Today, dear reader, I approach you with sorrowful news. As we have all been made aware, on the 24th of February, the country of Ukraine was attacked by its neighbor to the north, Russia. This of course didn't come as a massive shock to many, seeing as Russia had been massing troops on the border for several weeks beforehand, however the inevitable still left many people in shock and disbelief. As the days have rolled on, around the world, we the innocent have watched as our own Mothers, Fathers, Daughters, and Sons of Ukraine, all innocents themselves, have scrambled to protect themselves and their homeland. The world has watched as the people of Ukraine have taken refuge, or even joined the fight against their invaders. Their own president refused to evacuate, choosing to stand alongside his people. In my own country of the United States, I have watched as my own government works to try and deter Russian action, with stringent sanctions weakening the Russian economy, and showing support for the masses even within Russia who oppose the folly of war. But this does not feel like enough. As I write to you, dear reader, remember that my sole purpose is to ask questions. So I ask you this: What can we do?
Well, the blatant answer is that there isn't much to do in terms of action. Currently, the only real thing that we as citizens can do is join the International Legion of Ukrainian Defense, however, this is only open to those with military or police experience. This can of course be done by contacting, via phone or in-person interview, the Ukrainian embassy in your country, but again, this is only available to civilians with certain prerequisites. So the question remains: what can we do?
Dear reader, what we can do is speak. In America alone, we have held the ideology of freedom and democracy, and act as its primary defender. We have the power to vocalize our concerns and opinions, more than just sympathizing with our Ukrainian brothers in arms. I, as a writer, urge you to focus on this message: we can help Ukraine. Contact your local congressman, speak in your classes about this issue, move to show the people of Ukraine that we care and we are here for them.
As always, dear reader, I leave you with my simple motto. But today, more than ever, I urge you to truly contemplate the message:
There is always the possibility of a better tomorrow. What can you do to make it a reality?
