Vladimir Putin is alone and abandoned
One of the urban legends I love is the Myth that if one takes a Seashell and holds it to one’s ear, one can hear the faint calls of people. Perhaps these calls come from sailors — or from one’s own family or friends. Either way, it’s a delightful urban legend that always inspires pure joy.
It’s always nice to let one’s inner child come out and play for a while. But let’s pretend this legend is real. What would the the Ukrainian people hear if they held these seashells close? They would hear the melodic chimes of their friends and neighbors — of people — everywhere, all over – who love them and stand with them in solidarity. And this is why I wanted to write this particular article. It’s so vital that you do not believe the fear-mongering.
Let’s take Putin’s latest statement that things for him are on track. Now we know this is not the truth. Things are, in fact, falling apart for Putin. He’s alone. He’s abandoned. Very few are with him, and most of the world is against him. His economy is cratering. Russian Oligarchs are losing everything. His arch-nemesis President Zelensky is being lauded as a hero. And Putin is being derided as a monster.
Protests are everywhere. Putin may try to run out the clock. But the clock cannot be run out and is coming for him. He HAS to say he’s winning. He has to say he’s on track. He’s ex KGB. What is he supposed to say?”We’re losing, and this sucks.?”
This is not to say the concern and the deadliness aren’t genuine. But one has to recognize what is hyperbole and what isn’t. Anything Putin says — any words that drip from his noxious lips — cannot be trusted. He is like Trump. As sure as the sun rising, we can be sure Putin is lying when he speaks.
So we stand with Ukraine. We hope desperately for peace. We watch with awe as Ukraine fights for its very existence. And perhaps one day soon, when we hold a seashell to our ear, what we will hear is the sweet sounds of Ukrainian victory.
