City Hall and the Masonic Memorial are lit up in blue and yellow. State liquor stores have removed Russian vodka from the shelves. A good portion of last night’s State of the Union address was spend in denouncing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. My friends’ Facebook pages are filled with news stories about brave Ukrainians standing up to the vastly more powerful Russian invaders.
I share the sentiment. Putin’s actions are outrageous, duplicitous, and horrifying. He is making war on peaceful civilians in order to safeguard and expand his own power, and it’s wrong.
Yet, I haven’t posted about it, not on Facebook, and not here. Yes, I posted last weekend’s Saturday Night Live opening, which was a traditional song performed by a Ukrainian choir. And I shared some exquisite Ukrainian flower crowns, including the ones shown here (follow that link to see more). But I keep feeling that I’ve somehow fallen down on the job by not expressing outrage online, as so many others are doing.
I do feel outrage. And anger. And a deep, deep sadness over what is happening. And a dread of what may happen next. But everyone is talking about it, and I guess I don’t feel that I have anything new or insightful or particularly informed to add to the conversation. I don’t mean that as criticism of anyone who is adding to the conversation. I’m just not sure I have anything to say that will illuminate anything for anybody or even make me feel better.
So instead, I will celebrate Ukrainian culture with some of those magnificent crowns of flowers, stay informed, and be open to ideas for ways to help.
Stand with Ukraine.
The Petrini Page 