2024-07-15 09:51:18
These words of R. Doveikas sparked a sharp conflict between the publicist Arūnas Valinskas and the representative of the Family Movement Algimantas Rusteikas, who had an argument on the “Žiniai radio” show.
A dangerous narrative?
During St. During the Mass sermon at the Paberžė music festival, priest R. Doveika stated that 80 percent Lithuanians are afraid to express their opinion. The priest failed to substantiate these claims with sources.
These statements of the priest were quoted by the supporters of the “Great March for the Protection of Families”, they were shared by Žilvinas Tratas, Mindaugas Puidoks’ partner in politics, and various groups that declare that Lithuania is not a democratic state.
Although a 2019 study by the discussion club “Būtent!” shows that only about 3 percent the people of the country are really afraid to express their opinion, some experts say that a new investigation is needed, because during these five years there have been huge changes, both the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as never before there are many value discussions, which often end in shouting at each other.
During the show, publicist A. Valinskas evaluated R. Doveika’s statement with words from the Bible.
“When talking about the priest, perhaps we should say Mr. Doveikas, because he spoke as a citizen, so I, as a citizen, can say to a citizen, Lord, forgive him, because he does not know what he is talking about,” said A. Valinskas.
According to him, in this case, first of all, two things should be distinguished: state impact, when a person may be persecuted for his words, his opinion, lose his job.
And when a person’s relatives, friends, colleagues simply do not understand the opinion he expresses, because they simply have a different opinion.
“The priest said this thing where there are no limits to these options, and when everything is shaken into one cocktail, there is some truth and certain things that are quite condensed. And because of this, it seems that eight out of ten people in Lithuania are persecuted for their opinion.
This is how a narrative appears, which is very well repeated by the same Moscow and the same Kremlin through the lips of the priest – that here people are closed, they do not have their own opinion, they cannot express it, even if they have one.
And then there is something that the fifth column often talks about – that people are so dumb, they can’t express their true opinion, and that’s why the current Lithuanian government is illegitimate. And that this is not the real, real government, but, as some colleagues call it, it is a “temporarily administering Lithuania”.
In this place, from the priest’s speech to such statements, there is one step and there is practically no limit.
I know, understand and know the priest himself very well, we have personally communicated – I think his tongue has become his enemy, and he said maybe not exactly what he wanted to say. And I strongly believe that he did not say what he feels and thinks about Lithuania and the inhabitants of our country,” said A. Valinskas.
Sees opinion blocking
For his part, the representative of the Family Movement, A. Rusteikas, said during the show that he himself boldly expresses his opinion, but it does not belong to the informational field of the big portals and other mass media.
“Because such opinions are simply not expressed publicly. They are blocked, not missed, there are a thousand and one reasons why they shouldn’t be there. It is a culture of refusal based on a psychological moment.
Man is a conformist by nature. Let’s say there was a concert, you didn’t like it. Everyone stands and applauds – will you sit down? Out of a thousand, all 999 will stand up – they conform to the majority.
Now the information field has created a fairy tale of “false reality”, where the opinion of the minority is presented as the opinion of the majority, while the opinion of the majority of citizens is ignored or mocked.
And then a person adapts, feels lonely and is afraid to express that opinion, not because someone forbids it or punishes it, but because the internal censor turns on, and he is afraid of being misunderstood by colleagues and neighbors. This is the most terrible thing when a person puts bars on himself”, A. Rusteika taught.
According to him, the statement of A. Valinskas proves that opinions are blocked.
“The interviewer himself expressed exactly this attitude, when a priest whose opinion he disagrees with is immediately hurled with labels, contemptuous epithets: “He is pro-Russian here, he is a vatnik”. He is neither pro-Russian nor a vatnik, he is a normal person who spoke his opinion and was not afraid to say it. And now the interlocutor is trying to imply that his opinion is bad”, said A. Rusteika.
Quoted by Voltaire
Such words of A.Rusteika outraged A.Valinskas.
“Your other interlocutor is already accusing me of words he has not heard from me. He tells tales that I called the priest a wimp.
We can rewind the show. Mr. A. Rusteika is a liar, he brazenly lies that I said that. I didn’t even mention it. He tells his opinion, that I concluded the priest Vatnik, that I hate his opinion, and so on.
It is their movement and everything else that is very clearly revealed now in this show. I responded very constructively and very positively about Mr. Doveikas, that I do not agree with his opinion,” the public figure noted.
A. Valinskas quoted Voltaire’s words: “I do not agree with your opinion, but I will do everything so that you can express it.”
“And I support the right to do that thing, but when Mr. A. Rusteika joins in now and starts explaining that I called the priest a scumbag – he is a disgusting liar.” And I say that straight. Was the word vatnik from me? It wasn’t,” the public figure emphasized.
At that time, A. Rusteika retorted that A. Valinskas once again “shows his level” with such statements.
2024-07-15 09:51:18