{"id":14202,"date":"2022-12-20T05:26:23","date_gmt":"2022-12-20T13:26:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/?p=14202"},"modified":"2022-12-23T05:35:19","modified_gmt":"2022-12-23T13:35:19","slug":"message-of-the-day-war-human-rights-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldcampaign.net\/?p=14202","title":{"rendered":"Message of the Day: War, Human Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"

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President Volodymyr Zelensky<\/em>, US Congress, 12.21.22<\/p>\n

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Time is usually required for the perspective to declare an event centrally historic.<\/p>\n

Not this event.<\/p>\n

It was announced tonight that\u00a0Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, is enroute from Kyiv to Washington D.C. to meet with President Biden and to give a speech to a joint session of Congress.<\/p>\n

The trip,\u00a0Zelensky’s first time leaving Ukraine in the 300 days since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, was kept secret for obvious security reasons. Speaker Nancy Pelosi told members of Congress to come to a joint session for an important meeting tomorrow without initially saying Zelensky would be there.<\/p>\n

The reason this is so centrally historic is that Ukraine is the tip of the spear in the global war between democracy and autocracy. And the US is the tip of the spear of support for Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Our own travels and reports related to this have been ongoing.<\/a><\/p>\n

The irony of the convergence of this event–as the last act of the Pelosi-led Congress before the Republicans take control (barely, and it appears chaotically) on the same day another historic event occurs, the release of the final report of the\u00a0Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol (which just recommended that the Department of Justice criminally indict a former president, Donald Trump, for the first time in history)–cannot be overstated.<\/p>\n

In fact it couldn’t, as they say, be made up in fiction.<\/p>\n

The one issue that has brought Democrats and Republicans together in Congress<\/a> since last February has been vigorous support of Ukraine in fighting against the war of aggression by Russia.<\/p>\n

However, the incoming House Republicans consist of more isolationist-sounding or outright Putin supporting-sounding members (or those who have changed their tune)–and intellectually muddled-sounding rhetoric aside–members questioning aid to Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Though mainly on the right, or on a new fringe in American politics that seems virtually psychotic, a few can be found on the left as well. The parallels with enablers of avoiding confrontation with the Third Reich are impossible to avoid.<\/p>\n

The majority will probably still stand by Ukraine (of Democrats combined with Republicans almost certainly) and the large majority of both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate will clearly do so–but economic hardship at home mixed with poltics and polarization can always chip away at support, even when recklessly risking national and global security.<\/p>\n

Zelensky, who is rightfully a global icon of courage and clarity in the fight for freedom, clearly knows this, and has timed his visit accordingly–supported by those in the White House and Congress who support him.<\/p>\n

And at the same time as his fight on the world stage for democracy is on the line, the fight in the US for democracy after the attempt to end it in America in the aftermath of the 2020 election is also still on the line.<\/p>\n

There are many rivers to cross before this is all over. And the planet and all life on it may be incinerated in more ways than one, or the forces of dictatorship and chaos and incomprehensible suffering may prevail.<\/p>\n

For a while.<\/p>\n

But in the end, we believe democracy, equality, security and basic human rights for all will prevail worldwide.<\/p>\n

There could be no more apt metaphorical poetry for the moment than in the fact that tomorrow is the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Just as we noted the same at the Spring Equinox<\/a> right after Russia’s most recent aggression against Ukraine, and against deomocracy and human rights, had begun.<\/p>\n

Now, from the darkest day of the year to the begining of a little more light every day.<\/p>\n

We leave room here for reports in a few hours on Zelensky’s \u00a0visit and speech:<\/p>\n

(Update: Here is the front page article in The New York Times for December 22, written December 21, and the transcript of Zelensky’s December 21 speech to Congress.)<\/p>\n

“U.S. Aid Is \u2018Not Charity,\u2019 Zelensky Tells Congress as a Lengthy War Looms”<\/a>,\u00a0By <\/span>Michael D. Shear<\/span> and Zolan Kanno-Youngs, December 21, 2022, The New York Times<\/span><\/p>\n

President Volodymyr Zelensky described military assistance for Ukraine as an investment in global security and democracy in the face of Russian aggression.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker Nancy Pelosi hold a Ukrainian flag signed by soldiers on the front line, delivered by President Volodymyr Zelensky.<\/span>Credit…<\/span>Kenny Holston\/The New York Times<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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WASHINGTON \u2014 President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine delivered an emotional wartime appeal to a joint meeting of Congress<\/a> on Wednesday night, telling Americans that \u201cyour money is not charity\u201d and vowing that his people would eventually secure an improbable victory against Russia on behalf of all free nations.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cAgainst all odds and doom-and-gloom scenarios, Ukraine did not fall,\u201d Mr. Zelensky said in halting but forceful English from the dais in the House chamber, where he was greeted with extended applause from lawmakers.<\/p>\n

\u201cUkraine is alive and kicking,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it gives me good reason to share with you our first joint victory: We defeated Russia in the battle for minds of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

In blunt terms, Mr. Zelensky pleaded for more military assistance from the lawmakers, who are poised to approve $45 billion in additional aid by the end of the week, bringing the total over a year to nearly $100 billion. His message: Your support has kept President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia from overrunning our country. Now keep it coming.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWe have artillery, yes, thank you,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have it. Is it enough? Honestly, not really.\u201d The money, he added, was not charity. \u201cIt\u2019s an investment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Mr. Zelensky\u2019s visit to Washington \u2014 kept secret until the eve of his arrival for security reasons \u2014 was a dramatic show of confidence by Ukraine\u2019s leader, who had not left his country since Mr. Putin began his assault 300 days ago.<\/p>\n

In the space of 24 hours, just days before Christmas, Mr. Zelensky flew from the battered front lines of a country plunged into darkness by Russian air attacks to the marble-lined rooms of the White House and the Capitol, where he repeatedly thanked Americans for being partners in Ukraine\u2019s battle to survive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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President Biden told Mr. Zelensky that his people \u201cinspire the world\u201d and he blamed President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for trying to \u201cuse winter as a weapon.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n
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Dressed in his wartime uniform of an olive green sweater and cargo pants, Mr. Zelensky began his speech by insisting that the lengthy standing ovation was \u201ctoo much for me.\u201d He ended it just over 20 minutes later by delivering a blue and gold Ukrainian battle flag to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who in return handed him a framed American flag that had flown over the Capitol earlier in the day in honor of his visit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n