Op-eds
Havel: A Man of Conscience
December 23, 2011
It is one of the great ironies of history that President Vaclav Havel and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died on the same weekend. As a master of irony himself, Havel would have appreciated this coincidence. What Havel courageously wrote in his seminal 1978 essay "The Power of the Powerless" certainly applies to the North Korea regime today - that it is living a lie, that it falsifies the past, the present and the future, that it is perpetrating a massive fraud on its people.
There are millions of Czechs and Slovaks who have Vaclav Havel to thank for the free world in which they live. And there are millions around the world who have Havel to thank for igniting the spark of self-determination which they take for granted today. While many in the West were cynical and pessimistic about the chances for freedom behind the Iron Curtain, as Havel has written, it was the young students and artists and playwrights such as Havel himself who were unburdened by the weight of the past and present and could envision a future in which citizens could shape their own destiny.
So not only can those who believe in freedom and democracy around the world now turn to the great example set by President Havel, but so can future generations of those in the Middle East and elsewhere who seek to advance the ultimate gains that come with liberty. He proved that such freedoms are worth fighting for, worth suffering for, and critically important to implement. He also proved that anyone who is determined and courageous can reverse the harmful effects of tyranny and oppression.
As an artist and thinker, Havel remained true to his clear vision throughout his life. I was privileged to see his movie "The Departing" this past June at the Art Film Fest in Trencianske Teplice. With rich humor and irony it lampooned the frequent shallowness and hypocrisy of those in the circles of power, whether autocratic or democratic.
More than a playwright, political activist and leader, Havel was above all a man of conscience. He saw and internalized the ills of society and, as a testament to his principles, took a stand for what was right, without considering whether or not it would succeed. His selfless aspirations helped create a new beginning and new sense of purpose for all -- aspirations that will live forever in the hearts of those who also stand for good today and tomorrow. As President Obama so eloquently put it, Vaclav Havel was a friend not just to the United States, but to all who strive for freedom and dignity, and his words will echo through the ages.
President Havel, your passing saddens us all, but rest assured that your passion shall also continue to inspire us all.