A Bookseller’s stall in Kutaisi, Georgia

Now the ‘Luring of Children’ is a provocative title for an article in a non-political periodical like The Ironist. It comes from a picture, (above), that I took in Georgia (the country), recently, at a bookseller’s stall in the ancient city of Kutaisi. Now Kutaisi is city with a rich past, famed as the land of Jason and the Argonauts, of isolated mountain monasteries, of rivers cutting through narrow valleys, of bountiful agricultural lands – and, of course, possessing the best caviar in the world. My eggs, and my forbears’ eggs, have graced Emperors’, Tsars’, Commercial Titans’, as well as common peoples’ tables since ancient times. Ossetian caviar knows no equal. Georgia has suffered from countless invasions – clearly to some, it is a paradise worth owning. Some wits have even suggested that God, realizing how pleasant Georgia was, levelled the field by giving Georgia jealous neighbours. But Georgia is also the home of the world’s worst murderer – Josef Stalin. So, my country Georgia knows evil; it is no unspoilt Eden.   

Let us now turn to the picture above, with its copy of Mein Kampf prominently displayed amongst children’s colouring books and primers. As mentioned above, Kutaisi is the ancient city of Colchis, home of Medea the sorceress. Now Medea aids Jason in his search, weds him, and bears his children, only to have him later choose a younger, more ‘eligible’ wife. She gets her revenge by killing her own children, and Jason’s young bride, so he has no heirs. It is said that Medea then moved to Anatolia, giving her name to Aryans, who became the Medes. So is there a parallel to Mein Kampf amongst the innocents’ colouring books? Let’s see. 

Now the shop that sells anglers’ lures is really selling to fishermen, not to the fish. I should know, having seen many a lure in the water. Most are very unappealing. But the shop’s lures must attract the anglers to buy them, before they can attract fish. I asked the book seller about Mein Kampf, and he replied, yes, he agreed the book is a pathetic, vain, prolix, and an exhausting tirade against Jews and Bolsheviks. But like the angler’s lure, putting the book there is a symbol to lure, with either desire, or to provoke with rage, a potential purchaser of a children’s book to come to the bookseller’s stall. Of course, the book drew me to him for the conversation. Children, of course, are not interested in reading such a book – and, of course, they are not buying their own colouring books. So, the provocative book is an effective lure.

Now in the ancient story, Medea is the perfect lure and maiden-helper to Jason; saving Jason’s life with her magic, and even killing her own brother to help them flee together to Corinth so that they may marry. Ten years later, though, Jason wants a new, young bride. Such stories can play a role in our understanding of Men – and human nature in general – of current events, and of ‘the way of all flesh.’ 

Amongst many invaders of Georgia are the Russians of Catherine the Great, and the recent Americans and Europeans, wishing to foment war with Russian in the guise of NATO. In Russia’s case, the lure of Ottoman lands, combined with the riches of the Caspian Sea, were too much to resist. Georgia had initially begged Russia to come to their aid against the Turks. After Russia came, Georgia grew to hate their occupiers. In the first paragraph above, we noted the resultant gift of Georgia to Russia – Josef Stalin. What a gift. What irony.

So today, with American money stirring politics and warmongering in Georgia, it is worth considering that there will be a price paid to be paid. Not only will Georgians die in any proxy war, but there will be a price for America and her allies that reflects Medea’s revenge. Remember history always repeats itself. We just don’t know what price America and her allies will have to pay, or when payment will have to be made. 

There is already a large NATO office on Liberty Square in Tbilisi complete with flags and videos. It is not about peace and brotherly love. Why? Please think what would happen if there were a “Welcome Office” set up and staffed by the Chinese military, waving flags and showing videos of ‘peaceful’ bombers, tanks and soldiers on Pennsylvania Ave in Washington. Such an office would not lead to a happy ending. Let’s not be children; let’s think about why anyone offers us anything at all and ask yourself what their motive is. There’s always a reason: greed, power, control. 

Zarinaya Hagana