One day you’re shopping in a marketplace where various venders sell a wide range of goods. One week later, you’re sleeping on a cot in the same venue while fleeing from missiles that have destroyed your home and neighborhood.
You recall stories from elderly family members of the same trauma during Hitler’s invasions, and again under Stalin when the sovereignty of your beloved country was absorbed by a greedy neighbor.
Your future is uncertain and you have lost everything you have worked for. Your husband, brother, father, son, and uncle are fighting a force that has more military might, money and soldiers, David vs. Goliath.
Nuclear power plants are being bombed and a possible leak is feared that could impact the health of everyone in the area.
The world is shocked at the brazen war crimes that Putin is inflicting upon the Ukrainian people with his unprovoked attacks.
We are just emerging from a pandemic that has limited our lives for two years and now we are impacted by the moves of a sociopathic despot who has no regard for others. We are aware of his murdering and jailing opponents who seek a different approach to Russia’s governmental policies. We know that he was a member of the infamous KGB in East Germany during the Cold War. We know that he can’t be trusted and has operated with impunity for decades.
We also know that he has a vast nuclear arsenal at his fingertips and has threatened to use it.
How does the world make it clear that Putin’s actions won’t be tolerated while at the same time avoid poking the bear, which could lead to World War III?
The United States has drawn a line in the sand by boycotting Russian crude oil which constitutes 3% of our oil consumption. The purpose of this move is to cripple the Russian economy so that the Russian people will rise up and demand that Putin stop his attacks upon the Ukrainians.
Putin is blocking access to information so that his people are unaware of what is going on in their neighboring country. However, if their economy becomes unsustainable they will blame their government and Putin. This will make Putin’s power diminish at home and around the world. Putin is obsessed with his need for money and power.
We are lucky enough to be far from the fighting, but we are not immune to the fight. The actions of one man, far away, has global economic consequences and our boycotting Russian oil will drive the price of an already expensive gallon of gas to never before seen heights. This is consequential to our lives because we are very dependent upon petroleum products like gas and plastic goods yet, as humans who support the Ukrainian fight, must we sacrifice, too?
Of course, because we are empathetic Americans who must take a stand. Sure, we will be greatly inconvenienced and will have to make lifestyle changes to try to limit the damage to our wallets. Yet we aren’t dodging missiles, looking at craters where our neighborhoods once flourished, fleeing our beloved country, losing our jobs and fearing for the safety of our men and women who are facing an enemy with more resources.
In a recent poll, Americans favored a Russian oil boycott by about 80%. I’m proud of this American response and support this effort to rein in Putin.
Now, can we sustain this without blaming, criticizing and complaining about our government’s tactics to stop Russian aggression?
I think so, if we look back at our history of pulling together in times of crisis in past global conflicts like WWII we see many sacrifices by people in every level of society at home and abroad.
Let’s just try not to criticize, blame and complain while we’re engaged in the effort.
Donna Gadbaw Mitchell
Brighton
