What Are We Going To Do?

We were in the midst of a struggle against COVID- a world-wide pandemic that attacked us all. Of course it hit hardest where people were not aware of what was going on. And then it became politicized, when some people thought they could exploit the issue for narrow political ends. More people died than had to. More people are dying than should have, many millions would not have, if we had gotten it right. On top of all the normal challenges in life, we have got all this turmoil, how do we fight it, how do we protect ourselves, how do we do this without destroying the livelihoods of billions?

We know that just over the horizon there are all those people who are having it much tougher than we have it, putting bread on the table, taking care of their kids, even struggling to stay alive. We’re not thinking too much about it most of the time because, let’s face it, we have our own row to hoe. We are more than fully occupied.

Then BOOM, we have this Ukrainian thing, with the Jewish president who dances with the stars. Now Putin becomes the villain we always thought he was with those tricky-Dickie mannerisms and sly smile, riding a horse bare-chested. Only now he’s riding a tank and throwing bombs and missiles at helpless civilians because he wants his neighbor’s mineral wealth to steal and exploit the way he has done in Russia.

Claiming he’s in danger from the big bad Americans who have proved to the world that they are wimps, he wants to make sure he has a bigger land barrier from his neighbors, those countries that used to be Russia’s vassals and are shivering with fright behind a thin line of U.S. soldiers.

But now this is on our televisions screens every night, and on our computers and Ipads and phones. There’s no way we can escape it, this moment they say is threatening our way of life everywhere. Join a demonstration, volunteer, send a check. The apartment that has just been blasted with a missile in Kyiv, could be yours tomorrow. Those kids lying dead on the street could be yours or your grandkids. Mount- up and join! Do something! Watch the prices rising in your grocery store. Maybe we should stock-up a little?

Hold the phone! We know Putin is nasty. We know what nasty is, having had a taste of Trump. IF we really don’t like what he is doing, how come we don’t organize a U.N peace-keeping force like we’ve done on other occasions? We have UN troops on the Lebanese border with Israel. How come that is not happening like it did when Saddam Hussain invaded Kuwait? Nobody has said a word about that? It doesn’t have to be NATO! How come this has not happened already? We can avoid the Security Council and make it happen in the General Assembly or by an agreement among the willing.

 

Have we suddenly lost our memories? We sent an international force into Cambodia, Viet Nam, etc.? Is it because America has wimped out? What’s going on? It doesn’t have to be just western nation? And all this because Russia, a country with an economy the size of Spain’s, complains they are feeling claustrophobic!?! We are just standing by and letting this happen? I can’t believe my eyes and ears.

So, back to the perplexing present. We still have to thread our way through our daily grind, preparing breakfast, or dinner for our crowd, showing up on the job, meeting our crew for walks, exercising, and/or a schmooze. What are we going to do about all this? Still wearing a mask just in case, phoning the kids, who died, who is sick, who is coming to visit, where are we going this weekend.

Have we been moved to take some definitive action about what is swirling about our heads, or are we just trying to shut it all off as a distraction from the stuff we are just determined to get done, come what may? Goddamnit! Why do I feel so guilty about wanting to shut all that off like a bad program on TV? Maybe I’ll send a note to my MP about what I think somebody else should do! Let’s go down to the pub or Starbucks and complain about things together!

Now that we have figured it all out isn’t that doing something constructive and public spirited?

Hate to be acting cavalier but it’s clear to me that the powers that be have been doing a whole lot of nothing compare to the kind of actions that took place when Russia was in Afghanistan. The big problem is that America has wimped out in a way we would never have believed America could.. Either we find a way to find other leaders or it will be Munich all over again when America came in three years late.

Who is going to play guts football against this killer?