On December 21, 2022, Volodymyr Zelensky addressed a joint meeting of Congress in Washington. He came to thank the American people for their support and to justify and ask for continued assistance in the war against Russia. ‘Not just his war,’ he told us. ‘Our war too.’
From our history books, we know there are people who show up just when they’re needed most. Churchill was like that. FDR on this side of the water was too. Through sheer determination Roosevelt led the American people through the great depression and most of World War 2. Churchill and Roosevelt were the right people at a critical moment in history. They were inspired and they inspired confidence in the population. They were true leaders. Zelensky is one of those leaders.
At the beginning of the war, it didn’t look good for Ukraine, or Zelensky for that matter, yet he never cowered. Having not slept for days, he appeared on television telling his people they survived the first attack and were fighting and positioning themselves to defend the nation. He told them of his own sacrifice, having not seen his wife and children for days, and not knowing if he would see them again. With the face of a man who fears great loss, he was there leading. That was his sacrifice, but that was the sacrifice of his people as well. No-one knew what was going to happen in those first days of Putin’s 3 day war. His people suffered the same fears, but with his fear, Zelensky brought determination and leadership to his people, and they rallied behind him.
Zelensky has been very visible during the war. At times risking his life. In contrast to Putin, he shows up in war zones. You see him honoring soldiers, or commiserating with the people who live there. Always addressing them with comradely honesty. Bringing a compassionate perspective, he creates a bond in this unavoidable experience they must live through together. At a time when all he can offer with surety is compassion, he encourages the people to find an inner light to carry themselves through the times when their homes have no electricity. They understand, and rather than cower, greet the darkness with defiance. Zelensky is doing the same.
Why does this particular war require such a great leader? Ukraine has been fighting for independence from Russia ever since they declared independence from the Soviet Union, which was mostly Russia at the time. That was only 31 years ago. At the beginning of independence, the economy was ravaged by Russian backed oligarchs who had risen out of a nation rapidly privatizing. Once the oligarchs were removed Putin came back, eventually with a full scale invasion. From Putin’s perspective, or at least one of Putin’s perspectives, this war is not about democracy. It’s territorial.
It’s been a great struggle for the people of Ukraine in their fight for democracy. In there 31 years of independence, they never did get their economy up and running. With Oligarchs, the great recession, pandemics, and of course wars with Russia, they haven’t had the time and opportunity. Still these people are fighting tooth and nail for democracy. They, better than anyone, know the difference between life under dictatorship, and the freedom of democracy. In living memory, they experienced both, and as an entire nation, are willing to die if denied democracy. No one else in the world knows more about what freedom brings to you, and we should take a lesson from this. In a global world, the same threat is waiting right outside our door.
The Biden administration recognizes the greatness of this struggle and is doing what it can. It’s adopting the playbook of FDR exactly. No troops on the ground. Providing assistance wherever and soon to be, whenever possible. They even brought Zelensky over to appeal to Congress, just as they did with Churchill back in 1941. The democrats under Biden appreciate the significance of this war. It’s not territorial. The war on democracy has blown up, and this is a direct a direct assault. Why is it all congress does not endorse Zelensky? Never since WW2 has there been more direct assault on democracy, yet a measurable percentage of the Republican Party are withholding their support. What are they fighting for if not democracy?
I think this is an important question for the Western World to ask, because there is more than the war in Ukraine attacking democracy. There is a concentrated campaign being waged by those who would like to see some form of totalitarian government. As well as Russia, it’s BFF China has also annexed territory in the South China Sea. In addition, China is building the Belt and Road Initiative. It’s as much a Great Wall, as a new Silk Road. Promoting the virtues of autocratic rule along the way, China is building an economic exclusion zone around the Western World. All of our neighbors in South America, lean towards joining the Belt and Road Initiative. Aggression to these nations would evoke a much more NATO like response in the future.
Within the Western World itself, we are experiencing attacks on Democracy. Nationalism, in it’s zenith, perhaps the most savage form of totalitarian government, is on the rise throughout the Western World. Historically, we’ve seen a number of great and unjust wars arise because of nationalistic movements. Each time we’ve lost our rights and freedoms along the way. In one term, Trump altered the Supreme Court to an ultra-conservative bias that will dictate laws and policies for years to come. He also participated in a coup that if successful, would have nullified your democratic vote. Your only rightful expression on how the world is run. In a nation that was founded on democracy, Trump never shown regard for it.
Democracy is under attack. Nationalistic and autocratic minds are moving to destroy it. There’s no better time to do it. We’ve reached a critical moment in history where some global decisions can no longer be put off. If we don’t decide as a civilization, someone else will decide for us. If we don’t act as one, globally right now, (and right now we’re acting under the erratic flux of independent nations), the environment does not stand a chance of sustaining us. That’s just a fact, and the same applies to world governance. What form of global governance the world adopts is reaching an outcome. There are only two contenders; autocracy or democracy.
We’re seeing the battle for world domination waged before our very eyes, and remarkably, it doesn’t seem to phase us. Today China’s sphere of influence rivals the Western World. From a numbers point of view, I would say China even has the current momentum in this very real struggle. It implements five year plans, and it’s very difficult to stop an entire nation when it’s pointed in the exact same direction. No democracy can do this. This is the autocratic advantage Xi Jinping speaks of when he promotes autocracy.
In a day when monitoring is so pervasive, we stand victim to the whims of those who own the camera. It can get bad. China, monitors entire cities, even in the home through people’s cellphones. They then rate you on a social credit system. Those who score very low like the Uighur, are completely dehumanized. China goes as far as selling their organs while they’re alive, even if it’s a heart.
Just look how Russia treats their own soldiers. They don’t even provide them with clean drinking water. They’re just sending out numbers, trained and not trained and then they’re on their own. This is what you get with these kinds of leaders.
Zelensky is telling us, this is our war too, and not a truer word has been spoken. The war is being fought from inside as well as abroad, and it’s shaking the foundation of democracy. It’s attacking you right now. Every day, our freedom slides as we stand idly by as our ‘leaders’ jockey for greater authority. That’s what this war is about. You losing the freedom to discover and be who you were born to be. Under autocracy or nationalism, your focus becomes that of someone else. Once you lose your freedom to dream, your life becomes meaningless.
During his speech, Zelensky spoke with empathy regarding the Russian people. He didn’t condemn Russia as a nation, he placed the blame on Putin and his cronies. He then focused on freeing the Russian people from the world he personally had lived and was fortunate enough to leave behind. He knows them, because he once was one of them, and he knows greater freedom waits for them outside their walls, even if those walls are inside the mind.
‘I know one more, I think very important, thing:’ he said. ‘The Russians will stand a chance to be free only when they defeat the Kremlin in their minds.’ He repeated this later. ‘The Russians will stand a chance to be free only when they defeat the Kremlin in their minds.’ By saying this, Zelensky places an evangelistic perspective on the war. We should not fight the people of Russia, we should be compelled to free them. Changing minds brings lasting democracy through compassion.
Changing minds is something we can do. Facebook and other tech companies have been doing it for years. They’re just as pervasively doing it in Russia right now although not intentionally. Social media brings democracy and changes minds. Even when it’s as restricted as in China the voice of democracy gets through. There will never be a completely closed society and people talk. They just adapt and use VPN’s when they have to. It’s the people within, who will ultimately save us from the scourge of autocracy. Those are the minds that will be changed. Something to remember next time we turn to nationalistic thoughts.
Much more comes through social media than fashion trends and some dumbass lighting his farts on fire. The freedom of democracy comes through too. That little bit more that makes all the difference in life, is very visible through social media. The people of autocratic nations know they are missing a critical element in their destiny. Freedom of thought. The freedom to step outside the constraints of society, and even themselves in order to find their purpose. Stumble if they must, but choose their own direction on their own terms. This is a human birthright. It’s democracy and people all over the world are being denied it. Because of social media, they are learning their rights, and they want them back.
Social media has been allowed in Russia since the beginning and a lot of people within are aware of their inalienable rights. Even now, with tightened censorship, word is getting to the people, particularly those who assimilated social media prior to the war. There are a lot of them out there judging from the initial protests and men fleeing conscription. People are aware because they witness, real time, both sides of the story. These are the people who will change minds from within, and their line is open to us.
We all need to be involved with this social responsibility. Real change only come when the majority speaks and it is our personal responsibility to see the majority is heard. In our communication, we must make people aware of their potential and our support. We can do this just by amping up the conversation on social media. It will get to them, and they will see there is a greater support in their struggle. They need to know this.
If we were acting on our individual responsibility, we would be acting aggressively towards this attack on democracy. We would demand our leaders be unwavering across party lines, in their fight for democracy, and tell them without that support they would not have ours. Once again, we can amplify this sentiment just by talking about it on social media, and reminding people they can exercise democracy through their vote. Getting them to understand that voicing their beliefs and acting within the system will change outcomes that effect us all.
Changing minds is our personal responsibility if we are to ensure personal freedom, and things like environmental rehabilitation, end equitable distribution of wealth. Zelensky has shown up at a critical time in our shared experience. He is a great leader. He’s aware and telling us, if we want to win the war on democracy, we must change minds. He’s telling us he is simply the canary in the coalmine. This is our war too. We live in global times, and just by owning a cellphone, we’re subject to tyranny or freedom. Through our actions, it’s time for each one of us to make sure our house is in order. Tyranny is at our doorstep.