Last week, Morgan County USA came out strongly against the war with Russia over Ukraine and called for an anti-war movement right here in Berkeley Springs, Morgan County and West Virginia.
The response from liberal Democrats around in Morgan County was overwhelmingly pro-war – even if it results in nuclear war.
“For the first time in the two and a half years I’ve been talking to you and reading your newsletter, I must tell you that I believe you are completely wrong-headed about this,” one wrote.
“Putin and the rest of the thugs who control Russia launched a bare-faced war of aggression. Agreeing to let him bite off part of Ukraine accomplishes nothing positive, and on the negative will possibly encourage him to continue his malign activities.”
“I do agree with you that we are risking war with Russia, but unfortunately that is the possible price of trying to maintain democracy. As you know from our previous interactions, I’m not a war hawk at all, but in this case risking a war – yes, even a nuclear war – is a bad choice, but the alternative is even worse.”
“Yes, even a nuclear war.” (We are not naming names to protect the innocent.)
Last week, we wrote – “Time to put aside our differences and come together in Berkeley Springs, in Morgan County and in West Virginia and say to those fueling the fire – time to negotiate, no war with Russia.”
In response to that, another Democrat wrote us saying – “I disagree. Russia needs to rise up and get rid of Putin. In the meantime, the world needs to convince them to do so.”
“This piece reads like Putin propaganda,” a third liberal Democrat wrote. “Russia was the aggressor against a smaller neighbor. Russia has been making war on civilians and residential areas, not military targets. It has committed atrocities in the areas it occupied. It is trying to annex occupied land within Ukraine’s internationally recognized boundaries. Putin himself has been clear about his genocidal aims and last for territory. He is a fascist dictator out of touch with reality. If not stopped – decisively – he will do it again. You can not trust or negotiate with someone like that except from a position of strength. Didn’t we learn anything from Chamberlain’s accommodation to Hitler?”
“Of course the U.S., Biden and Congress should support the legitimate self-defense of Ukraine and the restoration of their land Russia unlawfully took by force, including Crimea. We should not bargain away someone else’s land, freedom and sovereignty to a bully dictator and an oppressive regime. And we should not allow Putin to bully us and the rest of the world with his nuclear threats.”
“Why do you want us to cave to a bully? Where does that end? I truly don’t understand the infatuation of Tucker Carlson and others with Putin – or the willingness to be manipulated by him for his propaganda.”
I ran this dispute by a very close relative, thinking we were on the same page.
“No,” he said, “I’m sorry we disagree.”
He also suggested covert operations inside Russia to get rid of Putin.
Finally, I got an email from a liberal Democrat in Berkeley Springs.
“Vladimir Putin is a murderous, lying thief,” he wrote. “He regularly kills journalists, dissidents, political opponents, and members of his kleptocracy who refuse to do his bidding, both at home and abroad. How does one negotiate with an extortionist?”
“Negotiate with your enemy, not with your friends,” I answered.
“Great. Let’s send Henry Kissinger to do that. They are both war criminals,” he responded.
“As is Biden,” I answered.
The liberal Democrats are going into an election year supporting a war Party and a war President.
Not us.
We stand with Pope Francis who on October 2 issued a call for a cease fire and negotiations.
“What is to happen next?” the Pope asked. “How much blood must still flow for us to realize that war is never a solution, only destruction? In the name of God and in the name of the sense of humanity that dwells in every heart, I renew my call for an immediate ceasefire. Let there be a halt to arms, and let us seek the conditions for negotiations that will lead to solutions that are not imposed by force, but consensual, just and stable. And they will be so if they are based on respect for the sacrosanct value of human life, as well as the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each country, and the rights of minorities and legitimate concerns.”
“I urge all the protagonists of international life and the political leaders of nations to do everything possible to bring an end to the war, without allowing themselves to be drawn into dangerous escalations, and to promote and support initiatives for dialogue,” Pope Francis said. “Please let the younger generations breathe the salutary air of peace, not the polluted air of war, which is madness.”
“After seven months of hostilities, let us use all diplomatic means, even those that may not have been used so far, to bring an end to this terrible tragedy. War in itself is an error and a horror.”