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Greg Cook's avatar

Dr. Kmita, Thank you for presenting Arendt's ideas with clarity. I have tried to present some of her writing in my own Substack, but without the intellectual precision and breadth of knowledge. Sadly, she has been appropriated in the U.S. by the left, but she was too honest a thinker to be truly of the left. I was especially excited to learn her dissertation is on Love and St. Augustine, and she attended Msgr. Guardini's lectures. https://garlendchannaharendtwasright.substack.com/ (PS: I recognize the name "Kmita" from Sienkiewicz's powerful Polish epic.)

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Robert Lazu Kmita's avatar

Dear Mr. Greg Cook,

Indeed, Hannah Arendt deserves to be read with great attention. Some of the sources of her thinking were certainly Christian (Catholic). In any case, her ideas were undoubtedly much deeper and broader than what the left can offer (and understand). I am planning a reading and discussion on her dissertation about Saint Augustine. The only problem is—as always, isn’t it?—time.

Thank you for your comment!

P.S. - I am very glad that you have noticed the identity of my Polish ancestors name and Henryk Sienkiewicz's hero.

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Andrea M's avatar

Since you mentioned your name... Is "Lazu" a second name? Being a simple, ignorant American, I'm not very informed on foreign names...

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Robert Lazu Kmita's avatar

Lazu is my family name from my father-grandfather line (probably of Ukrainian-Russian origins - its initial form was with an accent on "u" - Lazú). Kmita is my second family name from my father-grandmother line. Its origins are - at least - 99% Polish. Robert is my Baptism name. By using both family names I honor both lines of my ancestors - on my father's line: a mixture of Polish, Ukrainians, and Russian. As I like to say, I am a half Polish, a half Ukrainian, a half Russian, and a half Romanian. :)

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Andrea M's avatar

That's a very interesting mix of ancestry! Thank you for explaining it to me! My father is Mexican. In Mexico, people list their paternal surname as well as their maternal one, but in America the only last name that seems to matter is your father's. Every time I saw you listed two last names, I wondered if the practice in your side of the world was similar to what they do in Mexico. :)

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Robert Lazu Kmita's avatar

Indeed, here is also usually taken into consideration only the father's family name. That is why I add as a pen name the name of my Polish ancestors - Kmita.

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Andrea M's avatar

What a beautiful tribute!

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Mark J. Kelly's avatar

Thank you for this engaging post. Greg has already stated my sentiments in his thoughtful reply. I need to read more Hannah A. She sounds almost ... Reactionary.

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Betsy's avatar

What a wonderful essay.

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Robert Lazu Kmita's avatar

Thank you!

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VIcho's avatar

The fear of hell saved me from making an irreversible tragic mistake. St. John says that darkness cannot comprehend the light. The fear of Hell maybe can break through went we can't comprehend God.

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VIcho's avatar

I watched an interview Ozzy Osborne and Geezer Butler his band mate. The interviewer was saying with glee how they advanced the "death of God". Ozzy was like - no they were pushing back against authority. And if it's OK for authorities to order killing strangers by war, why can't a bloke just kill someone. "They are both dead in the end." The interviewer was less gleeful at that implication of the "Death of God" and changed the subject. "Too heavy"

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