I am so angry. I am watching the news and they are still finding bodies after the Russians have been gone for weeks. These are atrocities. I hate the Russians. They are barbarians!
The soldiers on the front are losing the great morale that they once had. They are constantly being shelled. It goes on and on and they just want it to stop! One soldier said he can’t fight that kind of weapon with his rifle. They are running out of ammunition. There are not enough guns to train new volunteers and they will have to be trained at the front. They are experiencing heavy losses. 60 to 100 soldiers are being killed every day!
Where are the arms we are supposed to be sending them? We should have cargo planes flying over there every week. They should have been given long range missiles long before now!
We should have provided them with fighter jets in the beginning so that they could protect their air space.
President Biden said we will put boots on the ground if China attacks Taiwan. Why not in Ukraine?
They Atlantic Monthly had an article about how we can react to mass shootings. They suggested that parents nationwide keep their children elementary school, middle school, and high school home from school for a period of time. In effect parents will boycott until assault weapons are eliminated from civilian life.
I think that the EU is doing very well in working to cut down on payments to Russia for oil. The news media have said that Putin is waiting for a crack in the EU’s resolve. The EU member countries are being asked to do far more than we seem to be able to do. We are not cutting down on fossil fuels. We are providing more arms and funds, but they are taking in the refugees and supporting them.
I hope that people don’t lose interest in Ukraine’s struggles. That is what Putin is hoping for.
Every single time anyone, including yours truly, has withheld truth, the result has been far worse than it would have been had the truth been told in the first place-every. single. time. Truth is like water, or pus, it always finds its way to the surface.
Massive voter fraud? How about in the election of Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton? If there's as much voter fraud as Trump and his slavish followers believe, maybe it's time we took up that cry--whether we believe it or not!
Robert, Thanks for an especially clarifying and inspiring newsletter today. You made crystal clear the backstory on the Sussman verdict, which had become garbled in the news cycle hyperbole for us. Your lawyer's discipline shines through on matters like this. Thank you!
My wife and I are engaged with an organization based in Seattle called Common Power, which is focused on seven strategic states, pulling together groups of volunteers doing both remote and on-the-ground field work with partner organizations in those states. (We have been part of the Wisconsin team and have made several trips there ringing doorbells and we love having the support of our fellow team members.) CP's mission is "We mobilize volunteers for voters around the country, while investing in the next generation of leaders and building lasting community." One of the great things about Common Power is that there is an emphasis on putting young people of color in positions of leadership. You should check them out!
As we evaluate the local law enforcement response during the Uvalde tragic school shooting it is important to distinguish between what is understandable and what is justifiable and the lessons that can be learned from that. I have mentioned previously having served as a combat medic in Vietnam. I am very much aware of the horror, indeed terror of being fired upon at close range by military automatic weapons using ammunition of the same caliber as an AR15 or AK47. I have seen up close, all to close, and too many times the horrific wounds these weapons inflict, their power, and watched too many young soldiers and civilians die from such wounds, often bleeding out. Anyone who has served in a hot combat zone understands well the terror these weapons cause in any rational person. So it is understandable that law enforcement would be intimidated and hesitant to engage the teenage assailant in Uvalde.
But it is not justifiable. Virtually every soldier who has been in combat understands what is expected of them and rises to the challenge. In Vietnam I often rendered emergency medical aid while being fired upon by similar weapons, too often. Not because I was brave. I was terrified, but it was my job and what was expected of me by those who sent me and those I served with. The danger to me and all I served with and our actions under fire were justifiable based on our jobs, the missions, and the expectations we had of each other.
The actions of law enforcement resources who held back and failed to engage the Uvalde school assailant are not justifiable. The victims of the shooting, the parents and family members of those victims, the citizens of Uvalde, and indeed all of us expected more. Those law enforcement personnel were apparently trained to respond to such incidents. They were equipped with the necessary arms and equipment. Waiting so long for a janitor to supply a key is perhaps the weakest of excuses one could imagine. It is hardly a rational case that there were any “negotiations” in progress with the assailant. Whatever the excuses offered in defense of the law enforcement response in this incident they are unjustifiable and appropriate opprobrium and disciplinary action should be taken on those involved. I also believe as in so many similar cases, “following orders” is a lousy excuse. There are times in critical situations and emergencies where individual initiative should be expected.
Well stated! And every officer had an independent duty to save the children first by confronting the shooter, orders notwithstanding. If any one of them had a child in the classroom, that is what he would have done. Indeed, one Border Patrol Agent had a child i the school. He was getting a haircut when the shooting started. He grabbed a rifle and ran into the school to save his child (and wife, who was a teacher). He managed to see both of them to safety and helped other children escape. But even he stopped there, allowing a gunman to remain with other children whose parents were not law enforcement officers and kept at bay by police outside the school.
“We need not change the hearts and minds of every MAGA adherent in America—just enough of them (and persuadable independents) to secure victories in narrowly divided elections. Issues like gun control, reproductive freedom, privacy, and personal liberty can be the difference in close races. Democrats must shake their feelings of defeatism and rally themselves to the defense of democracy as never before.”
I thoroughly agree with this point. I also wish to point out the extreme importance of focusing with a laser like intensity on local and state elections everywhere, not simply those for federal offices. Democrats have a recent history of surrendering “unwinnable” local races often not even fielding candidates. This needs to change and change now. There are many areas of the country where Democrats and progressive Independents and even moderate Republicans are feeling ignored, forgotten, and lost. These voters need strong candidates for local offices to encourage them to turn out and vote for changes supported by Democrats. Too many have simply given up. Even if those local candidates may not be victorious in their first elective campaigns they will narrow margins in statewide and national office races. Election turnout numbers in much of the country are shamefully low. Democratic victories require high turnout elections.
Please support voter services, registration drives, easier access to mail ballots, and recruitment, training, and building support networks for strong local progressive candidates everywhere. The only unwinnable districts are those where we fail to compete.
Thank you for all you do and write. Regarding changing hearts and minds of MAGA adherents and independents let’s not forget the millions of kids who become eligible to vote each year for the first time!
Along the line of your discussion about LBGTQ rights, Robert, there is a new poll out showing that 71% of Americans approve of same-sex marriage. Justice Alito, take note.
I was in San Francisco over the weekend, the city where I was born and raised. It brought me such joy to see the Pink Triangle on Twin Peaks and driving through the Castro seeing all of the rainbow flags blowing in the wind. Love truly does trump hate.
Yes, we need to try to convince Republican voters to vote against the nihilism of their party, but we also need to reach the 90 million people who didn't vote in the last presidential election. More people didn't vote than the total votes for either party. We need to motivate them.
I am so angry. I am watching the news and they are still finding bodies after the Russians have been gone for weeks. These are atrocities. I hate the Russians. They are barbarians!
The soldiers on the front are losing the great morale that they once had. They are constantly being shelled. It goes on and on and they just want it to stop! One soldier said he can’t fight that kind of weapon with his rifle. They are running out of ammunition. There are not enough guns to train new volunteers and they will have to be trained at the front. They are experiencing heavy losses. 60 to 100 soldiers are being killed every day!
Where are the arms we are supposed to be sending them? We should have cargo planes flying over there every week. They should have been given long range missiles long before now!
We should have provided them with fighter jets in the beginning so that they could protect their air space.
President Biden said we will put boots on the ground if China attacks Taiwan. Why not in Ukraine?
Thanks, as always, for clarifying and providing insight into current events, day by day. And providing ongoing inspiration and hope!
They Atlantic Monthly had an article about how we can react to mass shootings. They suggested that parents nationwide keep their children elementary school, middle school, and high school home from school for a period of time. In effect parents will boycott until assault weapons are eliminated from civilian life.
I think that the EU is doing very well in working to cut down on payments to Russia for oil. The news media have said that Putin is waiting for a crack in the EU’s resolve. The EU member countries are being asked to do far more than we seem to be able to do. We are not cutting down on fossil fuels. We are providing more arms and funds, but they are taking in the refugees and supporting them.
I hope that people don’t lose interest in Ukraine’s struggles. That is what Putin is hoping for.
Every single time anyone, including yours truly, has withheld truth, the result has been far worse than it would have been had the truth been told in the first place-every. single. time. Truth is like water, or pus, it always finds its way to the surface.
Massive voter fraud? How about in the election of Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton? If there's as much voter fraud as Trump and his slavish followers believe, maybe it's time we took up that cry--whether we believe it or not!
Well, we know that Hillary won the popular vote. And that Russia contributed malware to the campaign and big bucks to the oligarchs to defeat her.
Robert, Thanks for an especially clarifying and inspiring newsletter today. You made crystal clear the backstory on the Sussman verdict, which had become garbled in the news cycle hyperbole for us. Your lawyer's discipline shines through on matters like this. Thank you!
My wife and I are engaged with an organization based in Seattle called Common Power, which is focused on seven strategic states, pulling together groups of volunteers doing both remote and on-the-ground field work with partner organizations in those states. (We have been part of the Wisconsin team and have made several trips there ringing doorbells and we love having the support of our fellow team members.) CP's mission is "We mobilize volunteers for voters around the country, while investing in the next generation of leaders and building lasting community." One of the great things about Common Power is that there is an emphasis on putting young people of color in positions of leadership. You should check them out!
I will! And i would be happy to feature Common Power on my podcast / newsletter. Write to me at rhubbell@outlook.com.
Understandable versus justifiable.
As we evaluate the local law enforcement response during the Uvalde tragic school shooting it is important to distinguish between what is understandable and what is justifiable and the lessons that can be learned from that. I have mentioned previously having served as a combat medic in Vietnam. I am very much aware of the horror, indeed terror of being fired upon at close range by military automatic weapons using ammunition of the same caliber as an AR15 or AK47. I have seen up close, all to close, and too many times the horrific wounds these weapons inflict, their power, and watched too many young soldiers and civilians die from such wounds, often bleeding out. Anyone who has served in a hot combat zone understands well the terror these weapons cause in any rational person. So it is understandable that law enforcement would be intimidated and hesitant to engage the teenage assailant in Uvalde.
But it is not justifiable. Virtually every soldier who has been in combat understands what is expected of them and rises to the challenge. In Vietnam I often rendered emergency medical aid while being fired upon by similar weapons, too often. Not because I was brave. I was terrified, but it was my job and what was expected of me by those who sent me and those I served with. The danger to me and all I served with and our actions under fire were justifiable based on our jobs, the missions, and the expectations we had of each other.
The actions of law enforcement resources who held back and failed to engage the Uvalde school assailant are not justifiable. The victims of the shooting, the parents and family members of those victims, the citizens of Uvalde, and indeed all of us expected more. Those law enforcement personnel were apparently trained to respond to such incidents. They were equipped with the necessary arms and equipment. Waiting so long for a janitor to supply a key is perhaps the weakest of excuses one could imagine. It is hardly a rational case that there were any “negotiations” in progress with the assailant. Whatever the excuses offered in defense of the law enforcement response in this incident they are unjustifiable and appropriate opprobrium and disciplinary action should be taken on those involved. I also believe as in so many similar cases, “following orders” is a lousy excuse. There are times in critical situations and emergencies where individual initiative should be expected.
Well stated! And every officer had an independent duty to save the children first by confronting the shooter, orders notwithstanding. If any one of them had a child in the classroom, that is what he would have done. Indeed, one Border Patrol Agent had a child i the school. He was getting a haircut when the shooting started. He grabbed a rifle and ran into the school to save his child (and wife, who was a teacher). He managed to see both of them to safety and helped other children escape. But even he stopped there, allowing a gunman to remain with other children whose parents were not law enforcement officers and kept at bay by police outside the school.
“We need not change the hearts and minds of every MAGA adherent in America—just enough of them (and persuadable independents) to secure victories in narrowly divided elections. Issues like gun control, reproductive freedom, privacy, and personal liberty can be the difference in close races. Democrats must shake their feelings of defeatism and rally themselves to the defense of democracy as never before.”
I thoroughly agree with this point. I also wish to point out the extreme importance of focusing with a laser like intensity on local and state elections everywhere, not simply those for federal offices. Democrats have a recent history of surrendering “unwinnable” local races often not even fielding candidates. This needs to change and change now. There are many areas of the country where Democrats and progressive Independents and even moderate Republicans are feeling ignored, forgotten, and lost. These voters need strong candidates for local offices to encourage them to turn out and vote for changes supported by Democrats. Too many have simply given up. Even if those local candidates may not be victorious in their first elective campaigns they will narrow margins in statewide and national office races. Election turnout numbers in much of the country are shamefully low. Democratic victories require high turnout elections.
Please support voter services, registration drives, easier access to mail ballots, and recruitment, training, and building support networks for strong local progressive candidates everywhere. The only unwinnable districts are those where we fail to compete.
Thank You. Shared.
Thank you for all you do and write. Regarding changing hearts and minds of MAGA adherents and independents let’s not forget the millions of kids who become eligible to vote each year for the first time!
Thanks, Rob. That is a point I need to make more often. The Civics Center is dedicated to that work. I will mention again.
Along the line of your discussion about LBGTQ rights, Robert, there is a new poll out showing that 71% of Americans approve of same-sex marriage. Justice Alito, take note.
I was in San Francisco over the weekend, the city where I was born and raised. It brought me such joy to see the Pink Triangle on Twin Peaks and driving through the Castro seeing all of the rainbow flags blowing in the wind. Love truly does trump hate.
In case you loyal readers missed this Op Ed from our President, I am posting here and recommend reading it: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/31/opinion/biden-ukraine-strategy.html
Thanks! Always appreciate links to resources.
Yes, we need to try to convince Republican voters to vote against the nihilism of their party, but we also need to reach the 90 million people who didn't vote in the last presidential election. More people didn't vote than the total votes for either party. We need to motivate them.
Exactly!
LOL. Yes, that’s the spirit! A trickle becomes a flood:)