Currently in Ukraine, AK-47s are distributed like candies.
Babushka and children, moms and dads, students and soldiers have taken weapons to fight the overwhelming odds. Kyiv is still standing. Their leader is not gone.
They are more weathered than this latest invasion. Seven million Ukrainians died in World War II, and four million died during the famine-leading reform of Joseph Stalin.
The vision of citizens fighting on the streets for their country touches on American myths that we are familiar with through Westerns and stories of the Revolutionary War.
We have weapons to prove their courage, their stubbornness in the fire, the original intent of our own second amendment, the original intent of “needing militias”. Marvel at their beliefs …
We regret the safety of the blue-lit living room between us and our “genius” Vladimir Putin and his stormtrooper.
Those invincible Russians have not yet cattleed Ukrainians who have slowed down troops at least eight times their size and promised a severe rebellion before in the defense of democracy. The cost is quite high.
On our side, well, we will pay more for gas.
Bang Bang
Americans looking at widespread gun ownership verification may check statistics. To date, Ukraine has been ranked 88th in the world with a sufficient number of civilian firearms for every 10 civilians.
The United States is a major outlier in ownership of privately owned guns, with 5% of the world’s population owning 40% of weapons. We have more guns than people and 1.2 of these weapons is enough for all men, women and children.
Second place is far behind, with 6.2 guns everywhere per 10 citizens of the Falkland Islands. Then at 5.2 Yemen and down from there. Switzerland checked in on the 19th and checked in to progressive idyllic New Zealand at 2.8, with 2.6 out of 10 citizens in possession of firearms. Taiwan concludes this list at 230th place, with statistically zero weapons per capita. This is due to a small arms survey that is part of the Graduate Institute for International Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.
Still, the number of people shot dead each year is about 45,000, second only to Brazil. When it comes to per capita shooting, Latin American countries easily squeeze us out of the top ten. We are second per capita in Greenland with deadly shootings.
But, as any savvy member of the NRA says, guns don’t kill. So the question is hanging: Will Americans get angry with what the extraordinary Ukrainian citizens have taken on?
to lie
This is far from the first fake news war. Propaganda, aimed at rocking enemies, has undoubtedly been with humanity since we learned to speak. In World War, planes from all sides bombed the countryside and cities with leaflets as well as bombs. Through social media, it is now much more powerful and timely.
But Russia’s boasting disinformation has now derailed with its convoy with a sufficient amount of truth. US and NATO intelligence have called for Putin’s move before Putin takes action.
The outside world probably cannot see the lie so clearly or quickly, and certainly the Ukrainians are up close and personally aware of this war.
Russians at home tell a completely different story between national and state media that shuts down feeds according to national scripts. Sad stories about Russian families who do not believe in them about what is happening are coming out of Ukraine. Of course, Russian soldiers will never throw shells at the civilians who are the targets of the Nazi genocide under the thumbs of their president (which happens to be Jewish).
And do you think we are suffering from big lie?
shake?
How will our politics change through Ukraine? This was a bit delicate for Republicans and conservative experts, even the most recent Putin apologist.
Pivot is completely flapping, as the current president’s ridicule draws a picture that the threat of Russia’s aggression is too great to do enough to prevent it from happening. I am. Chicken Taka is now scrubbing and crouching towards the forefront of the most difficult lines.
That RINO Mitt Romney looks like Savant in his assessment of the world’s number one military threat in 2012, and for the former president who is still obsessed with Putin even if the assault begins. The flapping wings are for a moment.
It’s hard to imagine, but Ukraine can bring the parliamentary midterm elections back to the Democratic way. This is similar to butterfly wings in some parts of the world and hurricanes in other parts of the world.
theme
All of these observations are wrapped up in one final image, at least for me, triggered by a former president who retweeted disinformation about Russia’s disinformation that Zelensky had fled Kyiv and Ukraine and perhaps a former aide to the future president. It is rare.
“I need ammunition, not vehicles,” the Ukrainian president argued against an offer to help escape.
That’s what I’m thinking while I’m filling the tank.
Don Rogers is the publisher of the Grass Valley-based Sierra Sun and The Union.He can be contacted at druggers@sierrasun.com or 530-477-4299
