I have often heard it said that the Black community has more than its share of problems, and solving them should be our priority, before getting involved in the business of others. This is both selfish and myopic.
As an advocate of justice and fairness, wherever there is injustice, that becomes one’s concern and focus. So, the reckless and wanton destruction of Ukraine by the Russian army must become the business of everyone. How can anyone stand by without condemning this aggression?
Your heart must go out to the thousands of women and children, in particular, men, foreign students, and old and sick people running and being killed as they try to escape imminent injury and death.
Powerful Russia with all its might humbling the weak but courageous Ukraine. Little David
with a few stones was able to kill the mighty giant Goliath. This only happens once. Today we all must come to the aid of the underdog or else it will be totally eliminated.
But what is this all about? Expansion or re-expansion? Is there a need to regain territories which
once were part of the Soviet Union? What a way to go about it.
I must have shared my elementary school experience with a menacing bully. Let me do it again. One of the things we did as boys was to make a set of dominoes. Three of my friends and myself shared in the making of these domino pieces. We were proud. As all four of us were having a game with our own-made dominoes, a bully demanded to play. One of us must give up his place in order to
accommodate this demand. We refused, Not happy, he started to throw away the dominoes ,piece by piece.
When I thought that the wood, we used to make the dominoes was donated by my own father and the labor of love to fashion and make the dominoes, instinctively the Id, that irrational part of me took over. I jumped up, gave the bully such a hard push that he fell, but was soon back on his feet ready to attack me. But new courage possessed all four of us and the bully backed off, biding his time to destroy us one at a time.
However, my two older sisters warned him that to attack me also means to attack them and he would not like that. He never attacked me nor any of my three friends as the Headmaster took care of business, sending him into the bushes to find every piece of the dominoes.
With support from my friends, my sisters and the school principal I was left alone to enjoy my domino games.
You may ask, how does this resemble the Russian invasion? The strong President attacked the weak Ukraine in order to have his way. Instinctively little Ukraine fought back. But Ukraine is no match for this aggressor, but it pushed back. Surprised by this retaliation, President Vladimir Putin looked around
and as no real threatening support was forthcoming for Ukraine the attack was escalated.
Russia knows that Ukraine is no military match for it and as long as other nations with all the reasons to keep out of the fight , the war will continue until victory at all cost. This could mean the total annihilation of Ukraine and its people. Wiping them off the map.
Unfortunately all the efforts of sanctions seems like water off a duck’s back, no harm done. My encounter with the bully would have ended differently if the bully had armed himself with a knife and defied my sisters, the school principal and anyone else. He decided otherwise.
The Russians on the other hand flaunted deadly nuclear weapons, which naturally scared everyone even those with similar fire power but not the will.
ºSo, what is then the problem? I have a weapon; you have the same. Possibility, there may not be a fight since we are both equally armed and strong. The conflict could end right there. So, it may not only be the threat of nuclear weapons or World War III.
It seems the whole world has been caught in a situation where it is totally unable to handle a problem where war will NOT be the solution.
We do not want a war solution. This is a step forward. So what then is the alternative? NEGOTIATION, NEGOTIATION until it hurts.
The whole world is at a loss to come up with a negotiated settlement.
Remember that Boy David did not kill Goliath with a few stones. He had some help . Nor the Syrian army that camped around the house of Elisha waiting to capture and to kill the prophet. However, all the soldiers were smitten with blindness and the whole Syrian army was easily captured. Such is divine intervention.
Has the world-for-peace explored all the options? Sometimes it may mean getting out of the usual thinking box.
Has President Biden or anyone else put in a call
to the President of China asking for help in solving this world problem?
This show of confidence from President Biden to the president of China; do you know how this gesture could transform the Chinese profile on the global stage? It’s a long shot but it is worth trying.
This is just one thought out of the box. We are all drowning and are holding unto a thin straw which could give at any moment. Remember it is not only saving Ukraine alone, but all of us.
Truth is. the situation will not be solved by a war, so another way must be found. God help us all.
Maybe a world day of prayer… praying to stop this war and to ban wars, period.
This will be the real victory.
