Jim Brown: Each citizen must decide how to deal with Ukraine war
Following my column this past week on how Louisianans are affected by the current war in Ukraine, I was surprised at the number of responses I received asking just what the average citizen can or should do to help this besieged country. This will be a decision that everyone individually will have to make.
Many will do nothing. Just continue to go about their business, or “go shopping” as a former president suggested after 9/11. Others want to be involved and make a choice to pitch in and help in some meaningful way. Here’s some sage advice from the 1995 movie, “Three Days of the Condor.”
CIA “Book Reader” (Robert Redford): “Did we have plans to invade the Middle East?”
CIA Agent (Cliff Robertson): “We make plans, we play games. ... What do you think they’ll do when they run out of gas, when they’re freezing in their homes? They don’t care how we get it -- they’ll just want us to get it --what do you think we should do?”
Redford: Ask them. ... Ask them.
Elected officials in both Washington and Baton Rouge would better serve if they didn’t talk so much and do a little more listening to their constituents.
Here are some ways that many readers I know are choosing to help. First of all, we should be aware that sacrifices are already being made by accepting higher gas prices and numerous other price increases all due to restrictions on Russian imports and exports. Sure there is an inflationary rise on most purchases, but the numbers are even higher because of the war.
What individually can you do? It’s a personal choice, but here is what I have done and will be doing.
As for my helping in the war effort, I am donating to Save the Children’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. This organization, as my research shows, is concerned for children caught in the middle of armed conflict, forced from their homes in freezing temperatures, and exposed to injury, hunger and cold. The fund provides children and families with immediate aid, such as food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support and cash assistance. All the funds are spent inside Ukraine and one can donate at www.savethechildren.org.
Secondly, I fly the Ukrainian flag every day around the clock. These flags are available online for as cheap as $10, and it lets your community know that you care about this nation’s fight for freedom and survival.
Third, I urge Ukraine supporters to express their opinion and concern. Both to their friends and on social media.
If you have read and kept up on the devastation that’s taking place, let others know of your trepidation.
They may not have been as attuned as you have.
Fourth, this is one time you just might be able to give support to the President. Joe Biden is not all that popular down in Bayou land.
But even his strongest cynics seem to agree that Biden is on the right track of walking a tight line by strongly supporting the defense of Ukraine without dragging America into a direct confrontation with Russia that could lead to a nuclear war.
I believe in Ukraine’s fight for freedom and survival. I served for ten years in the Army and in the Louisiana National Guard.
If I were 20 years younger, I’d be volunteering to travel to the Polish-Ukraine border to pitch in and help.
This conflict is not going to end soon. Many more families, expectant mothers and young children will continue to be seriously injured and die.
And all that is happening halfway around the world directly affects all of us here in America. Standing on the sidelines should not be an option.
Peace and Justice
Jim Brown
Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownusa.com. Readers can also review books by Jim Brown and many others he has published by going to http://www.thelisburnpress.com.