I get knocked down but I get back up again, you’re never gonna keep me down Chumbawamba
I want to start with a separate aside. Today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a former stand up comic, and comedy series television host, showed that he has more political brains for breakfast than most American politicians have all day. In his staged rally, Putin’s propaganda mill said that there were about 100,000 people in the stadium, and another 100,000 outside.
In a televised and streamed address, Zelensky shoved Putin’s words right up his ass; Putin said that there were 100,000 people in the stadium, and 100,000 more outside. That’s how many troops he has in my country, killing Ukrainians. Now, look at that stadium crowd, and see 14,000 dead bodies, and 17,000 more wounded bodies. That’s what he’s left laying around in my country in 23 days. Not only is Biden running rings around Putin, Zelensky is running next to him.
OK. The carnage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is unrivaled in modern history since World War II. But worse yet is the fact that the humanitarian crisis of more than 2 million people in a month has also not been seen since WWII. And therein lies the Dr Feelgood story of all of this.
The two most popular ports of exit from Ukraine, due to their relative safety are either over the Polish Border, or the Hungarian border. And while any safe harbor is better than no safe harbor, these are not exactly ideal locations. Because both of them have center right governments that are ideologically closer aligned with Russia than Ukraine.
In the humanitarian crisis aftermath of the Russian pounding of Aleppo, Hungary moved to close its borders to Syrian refugees. And while Poland initially opened its borders to Syrian refugees, it soon closed them to stop any additional flow. Both countries have nationalistic ruling parties who preach racial purity.
Poland is at least giving this a half ass old college try. They have set up a top heavy governmental humanitarian response, but they’re doing it on the cheap. Hungary on the other hand, while letting refugees in, has no official governmental response to help them. And that’s where your faith in humanity gets restored. Bigtime.
NGO’s, Non Government Organizations with no ties to any government or country have rushed in to fill the breach. Think of world famous Chef Andre, with his global food kitchen. Not only are they in Poland and Hungary, they are in hotly contested war zones in Ukraine, serving residents hot meals.
But even better is the almost amazing conglomeration of local, home grown Polish and Hungarian citizens groups that have sprung up to answer the call. Polish and Hungarian citizens far from the border are hopping into their cars, driving hours to the frontier, and picking up Ukrainian refugees to take them home to a hot meal, a warm bed, and a safe place. Local border communities have set up entire infrastructures to take to the train stations, to process the refugees, give them a hot meal and warm clothes, basic medical supplies, and help set them up with temporary shelter. Please keep this in mind. None of these people are fucking getting paid! They are motivated by nothing more than a sincere desire to help their fellow man.
And there was reporting reporting on MSNBC today that residents of the Baltic region are lending, donating, or buying private vehicles to be driven to the Ukraine border for the Ukrainians to use to get arms and supplies to the troops at the front lines.
This is ridiculous. And it’s exactly what Putin will never realize. He isn’t just fighting Ukraine and Zelensky. And he isn’t even just fighting Ukraine and the US and NATO. Putin is now officially fighting the entire world, and they’re all standing tall to give it their best shot. Stand up and take a bow, fool!
In spite of what Putin and Traitor Tot want you to think, there are good and generous people all over the world!
There are. And, sadly, all over the world, they have to contend with those who aren’t. Kudos to the contenders
who have and use their resources to help those who have less.
The vast majority of people are not republicans.
You took the words and the sentiment right outa my mouth, Concinnity, but you said it better. I’d intended to write the “vast majority of people are not assholes” but you employed a much preferable synonym. Bravo.
I feel so sorry for these poor innocent people , they have done nothing to deserve this. I hope they charge Putin with war crimes . I think he’s the third antichrist , Look at his eyes, there’s nothing there , no emotion . He likes to kill people , in fact I think he gets off on it .