And we in the United States will also have to take matters into our own hands. My question is, "Will we?"
We should, as Trump was not even elected by a majority of Americans and probably about half of his voters are not hard-core MAGAts. Authoritarians are usually given their power. We, the people, must give Trump nothing.
Resist in every way possible for you, no matter how small. One way I do is to correct Google’s erroneous listing of the Gulf of Mexico. Tiny acts every day.
Trumpet by the 5th smallest margin since 1900, and he booked4 million votes less than Biden in 2020! There’s lots of opportunity for effective pushback, including arrest of Musk, commencement of impeachment of Trump!
The republicans are all in on Musk and Trump; they are as committed as any cult members would be; they are intractable and have been since 2016. Plus they have no interest in public welfare and not beholden to accountability. The public is beginning to notice and react; how long until Congress does??
As an elementary school teacher-librarian, I was tasked with teaching “the Constitution” to all 500 students, as federally mandated, for Constitution Day, September 17. With 4th & 5th grades I taught the Bill of Rights, all 10 Amendments. The 3rd really blew them away. Then, with students who were already full of “I have rights”, I pointed out that rights come with responsibilities, and asked them to name some. They were clueless to start, but discussions opened their thinking about our government.
I have also juxtaposed rights with responsibilities, the first of which in my view is to be informed before you vote. That responsibility seems to have gone missing for millions of us, doesn't it?
Me! I as well! I love all history teachers I’ve met in my almost 73 yrs. Mr. Walsh was the most memorable (still remember his importance of details in trivia remark about his shoe size: 81/2 D (if I recall correctly).
Tim, every time I am sitting and seething (bad for one's blood pressure, I know) about the current situation, one of your posts pops up in my inbox and, after reading it, I find myself calmer and more educated than I was before it arrived. Thank you!!!
If Prof. Snyder was my History teacher in high school, I would have developed a genuine interest in world and American history a couple of decades earlier than I actually did. But, as they say, "better late than never". BTW, I am 82... but only until June. LOL!
Happy next Birthday! Mr Romano, my high school history teacher wrote in my yearbook, "Such a history student I have never had." I am with you better late than never, Fortunately I always liked to read.
$$$ for war? Me, sending my money to support war? Something this old Vietnam protester never thought would happen, happened yesterday. While posting about how to support Ukraine another reader Ken Cissna was kind enough to mention that you are suggesting places like Come Back Alive. I visited their site and immediately sent $$$ and it felt good. We need to support our allies during these difficult times and also get out in the battle-fields here in our nation to stop the evil that is rampant.
In this case, the aggressors are russians. In Vietnam, the aggressors were americans. That's why you thought it would never happen. You did not want to support an illegal war of aggression. It's perfectly okay to support a legal war of self defense.
Either google Come Back Alive or click on this savelife.in.ua if it comes up in a language you are not familiar with, there is an option on the top menu bar to convert from UN to English. It is just left of the green donate tab.
Thank you Dr. Snyder for the brief and light hearted exposition on Ukraine's influences on the West. For those who want more I heartedly recommend his online course https://online.yale.edu/courses/making-modern-ukraine
This is a wonderful course, given by Dr. Snyder that anyone can watch on YouTube. There are also transcripts you can read, along with the lectures. Thank you for giving the link..
This is an enlightening and heart-warming post in the midst of disastrous and cruel actions by Russian and American “leaders”. Thanks for the reminder and encouragement to action
So beautiful and heartening a reminder, "'Is coming here better than remote school at home?" And they all started talking at once. “Yes! Yes! Yes!' The teachers got them to raise their hands. Then the answers came in beautiful, fully-rounded Ukrainian sentences. I am watching the video again right now... 'You can meet with your friends... If you don't understand something you can raise your hand and ask... The teacher can make sure you understand… You can be together...'"
Thank you for reminding us of whose future is at risk, whose future and present moments we choose to assist the Ukrainian defense for.
Prof. Snyder, thank you for always reminding us and offering suggestions on what we can do. I'm from Razom and your support means so much to us and gives us hope.
I hate the death of war. How can a leader be so mentally deranged & evil to invade another country & sacrifice his own people? How can there be any question that the world needs to support Ukraine in throwing out the invaders? They are fighting the war in the name of all of us to remain free. Hopefully we in the U.S. have the fortitude to repel the present forces of authoritarianism in our own country & then rejoin the world order. Time to show our faces in protest for those of us retired or who are not struggling with work & family. Thanks to this Substack for keeping us deeply informed.
In "Politics and the English Language," Don, Orwell answered your good Q.
People get "mentally deranged" by going to schools and having media with abstracted language, categorically packaged thinking as in multiple-choice test questions, cliché, slogans, and other formulations void of the individual, specific human.
I concur with the many who thank you for this warm and informative post. My first read with my first cup of coffee on a sunny Sunday morning in my safe city of San Diego. I think I will make it my only read and enjoy the feeling.
I didn't read it until just now- but earlier today, here in Seattle, there was a march for Ukraine, through part of downtown to the Space Needle. It was beautifully done and the people are the best.
The world now breaks one's heart. That the American president and people villainize Ukraine and Zelinskyy shows how far that country has fallen, never to recover from this ignominy. Europe and the Sane West (Canada, et al.) will have to step up to fill the void, for Ukraine is doing all the heavy lifting for the West while the US sabotages their efforts.
Thank you for that information. Up to this very minute, I thought the world was completely wonderful until 2016. So much for my expensive and extensive post-secondary education.
Paradox, if only there were a way to communicate to those who do such harm. A way to show the world the bodies on the streets with their hands tied behind their backs, executed where they stood. If only translation of languages was just not so darn difficult. If only we could experience decades of peace and prosperity without some puffed-up grifter with a bucket of lies telling us otherwise. If only, eh?
Professor Snyder, Thank you for your commentary and the donation links. With the US administration pivoting away from supporting Ukraine, I find it a salve for my soul to make periodic donations to the war effort. It is helpful to have current, validated donation options. Slava Ukraini!💛💙🇺🇦
And we in the United States will also have to take matters into our own hands. My question is, "Will we?"
We should, as Trump was not even elected by a majority of Americans and probably about half of his voters are not hard-core MAGAts. Authoritarians are usually given their power. We, the people, must give Trump nothing.
Resist in every way possible for you, no matter how small. One way I do is to correct Google’s erroneous listing of the Gulf of Mexico. Tiny acts every day.
Trumpet by the 5th smallest margin since 1900, and he booked4 million votes less than Biden in 2020! There’s lots of opportunity for effective pushback, including arrest of Musk, commencement of impeachment of Trump!
The republicans are all in on Musk and Trump; they are as committed as any cult members would be; they are intractable and have been since 2016. Plus they have no interest in public welfare and not beholden to accountability. The public is beginning to notice and react; how long until Congress does??
I'm with you Joel! Mr. Walsh's European History class resonates every day with me now.
I had a Mr. Walsh at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland, in the late 1960s. Would that be your Mr. Walsh as well?
Another Mr. Walsh was a fine jr high social studies teacher, North of Seattle in the mid 70s.
And I am trying my best to be a good teacher of American History to 8th graders in downtown Los Angeles.
As an elementary school teacher-librarian, I was tasked with teaching “the Constitution” to all 500 students, as federally mandated, for Constitution Day, September 17. With 4th & 5th grades I taught the Bill of Rights, all 10 Amendments. The 3rd really blew them away. Then, with students who were already full of “I have rights”, I pointed out that rights come with responsibilities, and asked them to name some. They were clueless to start, but discussions opened their thinking about our government.
I have also juxtaposed rights with responsibilities, the first of which in my view is to be informed before you vote. That responsibility seems to have gone missing for millions of us, doesn't it?
That would be MY Mr. Walsh! One of the best!
I graduated from WJ in 1970. You?
Me! I as well! I love all history teachers I’ve met in my almost 73 yrs. Mr. Walsh was the most memorable (still remember his importance of details in trivia remark about his shoe size: 81/2 D (if I recall correctly).
You do recall correctly! I use that gag myself on my own students.
I had a wonderful teacher, Mr. Harter. He, his wife and sons and their families still live in Amarillo.
Tim, every time I am sitting and seething (bad for one's blood pressure, I know) about the current situation, one of your posts pops up in my inbox and, after reading it, I find myself calmer and more educated than I was before it arrived. Thank you!!!
I think you have hit on Professor Snyders fact based magic. It works for me.
If Prof. Snyder was my History teacher in high school, I would have developed a genuine interest in world and American history a couple of decades earlier than I actually did. But, as they say, "better late than never". BTW, I am 82... but only until June. LOL!
Happy next Birthday! Mr Romano, my high school history teacher wrote in my yearbook, "Such a history student I have never had." I am with you better late than never, Fortunately I always liked to read.
$$$ for war? Me, sending my money to support war? Something this old Vietnam protester never thought would happen, happened yesterday. While posting about how to support Ukraine another reader Ken Cissna was kind enough to mention that you are suggesting places like Come Back Alive. I visited their site and immediately sent $$$ and it felt good. We need to support our allies during these difficult times and also get out in the battle-fields here in our nation to stop the evil that is rampant.
In this case, the aggressors are russians. In Vietnam, the aggressors were americans. That's why you thought it would never happen. You did not want to support an illegal war of aggression. It's perfectly okay to support a legal war of self defense.
AMEN
And thats another dollop just gone in, from a supporter in the UK. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦
There is also “Save Ukraine” which has a focus on finding and returning Ukrainian children who have been abducted and taken to Russia.
https://www.saveukraineua.org/
Me too Bart...never say never.
Link please?
Either google Come Back Alive or click on this savelife.in.ua if it comes up in a language you are not familiar with, there is an option on the top menu bar to convert from UN to English. It is just left of the green donate tab.
thanks for this information
Thank you, Timothy, for the history lesson. I am grateful that you point out the historical links between Ukraine and Europe. The roots run deeply.
I will share this post with my circle of “friends of Ukraine.”
My heart is touched by your comments about the sweet school children. May we all keep their future in mind as we support Ukraine.
Thank you for petting the kitty, and bringing us the wonderful heart and words of the Ukrainian children.
Thank you Dr. Snyder for the brief and light hearted exposition on Ukraine's influences on the West. For those who want more I heartedly recommend his online course https://online.yale.edu/courses/making-modern-ukraine
Thank you for this link!!
This is a wonderful course, given by Dr. Snyder that anyone can watch on YouTube. There are also transcripts you can read, along with the lectures. Thank you for giving the link..
Yes! Fabulous course!
Yes! The online lectures are great!
This is an enlightening and heart-warming post in the midst of disastrous and cruel actions by Russian and American “leaders”. Thanks for the reminder and encouragement to action
Thank you, Prof Snyder.
So beautiful and heartening a reminder, "'Is coming here better than remote school at home?" And they all started talking at once. “Yes! Yes! Yes!' The teachers got them to raise their hands. Then the answers came in beautiful, fully-rounded Ukrainian sentences. I am watching the video again right now... 'You can meet with your friends... If you don't understand something you can raise your hand and ask... The teacher can make sure you understand… You can be together...'"
Thank you for reminding us of whose future is at risk, whose future and present moments we choose to assist the Ukrainian defense for.
Thank you always Professor
Snyder for teaching us all
with every post you make.
Joy and freedom to the
children of Ukraine 🇺🇦.
Prof. Snyder, thank you for always reminding us and offering suggestions on what we can do. I'm from Razom and your support means so much to us and gives us hope.
I just sent a donation Anastasia!
I hate the death of war. How can a leader be so mentally deranged & evil to invade another country & sacrifice his own people? How can there be any question that the world needs to support Ukraine in throwing out the invaders? They are fighting the war in the name of all of us to remain free. Hopefully we in the U.S. have the fortitude to repel the present forces of authoritarianism in our own country & then rejoin the world order. Time to show our faces in protest for those of us retired or who are not struggling with work & family. Thanks to this Substack for keeping us deeply informed.
In "Politics and the English Language," Don, Orwell answered your good Q.
People get "mentally deranged" by going to schools and having media with abstracted language, categorically packaged thinking as in multiple-choice test questions, cliché, slogans, and other formulations void of the individual, specific human.
I concur with the many who thank you for this warm and informative post. My first read with my first cup of coffee on a sunny Sunday morning in my safe city of San Diego. I think I will make it my only read and enjoy the feeling.
I didn't read it until just now- but earlier today, here in Seattle, there was a march for Ukraine, through part of downtown to the Space Needle. It was beautifully done and the people are the best.
The world now breaks one's heart. That the American president and people villainize Ukraine and Zelinskyy shows how far that country has fallen, never to recover from this ignominy. Europe and the Sane West (Canada, et al.) will have to step up to fill the void, for Ukraine is doing all the heavy lifting for the West while the US sabotages their efforts.
The world has ALWAYS been heart breaking. Not just in the Trump-Putin era. God knows past times have been excruciatingly worse.
Thank you for that information. Up to this very minute, I thought the world was completely wonderful until 2016. So much for my expensive and extensive post-secondary education.
Paradox, if only there were a way to communicate to those who do such harm. A way to show the world the bodies on the streets with their hands tied behind their backs, executed where they stood. If only translation of languages was just not so darn difficult. If only we could experience decades of peace and prosperity without some puffed-up grifter with a bucket of lies telling us otherwise. If only, eh?
My heart just breaks at what the Ukrainian people have endured. Thank you for writing about something to cheer!
They endured it for over 350 years including Stalin's genocide Holodomor and now Putin's genocidal invasion of Ukraine.
Yes, at least that much. It is far and away time to say enough!
Being there is what brings your history to life. The kid's answers and the cat photo made it real!
Thank you for your efforts.
Professor Snyder, Thank you for your commentary and the donation links. With the US administration pivoting away from supporting Ukraine, I find it a salve for my soul to make periodic donations to the war effort. It is helpful to have current, validated donation options. Slava Ukraini!💛💙🇺🇦