"AN ISLAND OF HOPE"

  So stated a refugee from Ukraine about her sanctuary in Moldova, one of the poorest countries in Europe. This poor country threatened by Russia, has provided wonderful safety for these refugees even as they ponder their own safety in the coming days, weeks, even years. They, too, need an island of hope, real or verbal, but there - stated and ready to be enforced. With reassurances in place.

Islands of hope also come with honesty, a trait sorely lacking these days. What we have instead are lies, more lies, yet more and larger, outrageous lies, and wimping out on our obligations to ourselves and the rest of the world. 

Like it or not, there are nations who are held to a higher, perhaps double standard. That is the way it is, and I know of no way to change that, to filter more fair play policy into the equation. It just is. Like it or not, the nations caught up in that problem must deal with it, play the game accordingly and stand tall, as role models for other nations, as guardians of democracy in our present war of protection and life for democracy and hopefully, an end to autocracy, at least for the moment.

Large hopes, big dreams, heavy responsibilities that no one asked for, and yet, there it is. Who are these nations? The USA and Israel. I already hear the naysayers decrying that statement. Those two nations are criminal, overzealous in their actions of protection of civilians and troops, in their reactions to attacks to their security, and in fact, apparently do everything wrong. 

That, my friends, is a statement that is all wet, soaked through with the blood of their citizens , spilled within and without the borders of these nations. And yet, despite all the whining, the accusations, and yes, even the mistakes these nations make, these same two nations are the ones prospering, the ones the rest of the world turns to. To advance the status of peace, of negotiations, as  big players in world politics, and will not be deterred from their responsibilities. No matter the cost. When these two nations give in to the criticism, bad things happen and we are seeing that right now.

Why did Putin think that this was a most opportune time to invade Ukraine, sure that he would get away with it all. Why not, for so he has done every damned time he invades a country? Because of four years of Trump, of six years of ever worsening enemy like oppositional partisanship between the two major political parties of America. Because of its growing weaknesses, of bare spots in their strength, internal and external, as loyalty to country and its values is turned on its very confused head. A perfect time to do something wrong, when the presumed opposition is weak, to its very core. Hence Putin and hence the growing attacks on Israelis, murderous attacks with exactly that in mind. Hence ISIS attempting to inflict more harm  upon the world, to disrupt the growing alliances between Arab nations and Israel. No islands of hope for the world must be left if they are to succeed.

That is what we are facing as residents on this endangered planet of ours. The planet has aged. Terribly so. Existentially so. Exponentially so. We  have contributed to that and do more harm with  criminal invasions by Putin and other autocrats. With the chemicals and smoke spewed into the air. With threats of more, worse to come. Even as the  blood of the people soaks into the ground beneath.

For the continued existence and yes, growth, of these islands of hope, we must stand strong. We must be honest, brutally so. Biden spoke that way yesterday, whatever the spin, I believe he spoke from his heart. He is a most decent man and cannot tolerate the egregious acts of violence perpetrated on innocent people, as nations are violated, as the world continues to spin on an ever more tortured and challenged axis. That axle is strained, close to its maximum ability to retain an even keel. Biden spoke the truth. "The truth will set you free" is how it goes and to that, the corollary - and keep the world spinning properly. 

Instead of whispering and pointing and oh, such shock, perhaps the nations of the world need to say - Yes!!! Perhaps the citizens of Russia need to step up to the plate rather than fleeing the country. Force him out. They have done so before. Why not again? Why not take heart from Biden, just as the Berlin Wall was taken down by the brave statement of Reagan to Gorbachev - "Tear down the Wall" and so it was. Honesty, if not the best and not infallible, sure comes the closest to it.

So, Israel will continue to resist attacks upon its borders and the murder of its people. Been there, done that, to the tune of millions, and more millions throughout the ages. No more. And if it takes some harsh measures to insure that, the world can scream all it wants. There it is. There it will remain. Until, as Golda Meir said, "Until the Arabs learn to love their children more than they hate us." No more free for all, no more free passes to kill Jews.

Furthermore, no more free passes to upset the world order, so much so, that the world itself is in existential, real, actual, life - threatening danger and most perilous future. These will not be the Perils of Pauline, so beautifully resolved at end of each segment. These will be perils of such reach and range that the world will never ever return to what it was. The reality will be awful, cataclysmic, catastrophic to the nth degree. If it even survives at all in some kind of livable conditions.

That is the world we bequeath to our children and grandchildren, to theirs, if we do not stand up to tyranny and tyrants, call their bluff before they, in even more criminal, world destroying acts and crooked paths, destroy the world through their own actions and misdeeds and/or inflict tyranny upon the entire globe. 

That would be on us. That would be on countries who neglected to pay their dues. That would be on those who refuse to challenge the evil that indeed exists in this battered world of ours. That requires us to reimagine this world, this planet, as one big, no island, but rather a globe of hope and peace, of freedom and responsible government, responsive   to the needs of its citizens, to maintain a true democracy staffed by honest, sincere public servants, as we recognize the humanity of all.

Wonder if my island - no - globe - of hope and peace will ever exist. No Blue Fairies out there to sprinkle us with that fairy magical dust, are there? Guess we will all have to do the heavy lifting. The consequences are there and clear.