Jiří Gruntorád is 71 years old, John Bok is 78 years old, Pavel Kohout is 95 years old and JUDr.Milan Hulík is 77 years old. This is how Pavel Kohout supported Jiří Gruntorád in writing and then in a telephone conversation. Both hunger strikers were also supported by Milan Hulík, whom I visited, on an audio recording. After the coup in November 1989, he interrupted his work in the legal profession and became director of the Inspection Department in the newly established Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Democracy, later renamed the Security and Information Service (BIS). Jiří Gruntorád takes the sign with him so that he can keep it in sight and use it again if necessary...
Jiří Gruntorád ended his hunger strike only after the government resolution by which the government subscribed to the traditions of Charter 77 was revoked, without addressing or consenting to its representatives! By its conduct and actions, it has not been worthy of them so far. Once again it has been shown what different worlds politicians and citizens live in. If politicians communicate with citizens only during elections and through the media, they will necessarily lose contact with citizens, including common sense. Prime Minister Fiala and Minister Jurečka were completely out of touch with reality in their personal conversations. The only one who was able to negotiate factually was Interior Minister Rakušan (in the photo Jiří Gruntorád just before leaving for a meeting with Rakušan). He promised to do what he could and to find a solution soon. He fulfilled his promise. Both public broadcaster ČT and Seznam.cz were silent this morning about the end of the hunger strike, at least not on the front pages...
Always, one act of an individual is more than hundreds of articles - they only diminish and dilute the value of the act. Only those who are capable of such acts themselves will understand this. Jiří Gruntorád acted fully in the spirit of Article 23 of the Constitution of the Czech Republic, when the democratic establishment of the country is threatened and a person has the right to resist, or the duty to resist, if democratic values are valuable to him.
***
To add - The human smallness of politicians - Gruntorád's wake-up call - Our Czech totalitarianism
***
Let us hope that Gruntorád's hunger strike will make the necessary impact on society, as Jan Palach's did, before it is too late. The government is only working with the formal wording of laws that can never solve the essence of the problems. If it is unable to do so, it will end up like the previous ones. All we can do is to state the problems and (not) solve them. We are still unable to prevent them in time!
There is a lack of mutual empathy and understanding on both sides. The balance between society and government is disturbed, and logical consequences will inevitably follow if the necessary change is not made. Otherwise, society will be doomed to repeat the same mistakes and with deserved consequences. Let us take Tomas Bata as an example.
JŠ
***
"People are afraid of the unknown. It is true that every abandonment of the old means uncertainty - a leap into the dark. But he who wants to help himself and others must leave the good in order to win the better. He must not hold fast to the sparrow just because it is better than the pigeon on the roof. Without the courage to change there is no improvement, and so there is no prosperity!"
Tomas Bata Sr.
***
Read more...