At last, understanding

Not to say that this weekend's proclamation of the Albanian state of "Kosova" is by any means a good thing (I'm refraining from posting much about it yet, saving it for an Antiwar.com exclusive this Thursday), but if one were to look for silver lining, it would be the rising awareness among the Serbs that they've been played for idiots these past years, deluded by the tales of "democracy", "integrations", and "friendship" with the Empire.

Oh, there are some who've cheered "Kosova" (atrocity pornstar Natasa Kandic, for one, as well as B92 drones), and many others who still think Serbs should bow down to the "inevitable" and serve the Empire instead of resisting. There's no saving the former, but the latter may still be redeemed.

Because, you see, this isn't the first time something like this has happened. Serbs have faced similar tribulations in the past. Some passed the test. Others, not so much. I think Djordje Vukadinovic of NSPM said it best, on Monday in Politika:

It is said we are all descended from those who deserted from Kosovo.... That's not really true. Actually, we all descend from people who, in previous "unofficial referenda", made the choice of "isolation" - in the mountains, hidden valleys and exile - instead of the integrations then on offer (of the "Eurasian" variety) that also seemingly "had no alternative." Many chose otherwise, embraced the "kingdom of earth", "realism" and integrations. We should not begrudge them. But when I look at them, scattered from Cazin to Anadolia, it doesn't seem they've done particularly well, or gone very far.

All I want to say is that there are always choices, and that they are often difficult. And that we can never be entirely sure where the road may take us. And that what may have seemed "pragmatic" or "realistic" in 1389, 1804, 1914 or 2008 has not been, and doesn't have to be, the best choice.