Ukraine is no game
The Cold War never ended, and the next move is at hand.
Thoughts for the day
There is an amusing scene in a 1995 episode of Seinfeld: Kramer and Newman are playing a game of Risk, and since neither trusts the other not to cheat, they wind up taking the game on the subway. Newman is holed up in Ukraine, his last stronghold. When Kramer calls Ukraine weak, a Ukrainian on the train overhears him and upsets the board.
Why bring that up here? In 1995, we celebrated an era of good fortune. The economy was rolling, the Wall had come down, the Soviets were defeated and the Cold War was over, and we were the last remaining superpower.
But, while we celebrated, a group of ex-KGB folks dedicated themselves to putting Russia back where it belonged. In 1999, when Boris Yeltsin resigned, he handed power to one of them — his prime minister, Vladimir Putin. Putin got himself elected president in 2000 (democratically) and has held on to power for two decades (less democratically). Thanks to changes in the constitution, he now effectively will lead for life.
In 2014, he seized the Crimean peninsula. Now, in a move many find similar to Adolf Hitler’s 1938 annexation of the Sudetenland, he puts himself in a prime position to take over Ukraine from within. Forces have been massed for weeks in Belarus, little more than a Russian satellite state at this point. All have the Baltic states fearing what comes next.
They should. Putin’s goals are on record, and he perceives the West as weak. Europe is reliant on his natural gas. The U.S. is war-weary, increasingly isolationist, polarized and distracted by the Chinese threat. A sizable portion of the U.S. population — and a former president — believe there is no justification for the existence of NATO. The former Soviet states (and perhaps more) should be easy pickings.
There are those who say, why should we care? The Ukrainians aren’t our people. I understand the lure of isolationism. I opposed the forever wars, even while many of those same people were gung-ho for war, because using the military to fight terrorists is like playing a global game of Whac-A-Mole.
But though I’m young enough to have missed Duck and Cover, I’m old enough to remember the fear of Mutual Assured Destruction. My isolationist tendencies give way when a great power, possessing the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, starts flexing its muscles.
The Cold War did not end. It went on hiatus. Now, it’s the next move. Do we oppose this Russian aggression now, or do we wait to face it until later? Because make no mistake, we will face it.
The Six
No. 1
The three men convicted of killing Ahmaud Arbery were found guilty by a grand jury of violating his civil rights and targeting him because he was Black, Fox 5 Atlanta reports. All three were previously convicted of murder in a Georgia state court and sentenced to life for the deadly shooting.
No. 2
The New York Times has a fascinating piece on The Long Crusade of Clarence and Ginni Thomas. It is long and defies a simple summary. But it should be required reading about the world of a Supreme Court justice long dismissed as a lightweight and flying under the radar.
No. 3
A group of parents and students are suing West Virginia’s Cabell County school system for allowing an evangelical preacher to hold a religious revival assembly during the school day and requiring students to attend, West Virginia Public Broadcasting reports. Students and families were encouraged to attend a community church and be baptized. The district has claimed the assembly was voluntary, but some teachers were confused and required their classes to attend. “Students, including a Jewish student who asked to leave but was not permitted to do so, were instructed to close their eyes and raise their arms in prayer, according to the lawsuit. The teens were asked to give their lives over to Jesus to find purpose and salvation. Students said they were told that those who did not follow the Bible would go to ‘face eternal torment.’” The suit says the district has a long history of violating the religious rights of students, highlighting similar assemblies in the past and allowing the creation of religious clubs in the schools. More than 100 students staged a walk-out in protest earlier this month.
No. 4
He’s baaaack… After a Sunday soft launch, Truth Social, the new Trump social media platform, launched wherever you get your apps Monday. If you had any question about the former president’s popularity, by Tuesday morning it had topped Apple’s download charts for free apps. Some users reported glitches when trying to sign up, but nothing out of the ordinary for a new app, CNBC reports.
No. 5
The United States women's national soccer team players settled their class action equal pay lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) for a total of $24 million. The settlement was announced in a court filing on Tuesday, ESPN reports. Players will receive a lump sum payment of $22 million, and an additional $2 million will go into post-career and charitable efforts. The deal is contingent on a new collective bargaining agreement, and the USSF has committed to equal pay moving forward for the women's and men's teams "in all friendlies and tournaments, including the World Cup."
No. 6
It took nearly a year, but Medina Spirit was stripped of last year’s Kentucky Derby victory and Mandaloun was declared the winner after a ruling by state racing stewards. Medina Spirit tested positive after the race for the steroid betamethasone, legal in Kentucky but banned on race day. Trainer Bob Baffert was subsequently banned for two years by Churchill Downs. Bettors will not be refunded or paid, ESPN reports.
Quote of the Day
“You know what the Ukraine is? It's a sitting duck. A road apple, Newman. The Ukraine is weak. It's feeble. I think it's time to put the hurt on the Ukraine.” — Cosmo Kramer
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About
Christopher Six is a passionate advocate of community journalism with more than 30 years in the media, corporate communications and marketing. An award-winning designer, columnist, illustrator, photographer and newsroom leader, he is a respected voice in journalism ethics. A veteran reporter, he has created and taught news writing seminars for community colleges and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association.
Editor’s Note
Pick Six is published most Mondays-Fridays. Sharing of stories does not equal endorsement, however, personal thoughts and commentary on those stories are 100 percent my own.