Thoughts About Ukraine Now: A Beginning

 

The Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to Sultan Mehmed IV 

by Ilya Repin

 

 I have waited perhaps too long to write about the current Russo-Ukrainian War.  This has been for several reasons, not the least of which have been personal.  In the meantime, there have been comments by ever so many persons -- Noam Chomsky, the President of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and his foreign affairs minister, and of course the President of the United States.  

Yet none of these has seemed to have the whole truth in mind.  Chomsxky comes close in some ways, fails in others.  I am left somewhat with the feeling had about World War I, that there was no clear "good guy."  

But it is not easy to let the matter rest there.  For circumstances call out for understanding. However, underdstanding cannot come without knowledge, without background.  

So, I set about to do some research.  First I kept up with the astonisheing developments on the ground  and in the air. Then I began to seek out reasoned voices, the sounds of which were difficult to discern. Finally, I went to my encyclopedia to look up the article on (The) Ukraine.  All of these have been helpful.  None, however, did much to allay my concerns about the propagandistic tenor of the American news media.  For it is not the passions of the moment which interest me, but rather the deep-seated causes.

A theory I learned in graduate school has returned to me:  Just War Theory.  This theory propounds the belief that there is such a thing as a just war, but that certain specific criteria must be met.  (I will review this material and write more about it later.)  

It happens that I am not a strict pacifist.  If America were attacked today, I would feel compelled to support my country.  At the same time, I am inspired by the warnings of Our Founding Fathers to avoid any foreign entanglements.  In the post-war world this has been unlikely to the point of being unworkable.  And yet I see it as important to preserve something of the spirit of their wise admonition.  Is there a way we can be horrifed by the human tragedy in Ukraine, and minister to the needs of the people there as best we can without resorrting to hurtful histrionics?  

Let this be a beginning of deeper thought about the tortured and tragic land of Ukraine. 

Keeping Musical Lines Clear

Here we have a musical dilemma addressed in a gracious way by the ever-gracious Dolly Parton.  I agree with Ms. Parton that she is not a rock and roll star.  However, if there is a Popular Music Hall of Fame, Dolly Parton would be on my nominees short list.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dolly-parton-turns-down-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-i-havent-earned-that-right_n_622f58e6e4b02961583eab53

Investigating the Russo-Ukrainian War

 Regular readers here will have noticed I have not posted any comments or information about the continuing war in Ukraine. This is because it is a complicated situation and I have wanted to understand more about the matter before writing anything here. While my ivestigation is not complete, I will start by humbly asking readers to remember what your father and mother may have taught you as a child:  There are two sides to every story.

I cannot emphasize this advice enough.  Soon, I will have more to say -- and I hope much more --  about this most unfortunate situation.  

Post Script:  The media are certainly complicit in providing inadequate and misleading coverage of this war, to say the least. 

The Mid-terms: Red Alert for Democracy

 via Democratic Campaign Watch --

 

 Mid-Terms: Red Alert

 

Note:  TMP thanks his readers for supporting this blog through these trying times.  

New Name for the “‘Freedom’ Convoy:”

  a much more appropriate name —

“My Way or the Highway!”

Evil in the Mix

 It is not popular in these times to label any thing as evil, let alone any person.  At least not in polite society.  And yet, there is no way to describe some things as anything other than "evil."  

One does hesitate to apply such a harsh moniker to a human being.  Let us just say for now that some people seem to be predominantly evil.  

However that may be, it seems safe to say evil abounds today.  And yet, most do not see it that way.  Most prefer not to think too deeply about what may be evil, though they are willing to admit (usually) that there is right and wrong. .  

But who, after all, gets to decide what is wrong -- or evil -- for others?  One might say a judge does this, or a governor, or a President.  So it is. 

Ultimately we all -- each of us -- must be able to discern through education, training, experience, and sound judgment what represents the good, and what represents the evil.  

This, of course, is a huge matter, and why most people would rather not delve too deeply into the subject.  What, however, do we miss by this evasion? Especially, what happens to a society which cannot readily discern that which is evil?  Is it possible evil is in the mix --  in daily life, politics, even churches at times? Is evil always present, lurking and waiting, perhaps in a shadow, or a hidden snowbank? 

 

Originally published on Language Crosspoint  

President Biden Stands Before the American People

 Quick Link —

President Biden stands up for the American people:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?517282-1/president-biden-holds-news-conference

Comments by TMP coming later

Thinking the Unthinkable About Our Beloved Nation

 What the authors are speaking of is the possibility of the break-up of the United States as we know it.  Sadly, this can be called a supportable conjecture.  

In any event, this is an extremely important article and one which deserves the most serious consideration.

(Article may be behind a paywall.)

 Rapid Resource --

 Time to Think the Unthinkable?

 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/opinion/january-6-civil-war.html

 

 (via Patriot in Exigency)

 

Authority Warns of Insurrection on the Local Front

Rush Link —  

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/next-insurrection-warning-jan-6_n_61d7f6f7e4b04b42ab7e1736

A New Role for Our Civic Organizations

 Republished from Democratic Campaign Watch --

 

Knowledgeable news makers are now advising us to use our civic organizations to preserve democracy against the rising fascist threat.  This threat, as we understand it, is arising from aggrieved persons who are being stoked by various prominent individuals into a high state of anger and agitation. As such, this stoking is the most dangerous thing I have seen in my lifetime.  

It seems, though, that there is hope.  For instance recent polling indicates the American public now favors Democrats over Republicans in Congressional races this fall.*  This is a big change from polling on the subject last fall.   

But in order to avoid a similar situation as in Weimar Germany, we must do much, much more to stem the rising tide of mindless anarchy which so saliently threatens our way of life.  This we can do.  But more importantly in the short term, the media must stop framing the crisis as politics-as-usual.  That is not reality.  The real story is that one Party has been taken over by radicals.  Increasingly, it is also becoming clear that these radicals are supported by a well-funded and organized effort aimed at subverting the will of a people who are no longer willing to accept rule-by-the-rich in America.  

 

The Amazing Infrastructure Law

 Quick Link -- 

The Infrastructure Law recently passed by Congress would not seem so amazing had it not taken years and years to get passed.  This is to the credit of President Biden and the Democratic leadership in Congress.  There is much to peruse here.  All of it is hopeful, even inspiring. 

 

The Infrastructure Law-- Summarized by Category

Post-Christmas: A Resumption

 Dear Reader:

With Christmas past, it seems a good time to resume posting here. I will attempt to post about twice a week, at least during this after-Christmas season.  

Politics has become a contest of democratic v. anti-Democratic forces.  Unfortunately, the Democratic Party doesn't seem able to frame the fight in these terms.  Thus, we need everyone --including you, my reader -- to help in the fight for democracy, itself.  Our task is no less. 

Retired U.S. Generals Say Military Must Prepare Now for Possible Coup Attempt in 2024

 Quickly --

Three retired United States generals have warned in not-to-be-mistaken strong terms, that the threat of a coup attempt in 2024 is real.  We ignore these generals at our peril.  A must-read Washington Post  column.  See link below.

Three Generals Warn of Coup Attempt in 2024

Saturday Poetry

Here we have a poem chosen not for its great art -- though it is more than acceptable -- but for its historical meaning.  For here is a poem by a plumbing contractor named Reuben Anderson who gave it to Glen Edgerton, the supervisor of the White House restoration during the Truman Administration.  Harry Truman liked it so much he read it aloud:

 

Every man's a would-be sportsman, in the dreams of his intent,

A potential ou-of-doors man when his thoughts are pleasure-bent.

But he mostly puts the idea off, for the things that must be done,

And doesn't get his outing till his outing days are gone.

So in hurry, scurry, worry, work, his living days are spent,

And he does his final camping in a low green tent.   

 

-- As quoted by David McCullough in Truman, p. 859.

Time Becomes Chimerical

 The poets have said time is like a shadow, or a swiftly flowing stream.  In my case, time seems chimerical, almost disingenuous.  Thus, as the nation has struggled with new variants of COVID-19, new fears in the stock market, and new anxiieties in the workplace, I have found myself caught up in the whirlwind which seems to engulf the country these days.

So, I regret the delay in posting here.  In lieu of a specific topic tonight, I refer you back to the post here on the Robert Kagan article entitled "Our Constitutional Crisis Is Already Here," from several weeks ago.  I will have even more to say about this matter soon.

 

 

Best wishes of the season,

 

The Musical Patriot