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Nancy (South NJ coast)'s avatar

I hope Americans, in our shameful post-trump degradation, can hear Zelensky calling us to our better selves.

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Ellen Thomas's avatar

This is a wonderful edition of your newsletter, JVL. Thank you. I share your awe at what Zelensky is doing. I was struck that the description of him (early 40's, married, young children) is a pretty accurate description of MLK at the time of his assassination.

I really appreciate the nuanced discussion of the balance between pain for the target and pain for the people that those imposing sanctions must reach. My own dreadful senator, Josh Hawley, did a recent flip-flop from Putin fanboy to complaining that Biden isn't being strong enough with his sanctions. I am 100% confident that Hawley is far less interested in what is best for Ukraine, for democracy and for our national security than he is hoping that Biden will be hurt politically by backlash to sanctions when they start to squeeze our economy. As an aside, The KC Star headlined a recent editorial, "The Hawley Trinity: Insurrection, Racism and Appeasement." I thought that was brilliant enough to share.

I am hopeful that the courage of Zelensky and the Ukrainians will inspire Americans to find the selflessness and willingness to work for a common goal that we have sometimes shown. Watching Ukraine, it seems to me to be an echo of the British in the face of Hitler's aggression.

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