic origin Raissa Morozov is Russian, by national ity and citizenship she is Ukrainian, and thinks as one. Speaking in Russian through an official interpreter, Mrs. Morozov described the emotions she felt in the morning ceremony of the review of troops at the Pentagon. Tears of pride poured down her cheeks as she told what she felt when, in her words “our flag was raised and our anthem was sung.” She explained that the blue and yel low flag and the “Shche ne vmerla” are new and extremely emotional symbols for Ukrainians. Mrs. Che ney, not given to visible expressions of emotion, had tears in her eyes as she listened to the account of the nineteen gun salute ceremony. Both women experienced he same emotions of pride in their nation; pride and hope that the new democratic system in Ukraine will become as rooted and as strong as it has in the United States. The conversation became an interesting interspers ing of public and private. Elizabeth Cheney, a daughter of the Secretary and of the Chairman, had accompanied the first US relief plane to Kharkiv a few months earlier. Mrs. Morozov, in commenting on the situation in Ukraine, stressed the cooperation of all citizens of Ukraine in rebuilding their society. Her Russian origin made the description of inter-ethnic cooperation all the more believable. The role of Shevchenko in Ukraine as well as the reasons for erecting a statue to the poet in Washing ton elicited a lively discussion on the relationship of literature, knowledge and truth. 2 0 ’’НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЛИПЕНЬ-СЕРПЕНЬ 1992 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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