I Stand with Ukraine
This edition critiques America's stance on Ukraine amidst troubling political dynamics
What happened on Friday is another shameful moment in the history of America. America should be standing with its democratic allies, not fascist dictators. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing as the video continued to unspool on MSNBC. The only real leader in the room was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Not the convicted felon and his vice president.
Where do we go from here? It’s a good question. Despite what Congress has previously agreed to fund Ukraine, there’s no doubting that the felon will do whatever he can to block it from being sent. We know where his interest lies…whatever Putin wants. The White House should never have become an arm of the Kremlin but that’s where we are right now.
The White House can say whatever they want about why they kicked him out before the press conference but we know the truth. They know that the press will catch the felon in another set of lies. It’s happening all too frequently and it’s going to be up to the media in calling it out. No matter the medium, the press has to do its job in calling out his lies.
As for Senate and congressional Republicans, anyone not willing to stand up after what happened on Friday is showing their true colors. If they are not siding with President Zelenskyy and Ukraine, it can only mean that they are siding with Russia. If I have to say it again, I will—Russia is not our ally. They may have been an ally for a brief time during WW1 and WW2 but they are not our ally in 2025.
International Fallout
The fallout has already started as far as its impact on the U.S. military forces. Haltbakk Bunkers, a Norwegian fuel company, will no longer be supplying fuel to any American ships or military forces docking in Norwegian ports. Norway is a NATO country and this is a private company making its own statement. We’ll see how other companies follow in response to the US after the convicted felon turned America’s back on Ukraine so as to continue the appeasement of Russia.
Israel is going to have to ask itself some really hard questions after siding with North Korea and Russia. Former Israeli Amb. Michael Oren looks at the choices that Israel needs to make. Amb. Oren writes":
“Israel’s decision to side with the former will have profound implications for our foreign policy, our security, and the very nature of our state.”
I’m of the thought that Israel should have never been neutral after Russia invaded Ukraine. It took way too long to offer military weapons, etc. to Ukraine.
European leaders met in London on Sunday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing new military aid to London.
If anyone knows me, they know that I don’t care for the Daily Mail or The Mail on Sunday because of their being both conservative and a tabloid. The headline just speaks for itself.
Military Racism and Misogyny
America has no more 4-star female generals following the firing of Adm. Lisa Franchetti from her position in the U.S. Navy. Her firing joins that of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown, U.S. Air Force Gen. James Slife, and multiple judge advocates general. Retired Adm. James Stavridis, a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, went as far as saying he would not recommend his daughter enlisting in the military because of the current sexism.
Speaking of Adm. Stavridis, he joined CNN’s Smerconish on Saturday to discuss the breakdown in relations between America and Ukraine.
Antisemitism
The Hollywood Reporter’s Steven Zeitchik wrote a brilliant piece about how Jewish celebrities are so quiet in addressing antisemitism. He said what so many of us have been thinking during the past almost 17 months.
Rahm Emanuel
There is a universe where Rahm Emanuel was on the fast track to becoming the first Jewish President of the United States. Those plans got derailed because of events that took place during his time as the 55th mayor of Chicago. He appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher over the weekend and suffice it to say, it did not go well.
He actually said this on television:
“Look, in seventh grade, if I had known that I could have said the word ‘They’ and got in the girls bathroom, I would have done it.”
There’s no place for transphobic language. This is just outright mocking the transgender population.
Religious Freedom
It’s no lie to say that religious freedom is at stake. We know what’s coming down the pipeline from Project 2025. But at the state level, things are not looking better. West Virginian legislators have introduced a joint resolution (HJR 31, full text) in the House of Representatives would place a constitutional referendum on the ballot during an upcoming election. What part of the nation’s first amendment do they not understand? If this gets placed on the ballot, there will be lawsuits and rightfully so.