Timothy Snyder, historian at Yale and expert on European history, invites you to contribute to a very important fund that he created.
He writes:
Sometimes things are very simple. If you can easily do something to halt a genocide, then you should.
As I have been arguing here in “Thinking about…”, the Russian intention in Ukraine has been genocidal from the beginning.
The notion that Ukraine does not exist, that its state is artificial and its national consciousness a confusion — this Putinist rhetoric was genocidal. Moscow’s claims that Ukrainians are all Nazis or gays or Jews or Satanists (the current line) is nothing more than a fascist politics of us-and-them: the enemy is defined via hate speech as subhuman, as beyond any ethical concern, existing only to be destroyed.
The standard Russian occupation practices of kidnapping children, raping women, and executing local leaders are genocidal. Everywhere that Russia has been forced to leave Ukrainian territory, for example in Kherson region these last few days, Ukrainians find the death pits and the torture chambers. These and other actions constitute genocide in the sense of the 1948 convention, as I explain in this lecture.
It is Russian policy to deprive Ukrainians of light, heat, and water during the winter by destroying civilian infrastructure. Just yesterday Russia fired dozens more missiles at civilian targets, leaving about ten million people without electricity during very cold nights and days. As I write, people I care about are in bomb shelters, listening to explosions.
This deliberate creation of misery and lethal conditions for civilians is contrary to the laws of war. It is also another violation of the genocide convention, which forbids “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.” That this is indeed the intention is gleefully affirmed practically every day on Russian state television.
Yesterday’s attack was the largest on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure since the war began. Russia launched 95 missiles and drones. To stop the missiles, Ukraine needs Western government help with air defense and aircraft. The Shahed drones, from Iran, are what is known as loitering munitions. For weeks they have been used to destroy the Ukrainian power grid as well as other civilian targets. They are a terror weapon put to a criminal purpose.
The Ukrainians are good at repairing what the Russians destroy. But the large number of drones has made it hard to keep up. And the loss of the electricity grid as such will lead to horrific conditions and tremendous loss of life, especially among the vulnerable and the elderly.
This is where we can do something. We can help stop the drones. President Zelens’kyi’s United24Foundation asked me to raise money for a cause of my choice. As a historian, I could have chosen a destroyed library (which I visited in Chernihiv a few weeks ago), and in the future I will do just that. But right now Ukrainians need to get through this winter and win this war.
So rather than indulge my own preferences, I asked where I could be most immediately helpful. The answer from the Ukrainians I asked was a system to defend against the Iranian drones. And so that is what, as an ambassador of the president’s United24 platform, I have pledged to do: to raise $1.25 million for such a system, a Shahed Hunter.
Donate to fund a Shahed Hunter
I am honored to be among a wonderful group of ambassadors — including Mark Hamill, Liev Schreiber, and Barbra Streisand — who have made similar pledges to raise funds.
Now, the Ukrainians might think that I am famous, but I am not famous like these wonderful actors! So I am counting on you to help, and to spread the word.
A difference between this genocide and others is that you can do something to stop it easily and right now. Please make a contribution here to protect Ukrainians from the drones that are destroying their conditions of life. And then please share this post with others who might wish to do the same. Thank you.
Another great actor… and profoundly decent man. I did get him to laugh once or twice. The warmth and intelligence he is able to show in these profoundly distressing conditions is just hugely admirable. Help me to get to that smile again by providing Ukrainians with what they need most.
“This deliberate creation of misery and lethal conditions for civilians is contrary to the laws of war.”
“Laws of war”, a joke no doubt, written by the victors of wars.
Even the victors of wars ignore those laws, the US is one of the countries, along with Russia, that did not:
http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/en-gb/the-treaty/treaty-status.aspx
Not a joke. Not written by the victors alone, but by the nations of the world. An important part of international law. But here’s the rub: there must be the willingness and the military and penal might to enforce them. Thankfully, we now have the International Criminal Court, and we have special UN tribunals. Both will have roles to play to punish the Russian war criminals.
Neither the U.S. nor Russia recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.
A failing. However, the US has assisted in cases brought before the court. Predictably, there is a political cast to ICC support in the US, with Repugnicant administrations opposing the court and Democratic administrations working with it.
For example, international law, as codified by the United Nations, prohibits UN member states from invading other UN member states except under very specific conditions, such as to rescue one’s nationals being held hostage or to stop an ongoing genocide, and then only after notification of the UN and for this purpose and this purpose only and only for the time necessary to carry out the objective. It also requires regular reports on the progress of the action. International law prohibits the targeting of civilians and medical personnel. It prohibits the use of chemical weapons (including nerve agents and asphyxiating gases) and biological weapons and cluster munitions and nuclear weapons and thermobaric weapons and blinding weapons and anti-personnel mines. It prohibits the torture and murder of prisoners of war. It prohibits rape and pillaging. It prohibits extermination and enslavement and mass deportations. It prohibits the use of starvation as a means of war. It prohibits targeting particular ethnic groups. It prohibits use of slave labor. And so on. Rules of war. Important. Not a joke. Written by the nations of the world, working together, over decades.
https://www.icrc.org/en/document/what-are-rules-of-war-Geneva-Conventions
“The Wisdom* of Donald Trump”
“Laws are for losers”
The Donald’s position
“They aren’t for winners
And neither is prison”
*Who knew?
“Laws are for Losers”
A new movie on an old theme, starring Donald Trump, with a supporting cast of Robert Mueller, Merrick Garland and the US Supreme Court Majority.
Few people sufficiently appreciate the mighty role that Mueller and Garland have played in defending the principal that law is for losers.
Worthy of a “Donald” for supporting actor from the Academy of Loathsome Pictures
Speaking of Loathsome, how about that Alito.
It looks like he’s been leaking for a while.
He might want to look into getting some Depends.
But just Alito bit (as you would put it, Bob)
With Alito bit
Just Alito bit
Just Alito bit
With Alito bit of bloomin leak
To those who don’t recognize it, that’s from the movie classic , “My UnFair Lady Liberty”
Sung by Professor Riggins
“Alito Bit of Leak”
The Lord above gave man a Law of iron
So he could do his job and never shirk
The Lord above gave man a Law of iron
But, with Alito bit of leak, with Alito bit of leak
Someone else can help you do His work
With Alito bit, with Alito bit
With Alito bit, they’ll help you do His work
The Lord above made leaking for temptation
To see if man could turn away from sin
The Lord above made leaking for temptation
But, with Alito bit of leak, with Alito bit of leak
When the leaking comes you’ll give right in
With Alito bit, with Alito bit
With Alito bit of leak you’ll give right in
Oh you can walk the straight and narrow
But with Alito bit of leak you’ll run amok
The human laws demand interpretation
To follow Christ and see His will is taught
The human laws demand interpretation
But with Alito bit of leak, with Alito bit of leak
You can have it all and not get caught
With Alito bit, with Alito bit
With a little bit of leak you won’t get caught
With Alito bit, with Alito bit
With Alito bit of bloomin’ leak
Hat tip to Bob Shepherd for “Alito bit” of inspiration
Make that Alotta bit
Clue
It happened in the Court
With Samuel and leak
I really must report
Cuz Roberts doesn’t speak
Raven Lunacy
Amy, cut the lights
And Sammy,lock the door
Constitution fights
Will bother Never More!
That was originally Constitution rights, but, like the Court Majority, autocorrect knows best
But fights actually works too
Every once in a while autocorrect is bound to get it correct by pure chznce
This is so awesome. Please contribute.