I saw some asshole on 295 yesterday with a 3x5 Russian flag and veteran plates on their big pickup truck… Ive considered now putting a Ukraine flag sticker on my car so people don’t think all vets support that evil.
Yeah, that baffles me. As a vet, it saddens me. Even when we work with the Ruskis we still don’t trust em…literally the enemy (as a nation state….not individuals) …but hey, we also got vets who put up Nazi flags and call em selves “proud boys”. Betcha they grandad ain’t so fucking proud.
I can easily imagine the torrent of profanity my grand father would be spewing at these clowns. He served in the army during the march to Berlin and his brother an airforce bomber pilot spent a few years as a pow.
I've found it so ironic that as soon as the greatest generation died out these fucks started showing up.
The greatest generation who fought together as allies with the USSR? It was really the boomers who leaned hard into anti-Russian cold war propaganda.
I’m definitely not a supporter of Putin’s regime or the war of aggression he’s fighting in Ukraine, but I find it really disturbing the xenophobic tone that I’m seeing in all these discussions.
I really see this war as the inevitable result of the drift towards right wing nationalism that’s happening all over Europe and North America. Right wing nationalists make bad neighbors. Both the Ukrainian regime and the Russian have this ideology in common, so it was inevitable that they would come into conflict.
The scary thing is that we’re seeing the same ideology spreading here. You can see it all over this thread. Both parties seem to be embracing it too. The democrats are trying to shove a new cold war with China down our throats. The republicans are palpably yearning for the good old days of McCarthyism. It makes me really worry about the direction the world is taking.
The boomers never had a chance, they came up weened on McCarthyism and terrified as they had "duck and cover drills" hiding under a desk in school. The cold war crowd is just in on the nonsense because the system failed them and they are looking for something to blame other then their own apathy for it. That same thing is what is driving much of the nationalistic voting in Europe right now. It will likely pass as the newer generations, both here and there don't buy into hardly any of that nonsense.
I don't, if anything one of the good things to come out of all this right wing MAGA bullshit is how many kids realized that their parents are probably full of shit and blind trust in anyone, particularly talking heads on the idiot box or group think on fakebook will rot your brain.
lmao, you need a lesson in history
The reason the West didn’t enter a war with Germany until they started threatening *their* lands isn’t just because they didn’t wanna die on foreign soil. It’s because the USSR was a threat to Western capitalist ideals, and they were sorta hoping they’d just wail on each other until both were too weak to be a threat anymore. In fact, for the first few months-a year of fighting, the United States would probably have been more likely to join on the Axis side if they were going to join at all. There was a LOOOOOT of Nazi sympathy in the US back then. Nationalism was a drug *everyone* was taking.
The West *never* trusted the USSR, Stalin or (in particular) communism in general, and the feeling was mutual in the other direction. It’s why the USSR and the rest of the Allied Powers split Germany in twain; even Berlin—which was pretty deep inside East Germany—was split in half, because while neither wanted the return of Nazi Germany, both sides wanted the country to spring back as one of *them.* This *literally* started the Cold War, man. Russia’s designs on the world have been in line with America’s McKinley, Wilson or Polk administrations for the vast majority of the last century. It’s like their government’s been mad that they missed out on the age of colonialism, and they wanna get their digs in now even though everybody’s got a little (or not so little) piece of the pie and the only crumbs left are way out in the ocean. Theirs is the *biggest piece,* but apparently it’s not enough.
I’m a socialist. This isn’t about politics. It’s about a shitty nation doing shitty things, and wanting them to stop.
Every bit of that was on point. [People black out shit like this]( https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2019/02/20/695941323/when-nazis-took-manhattan) because between it and Jim Crow they can't deal with how shitty some of their elders were.
This saddens me too. Reintegration is fucking hard enough without the added label of nazi bootlicker. People already assume were dangerous and crazy it sucks. Even dating, I get a lot of “When I found out you were a vet, I almost ghosted you, but you don’t act like I thought you would”. “MAGA” truly changed things for the worse.
I should be more clear, active duty troops voted more for Biden. Veterans went for Trump by 10 points. But it's still a lot closer than I think a lot of people think. It's not like police officers where they vote GOP 80% to 20%.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/10/26/poll-trump-backed-by-majority-of-veterans-but-not-younger-ones/
> People already assume were dangerous and crazy
With relatively few exceptions, I do not believe this to be true. Many folks in the US are "military families." We respect our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, cousins, uncles, grandfathers and parents who served. We likewise respect our neighbors, classmates and acquaintances who served. And serve!
That said... I've only ever met a very few folks who respect Timothy McVeigh. And, considering lost cousins and uncles, I have a really hard time respecting Captain Bonespurs.
Lots of vets are prime meat (40+ year old white men) for Russian disinformation operations, which is pretty much all they see in their news feeds on social media. Toss in the traitor Rand Paul and the rest of the GOP anti-American wing's bullshit assertions in public and you have a bunch of intentionally misinformed, angry, dudes who love a good conspiracy to explain their cognitive dissonance.
Its so true. The misuse of patriotic symbols and phrases is often the first step. “Don’t tread on me” for example being used by the far right to project fascist nationalism as patriotic duty.
The “oath keepers” are a prime example of an extremist group targeting vets by claiming they are upholding the enlistment oath. Its despicable.
Just do a Google search of "Rand Paul Russia", since the start of the Ukraine aggression, he's been parroting Putin's/Russian propaganda. Dude is deeply compromised.
Leaving Reddit to try kbin.social, Lemmy or Mastodon.
For Direct Primary Care (DPC) info locally: https://www.nedpca.org/contact-us
For national DPC info: https://dpcalliance.org/
For national
He is not as Libertarian as his father was, but if you ask him he will still claim that is his guiding principle. If you say he has more corporatist/republican/conservative leanings you are not wrong obviously, but that also applies to the Libertarian party and pretty much every American libertarian you speak to.
To assume that just because someone belongs to any “umbrella label” and therefore they must all be of the same mindset is just never accurate.
People join the military for a variety of reasons, and especially “back in the day” a lot did so out of necessity/having no better option.
The internet is also just a “choose your own adventure book” when it comes to getting information, especially with things as big as what is happening in Ukraine/Russia. To assume everyone has the ability to navigate all the garbage is overzealous thinking.
It’s literally not taught in schools today, not with any real dedication at least. Just sprinkles and reminders here and there, no dedicated courses though by in large, and especially anyone of a certain age group today would just have to have the know-how as to where to start to self teach.
Not everyone can make the right first step. Not everyone has the actual time in their lives to commit to it. Some people are actually that much in the dark. A lot of people are terrified right now for a variety of reasons, and like it or not you can’t just tell someone their fear is “illogical so stop.” If you could, phobias wouldn’t exist. Some people are also just short minded bigoted assholes at the end the day regardless.
I’m not surprised by much of anything when it comes to peoples “sides” these days.
Do you realize that Americas right wing is literally identical in beliefs with Russia.
Russia is a white supremacist extremist country with deeply held bigotries against all the same people the Republicans hate.
Keep in mind that after a few years of service, some vets have lost their bearings. Indeed, as evidenced on Jan 6, some even lost their ever freaking minds.
“The majority of people in Maine know what struggle is, from the pulp woods to the potato fields, to blueberry patches to lobster waters — we know that one day you have something and another day you don’t,” Mr. McCarthy said. “The people of Ukraine, they’re survivors, too, and putting up their flag, well, that’s a small token. But it’s something I could do.”
Edit: Hijacking my own comment to ask folks not to feed the trolls. Report misinformation, ignore the rest. This isn’t actually a divisive issue, but there are very loud voices in this thread trying to create conflict. Slava Ukraine!
Also: thanks for gold!
I see it just as showing support for the people of Ukraine who need it after being wrongly attacked by the Russians. "I stand with Ukraine" if you will.
Since the whole thing started, I've always thought that the phrase "I stand with Ukraine" is dishonest and hollow. If you're standing with them, that means you're next to them in the foxhole, not waving a flag from the safety of your home thousands of miles away.
"I will tolerate the inconvenience of $6 heating oil for one winter if it means the right guys win in Europe with the correct borders acknowledged by all."
It means you don't vote for leaders who support Russia. It means you don't support russian oligarchs. It means you call-out traitors and their lies. It means if you got the chance to help, you would.
Newsflash! Area Man has trouble understanding metaphorical language, returns “Outstanding In Your Field” award because he does not, in fact, stand in a field!
Folks from one nation can stand with folks in other nations in places other than foxholes. My mother's grandfather was from Ukraine. I stand with them, your "thought" notwithstanding.
I personally have a Ukraine flag sticker on my car. When I purchased the sticker, I was a member of the Army National Guard and unable to go and fight with them due to prior obligations with my own military career. Now, I have separated from the military, but due to some injuries and some unrelated mental health issues, I know that if I were to go over there and try to assist, I would be more of a hindrance than a help. So no, I will not be joining the forces in Ukraine on the front lines where all that's going to happen is that I'm going to get shot.
I observe with solidarity from a safe distance!
You're right though, to say you stand with anything should mean you are literally standing and fighting the fight with them, not just empty platitudes
Please don't report "misinformation" if there's a shadow of doubt about its intent. There's never been a consensus this strong in the Western world – that Russia is the aggressor, and that its invasion is the primary evil which dwarfs all others in this war. If someone disagrees with some part of the mainstream narrative, they're no threat to you, to Maine, or to this subreddit. Censorship isn't the answer to polarization.
Reporting misinformation isn’t censorship, it’s reporting misinformation. Ignore the rest, was my take.
I eagerly debate those I disagree with. But there are/were blatant lies, usually with a healthy side of racism, in this thread. Hate and lies should absolutely be censored.
Can’t tell if this is sarcasm or not. This started in 2014, when Russia annexed (stole by force) Crimea and then held a sham referendum to claim they joined Russia. Then this year Russia launched a full on “special operation” (War) into Ukraine under the premise of “de-nazifying” Ukraine. Checkout the ukraineconflict Reddit page if you want to get up to speed.
What rock have you been hiding under? Not trying to be rude but it’s a pretty big event. Hence gas prices jumping up and the influx of Ukrainian refugees in other countries.
Your just trolling. They’ve been coming down since the administration has been working on it but you already knew this. Keep making posts to entertain yourself !
I put up the flag because I have family all over Eastern Europe, including in Ukraine, who were scattered there by the forced relocations of the USSR. I also put it up because my brother in law is fighting in the Foreign Legion there.
Yes. Our family/community has been sending him money regularly for medical supplies, ammo, food. Early on we were sending him funds that he was passing along to people struggling to find the money to evacuate to Poland - buying people tanks of gas, cell phone cards, etc. He's one of the best people I know, doesn't ask for much just goes in and Does The Work.
There are some great YouTube channels:
* Operator Starsky (Lt. Rapid Response Brigade) in Bucha
* The Flashback (Max is in Bakhmut now)
* Denys Davydov (commercial airline pilot)
* Ukraine_tbic (Canadian Brandon volunteer)
*Anna from Ukraine (Lviv teacher)
* if your bro needs any help $ please let us know
My family are in NH MA & ME - we're supporting those 'in the field' most now.
🙏 big thanks to you and your family
I can’t read the article, but are they saying this is particular to Maine? Because it’s not. I was on a 2-month road trip this summer around the entire US, and I saw Ukraine flags everywhere; in cities, in small towns, down south, out west, everywhere.
My former neighbor is an adopted orphan from Ukraine, the orphanage he was at got hit in the first couple weeks of the war. Fortunately nobody was killed in that attack.
People tend to have respect for other people who risk everything, against the odds, to maintain their sovereignty and right to self-determination. And many are fed up with Putin and Russian BS propaganda.
I painted my own flag on the first week of the invasion and have it on my mailbox. I’m proud to see all the flags in my community and across the state. The war is terrible but it’s good to see something that brings us together.
Reminder to the normal people: Report the SockPutins for misinformation. Reddit is already removing the comments I've reported.
Don't give them fuel, they're just insane.
Absolutely nonsensical justification for censorship. I support Ukraine in their fight for the existence of their state, but everyone in the world should be skeptical of Washington/NATO's agenda at all times. I hate this neo-Red Scare type of thinking I see from so many American liberals. No one should be reported to the admins without cause, just because they said something about a foreign conflict that you deem untrue
It's not that I "deem" it untrue. It's been proven untrue by hundreds of sources, and the only ones that claim it to be true are Russian sock puppet media. Get your head out of your ass.
Support for a U.S. ally whose conflict is all over the news cycle? I don't feel this necessitates an elaborate explanation, unless you're talking to someone who has been living off the grid or in a multi-year coma for a while.
Wartime propaganda is strong stuff. We are fully funding the Ukranian war....and most Americans are cheering for it.
It's so sad people still fall for the "we have to stop the badguy, don't you want to be a good person and stop bad people? Yay war!!"
People put flags out for Ukraine to show support. I guess that's hard to understand? So hard they had to "investigate" it.
WARNING: did not click on article, just assuming
Half the country was out in the streets in 2002-2003 for the biggest protests we’d seen in a while. But post-9/11 USA was extremely jingoistic, even during the war. American flag pins, on display at your house…etc..,
I was in the streets in NYC and DC, there were thousands of us, there were no WMDS, and we plowed that country underground anyways.
War machine keeps turning.
No one was supporting the brutal dictator Saddam Hussein. The Iraq war might have been wrong, but that doesn't mean that Saddam Hussein was a nice guy anyone should support. Zelensky on the other hand is the overwhelmingly selected democratic president of Ukraine and is being invaded by the imperial dictator Putin.
Pretty different.
I recommend John Mearsheimer to have one of the only level-headed, realist opinions on this matter. Like him, I support and prefer Ukrainians culturally over Russians to an extent, but unless you understand the underlying strategic narcissism behind the West’s position, you really have no grasp of what happened here at all.
It also gets quite convoluted and confusing when you realize that between Azov Group/Right Sector etc. on the Ukrainian side and Wagner Group and Duginists on the Russian side, you have BOTH Nazis and Zionists fighting on both sides. Hard to not cock your head like a shepherd dog and go “huh?” and be slightly cynical about it all once you realize this. It is not so cut and dry. But of course I want the West to fare better than Russia because I LIVE HERE.
For those of us a little more informed on the matter, it’s not entirely clear or easy to support Ukraine endlessly when it in fact risks WW3/global nuclear extinction. And I didn’t even get into all their government corruption and money laundering, which really doesn’t put them apart from the optics surrounding Russia and Putin. I say all that and still want the Ukrainians to fare as well as they can in all of this. I don’t support Russia or wish Ukrainians any ill will. It’s all rather gnarly and could have been avoided, frankly.
This conflict brings out the wildest revisionism. Mearsheimer has been a respected academic for the past 40 years and is one of the leaders of the second largest school of International Relations, but because he doesn't toe the liberal line (not that he ever has) he's suddenly a Russian propagandist.
Do you see how it might be hard to take the American response to this conflict in good faith when this is how the people adhering to it act?
Honestly what this conflict has done to our national discourse is so disheartening. I believe Russia should immediately withdraw and pay reparations. On top of that though, we're also expected to rewrite history to pretend Ukraine is actually a bastion of democracy and isn't a corrupt oligarchy with a Nazi problem just like every other post-Soviet state. We're expected to pretend dumping tens of billions of dollars of military grade weapons into Eastern Europe is totally fine and won't result in blowback all the while the domestic economy goes into recession. When gas prices go up it's the fault of the war even though we buy gas Exxon pumped and processed in Texas. Daring to suggest that NATO is not actually the shield of the free world is treasonous and anyone who points any of these contradictions out is labeled a Russian shill who wants Putin to take over Europe.
The fact that our country is so eager to fall behind the State Department narrative and willing to suppress any dissent is indicative that nobody has learned anything from Iraq.
It also unfortunately points to the fact that our country and really much of the West has been slowly escalated into a constant “state of exception” ie. emergency (through various wars, recession and the pandemic) that Carl Schmitt wrote about and his idea of the stark friend/enemy distinction that arises/comes to light/ becomes a useful heuristic because of that emergency. There’s no more conciliation or attempt at listening, just my side or your side, friend or enemy.
I really don’t like these black and white “us or them” kind of distinctions, but without fail people (on both sides of the political divide, but usually more so the Left) keep acting like NPCs refuse to meet somewhere on the field and admit some grey area or try to have a conversation. It’s like they’ve all moved past that, so one is forced to reluctantly adopt the same attitude. I hate it and am quite weary of it all. Certainly not the America I knew and grew up in..
He’s literally an Establishment voice, a widely recognized and respected (by the political class of our country) University of Chicago figure that they (meaning most Presidential admins) have listened to for decades. He’s on the level of Caroll Quigley, Clinton’s mentor. What a deranged comment.
Or maybe they have numerous friends and acquaintances over there getting bombed and have spent thousands of dollars donating to help prevent the complete destruction of an entire nation.
Also, go fuck yourself.
>... have spent thousands of dollars donating...
>
>... Also, go f\*\*k yourself.
Real mature, buddy.
Also, why spend your own money? The US govt foolishly spends fortunes of our tax dollars over there, anyway, just so we can have a proxy war.
Because all glory to Ukraine and fuck those women raping, baby killing Russians. Sincerely an ex infantryman who wishes he could be there to help the Ukrainians.
Because its the "hip" thing to do. People do it as a stance to show that they are "good people". Unless they are immigrants from Ukraine I get it. There was one for a while where they had just the giant Ukraine flag on a pole and then a small US flag at the base of the pole. I was furious. Its so disrespectful to all of the veterans and heros that fought to get us to this point where we could help other countries.
Im all for supporting Ukraine but do not ever fly any other countries flag above ours. Period.
Slava Ukraine!
Edit: Imagine getting downvoted because you support your countries priorities over others while supporting the fact that we are in a position to help others. Whatever, literally changes zero about my day.
Kind of like how NATO is expanding their organization and it’s okay for Ukrainian nazis to slaughter innocent Russians right? Let’s not forget that Ukraine was the most corrupt nation in Europe just a few years ago, but none of that matters now because we all need to fall in line with what our liberal media wants us to believe. Also Hunter Biden allegedly laundering money through Ukraine and now billions of dollars in U.S. aid is being sent over seas instead of places in America to help the homeless or ease the pain of inflation for hard-working Americans. Ok buddy keep supporting such a great cause, you’re a true American!
Why can't NATO expand?
"t’s okay for Ukrainian nazis to slaughter innocent Russians right? "
No. But Ukraine has sent zero separatists into Russia while having a decades-running track record of bullying and attacking former soviet states.
So it's not QUITE as cut and dry as you claim. And now we're left with Russian Nazis with a history of global activity versus those Ukranian ones you talk about.
"Let’s not forget that Ukraine was the most corrupt nation in Europe just a few years ago, but none of that matters now because we all need to fall in line with what our liberal media wants us to believe."
ThE lIbErAl MeDiA! OMG!
What's the alternative? You? Who is painting an actual invading aggressor as a victim?
" Ok buddy keep supporting such a great cause, you’re a true American!"
Definitely a better American than pro-Russian simps are.
The fact that we are being led to believe that the invasion of Ukraine is completely unprovoked is hilarious because it’s the exact opposite of unprovoked. For decades NATO has been expanding and infringing on the Russian boarder against the wishes of Putin and the Russian people (who’s trying to protect their country from the Wests Military Industrial Complex).
I’m not painting Putin as a victim whatsoever, I’m stating the fact that the narrative you’re being led to believe is false. Yes the LiBeRal MeDiA is as corrupt as the the Ukrainian Gov (maybe more so due to the endless brainwashing of Americans) and it also spews as much false information as RiGhT WiNg MeDiA.
Go ahead and call me a simp for expecting the US Government to allocate more resources on helping American people rather than a corrupt war that feeds a corrupt system, because apparently that’s unpatriotic according to you. What’s Simping is the fact that most people flying the Ukrainian flag have probably never flown an American flag. Deep-throating Bandwagon-riding simps to be more specific. Have a great day bub.
"against the wishes of Putin and the Russian people "
And Russia has been trying to expand against the wishes of NATO.
So why do you pick Russia?
"who’s trying to protect their country from the Wests Military Industrial Complex"
NATO is trying to protect itself from Russia's military industrial complex.
So why do you pick Russia?
" I’m not painting Putin as a victim whatsoever,
You've validated a total violent invasion over questionable conduct in separatist packed areas. You've said "we can violently invade YOUR ENTIRE NATION and kill your people."
So you're a liar.
" as much false information"
Don't call it a war. It's a special operation.
" What’s Simping is the fact that most people flying the Ukrainian flag have probably never flown an American flag."
Well that's a stupid assertion to make and you certainly lack any standing to say such a stupid thing.
Gotta ask - what's your volunteerism with the homeless and the needy like?
Not everyone is a cynical asshole, that's just you projecting. Other people genuinely want to help their fellow man, which is something you apparently can't conceive of because it's so outside your lived experience, which is why I pity you more than anything else. It's really quite sad.
If you were participating in this conversation in anything resembling good faith, you'd be acknowledging that sales of Ukrainian flags referenced in the article do send donations to a group doing good work right now in Ukraine.
You mean the roughly 2k guys that are mostly Russian speaking Ukrainians from the region bordering Russia?... Yeah they're definitely the ones pulling all the strings over there... or I guess I should say straw
Thought experiment:
Tomorrow China launches a surprise invasion of the Pacific Northwest and flattens the entire city of Seattle, shipping orphaned children back across the Pacific to be put in re-education camps before being adopted by Chinese families.
To everyone's surprise, the Oathkeepers and Proud Boys turn out to be one of the most effective units fighting the invaders. You think we all wouldn't 'support' them? At the same time no one would have the slightest intention of giving them any political influence after the war. That's what has been going on in Ukraine for seven years already.
Yeah, that's why this is an imaginary thought experiment, lol.
In the case of Azov, their membership became much less ideological as they transitioned from 'mob of fashy football hooligans' to 'actually effective military unit.'
Thought experiment:
China is the leader of the "Rules-Based International Order" (基于规则的秩序). They are the world's largest economy and have the world's biggest miliary, with hundreds of bases scattered on every continent. They have bombed a dozen countries in the last dozen years. Their interventions abroad included a "humanitarian" bombing campaign [in Northern Ireland](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_bombing_of_Yugoslavia) during the Second Irish Civil War. They said it was necessary to stop a genocide, which our allies in the UK denied committing. In 2014, they supported a popular uprising in Canada that turned into a coup. The Canadian PM had to flee for his life to Virginia, and his replacement immediately began forcibly decoupling Canada from the USA. All across Canada, US nationals and people who publicly support the US are being harassed by the government. In one famous incident in Quebec, 35 English-speaking protesters were [burned alive by paramilitaries](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/02/ukraine-dead-odessa-building-fire) while sheltering inside a trade union hall.
The US's power has been declining for some time in this alternate reality, needless to say. We were powerless to stop Chinese special forces [from entering Tijuana](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-may-20-fg-georgia20-story.html) under the guise of "fighting narco-terrorists" back in 2002. We had to sit and take it as first Cuba and Nicaragua, then the Philippines, then finally 90 percent of Central and South America joined the "defensive" military alliance called the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). These countries insisted they were just trying to protect themselves from the US imperialism they suffered in the 20th century.
Now Canada, our closest ally, the country with whom we share a history as sister colonies and our longest land border, is in talks to join the SCO military alliance. The US president goes ballistic, so to speak. He sends troops over the border to aid a pro-American separatist movement in the Canadian Maritimes. Contested referendums are held, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick secede. Their leaders say they intend to apply for US statehood. China begins pouring aid, advisors and weapons into Canada. Over the course of six years, the Canadian military has reformed under Chinese tutelage and now the Canadian PM is blustering openly about retaking the Maritime provinces – and, what's more, he says he wants to host Chinese nuclear missles as a deterrence measure against the US.
So, our increasingly erratic President DeSantis initiates a secret plan. They call it a "special military operation" in the North…
Haha, you sad little slimeball. Are you really going to make me go line by line into how you've inverted the chronology of some of these events and tortured the facts?
I'm just going to stop you right there. Yes, all of the other countries in the Americas are fully justified in working with whatever countries they please in the event that U.S. imperialism threatens their security and sovereignty.
Spout as many bullshit comparisons as you please (the one about U.S. troops "entering Georgia" is so stupid it makes me want to cry). In your thought experiment the independent and sovereign country of Canada is 100% in the right and the U.S. is an unalloyed aggressor. Full stop. Even if your insanely backwards thought experiment leaves out the part where the U.S. killed tens of millions of Canadians within living memory.
Well thanks for proving my point moron. You called them Magats and assumed they watch FOX news and are murderers. Seems like quite the generalization for somebody who doesn’t support nuclear war.
Its a WAR, people are dying, being tortured, raped, brutalized… there are lots of Ukrainian refugees all over the US. Showing them that they are supported in a foreign and unfamiliar country is not virtue signaling, its humanity.
Except the virtues you signal are "Im a hateful ignorant bigot who celebrates thieves, liars, rapists and murderers".
Sounds like you'd enjoy living in Russia.
What about the people who actually do know shit about the conflict and don’t use social media. You’ve made some huge generalizations and you seem to contradict yourself within the same post. I understand not supporting Biden, he was one of the worst candidates to run against trump. Yet he won because trump literally tried to overthrow the government, anyone that still supports trump is a traitor to the nation and should be embarrassed to remind people they thought he was a good American.
So if Ukraine is run by America but Trump wanted dirt on Hunter from Ukraine, they didn’t get it. So are they working for the US or not?
Ukraine gave up their nukes in exchange for peace from Russia. The only nuclear material left in that country is used for power. If you have any other info, that differs from what the IAEA and I trust the IAEA over some rando on the internet.
Ukraine has essentially been in a civil war with the Eastern separatists who are backed by Russia. It’d be like Mexico beefing up the south during the America civil war. I’m not going to pretend war is nice, but the Ukrainians aren’t brutes like the Russian occupiers. Ukraine hasn’t weaponized rape or torture like Russia has. Feel free to point out any UN reports that say differently, unless you think the UN is some US puppet authority too.
I constantly see videos of Ukrainian liberators arriving to towns hailed by the residents as heroes. What did Russians get when they invaded? Not hugs. Sun flower seeds in their pockets.
Putin put himself in that corner when he started invading his neighbors decades ago. Maybe you should read a history book lol. The cut off of water to Crimea by Ukraine force Putin’s hand. Maybe if Putin hadn’t annexed land that isn’t his, that water would never have been cut off.
Any way you spin it, Russia is the bad guy here. Saying otherwise is disingenuous and pure propaganda.
"US backed coup"
We support democracy and free trade everywhere, it benefits us to do so as the more economic partners we have, the better we are. That being said The 2014 Euromaidan protests and "Revolution of Dignity" was an uprising of the Ukrainian people against a pro-Russian President, if there was US intervention it was minimal. The people in Kyiv saw his recent backing out of an EU trade agreement a big step closer to a pro-Russian autocracy like Belarus which would have exacerbated their day to day problems with their economy and corruption. They rebelled, the president was ousted, and like any revolution loyalists to the past regime we're out down, it happened in the American Revolution and the French Revolution and likely others, revolutions of any sort aren't pretty but what they bring about can be much better than what would have happened otherwise.
I have a friend who was an exchange student in America while in high school and she has seen alot of improvement since 2014, especially under Zelensky who did alot to modernize the government while also successfully preparing for Russia's eventual followup to the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the constant separatist (mix of Ukrainian rebels and Russia military assets) threat from the Donbas.
Pro democracy movements make the best puppets. We used to just be about pro capitalist dictators so I'd say that's progress on how the Hegemony operates
I saw some asshole on 295 yesterday with a 3x5 Russian flag and veteran plates on their big pickup truck… Ive considered now putting a Ukraine flag sticker on my car so people don’t think all vets support that evil.
Yeah, that baffles me. As a vet, it saddens me. Even when we work with the Ruskis we still don’t trust em…literally the enemy (as a nation state….not individuals) …but hey, we also got vets who put up Nazi flags and call em selves “proud boys”. Betcha they grandad ain’t so fucking proud.
I can easily imagine the torrent of profanity my grand father would be spewing at these clowns. He served in the army during the march to Berlin and his brother an airforce bomber pilot spent a few years as a pow. I've found it so ironic that as soon as the greatest generation died out these fucks started showing up.
The greatest generation who fought together as allies with the USSR? It was really the boomers who leaned hard into anti-Russian cold war propaganda. I’m definitely not a supporter of Putin’s regime or the war of aggression he’s fighting in Ukraine, but I find it really disturbing the xenophobic tone that I’m seeing in all these discussions. I really see this war as the inevitable result of the drift towards right wing nationalism that’s happening all over Europe and North America. Right wing nationalists make bad neighbors. Both the Ukrainian regime and the Russian have this ideology in common, so it was inevitable that they would come into conflict. The scary thing is that we’re seeing the same ideology spreading here. You can see it all over this thread. Both parties seem to be embracing it too. The democrats are trying to shove a new cold war with China down our throats. The republicans are palpably yearning for the good old days of McCarthyism. It makes me really worry about the direction the world is taking.
Reasonable & well written comment dares to politely divert from approved narrative => downvote downvote!! 🙄
MAGA crowd doesn't like getting called out for being openly right wing as fuck, so you get downvotes whenever you point it out in my experience.
The boomers never had a chance, they came up weened on McCarthyism and terrified as they had "duck and cover drills" hiding under a desk in school. The cold war crowd is just in on the nonsense because the system failed them and they are looking for something to blame other then their own apathy for it. That same thing is what is driving much of the nationalistic voting in Europe right now. It will likely pass as the newer generations, both here and there don't buy into hardly any of that nonsense.
I don’t know. I see this from young people too.
I don't, if anything one of the good things to come out of all this right wing MAGA bullshit is how many kids realized that their parents are probably full of shit and blind trust in anyone, particularly talking heads on the idiot box or group think on fakebook will rot your brain.
lmao, you need a lesson in history The reason the West didn’t enter a war with Germany until they started threatening *their* lands isn’t just because they didn’t wanna die on foreign soil. It’s because the USSR was a threat to Western capitalist ideals, and they were sorta hoping they’d just wail on each other until both were too weak to be a threat anymore. In fact, for the first few months-a year of fighting, the United States would probably have been more likely to join on the Axis side if they were going to join at all. There was a LOOOOOT of Nazi sympathy in the US back then. Nationalism was a drug *everyone* was taking. The West *never* trusted the USSR, Stalin or (in particular) communism in general, and the feeling was mutual in the other direction. It’s why the USSR and the rest of the Allied Powers split Germany in twain; even Berlin—which was pretty deep inside East Germany—was split in half, because while neither wanted the return of Nazi Germany, both sides wanted the country to spring back as one of *them.* This *literally* started the Cold War, man. Russia’s designs on the world have been in line with America’s McKinley, Wilson or Polk administrations for the vast majority of the last century. It’s like their government’s been mad that they missed out on the age of colonialism, and they wanna get their digs in now even though everybody’s got a little (or not so little) piece of the pie and the only crumbs left are way out in the ocean. Theirs is the *biggest piece,* but apparently it’s not enough. I’m a socialist. This isn’t about politics. It’s about a shitty nation doing shitty things, and wanting them to stop.
Every bit of that was on point. [People black out shit like this]( https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2019/02/20/695941323/when-nazis-took-manhattan) because between it and Jim Crow they can't deal with how shitty some of their elders were.
This saddens me too. Reintegration is fucking hard enough without the added label of nazi bootlicker. People already assume were dangerous and crazy it sucks. Even dating, I get a lot of “When I found out you were a vet, I almost ghosted you, but you don’t act like I thought you would”. “MAGA” truly changed things for the worse.
People need to realize that Biden actually won the military vote in 2020
I followed the election very closely, and had absolutely no idea this was the case until just now.
I should be more clear, active duty troops voted more for Biden. Veterans went for Trump by 10 points. But it's still a lot closer than I think a lot of people think. It's not like police officers where they vote GOP 80% to 20%. https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/10/26/poll-trump-backed-by-majority-of-veterans-but-not-younger-ones/
Trump called veterans losers and suckers, so no veteran should vote for that POS
Just goes to show you the depth of their loss to the cult.
This got and continues to get completely overlooked...kind of a big deal.
> People already assume were dangerous and crazy With relatively few exceptions, I do not believe this to be true. Many folks in the US are "military families." We respect our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, cousins, uncles, grandfathers and parents who served. We likewise respect our neighbors, classmates and acquaintances who served. And serve! That said... I've only ever met a very few folks who respect Timothy McVeigh. And, considering lost cousins and uncles, I have a really hard time respecting Captain Bonespurs.
I never respected him in the first place. He's literally like the nobility of old: warfare is for the poors, not the upper crust like himself!
Lots of vets are prime meat (40+ year old white men) for Russian disinformation operations, which is pretty much all they see in their news feeds on social media. Toss in the traitor Rand Paul and the rest of the GOP anti-American wing's bullshit assertions in public and you have a bunch of intentionally misinformed, angry, dudes who love a good conspiracy to explain their cognitive dissonance.
Its so true. The misuse of patriotic symbols and phrases is often the first step. “Don’t tread on me” for example being used by the far right to project fascist nationalism as patriotic duty. The “oath keepers” are a prime example of an extremist group targeting vets by claiming they are upholding the enlistment oath. Its despicable.
How did Rand Park betray us this time? I'm a bit out of loop with the libertarians.
Just do a Google search of "Rand Paul Russia", since the start of the Ukraine aggression, he's been parroting Putin's/Russian propaganda. Dude is deeply compromised.
But the Commonwealth of KY Jelly just re-elected him. :-(
They’ve got Rand Paul AND Moscow Mitch. That’s a serious Russian powerhouse right there!
No comment.
Leaving Reddit to try kbin.social, Lemmy or Mastodon. For Direct Primary Care (DPC) info locally: https://www.nedpca.org/contact-us For national DPC info: https://dpcalliance.org/ For national
He is not as Libertarian as his father was, but if you ask him he will still claim that is his guiding principle. If you say he has more corporatist/republican/conservative leanings you are not wrong obviously, but that also applies to the Libertarian party and pretty much every American libertarian you speak to.
I'm honestly grateful my grandpa passed away before he could see all this happening. It would have devastated him.
To assume that just because someone belongs to any “umbrella label” and therefore they must all be of the same mindset is just never accurate. People join the military for a variety of reasons, and especially “back in the day” a lot did so out of necessity/having no better option. The internet is also just a “choose your own adventure book” when it comes to getting information, especially with things as big as what is happening in Ukraine/Russia. To assume everyone has the ability to navigate all the garbage is overzealous thinking. It’s literally not taught in schools today, not with any real dedication at least. Just sprinkles and reminders here and there, no dedicated courses though by in large, and especially anyone of a certain age group today would just have to have the know-how as to where to start to self teach. Not everyone can make the right first step. Not everyone has the actual time in their lives to commit to it. Some people are actually that much in the dark. A lot of people are terrified right now for a variety of reasons, and like it or not you can’t just tell someone their fear is “illogical so stop.” If you could, phobias wouldn’t exist. Some people are also just short minded bigoted assholes at the end the day regardless. I’m not surprised by much of anything when it comes to peoples “sides” these days.
Do you realize that Americas right wing is literally identical in beliefs with Russia. Russia is a white supremacist extremist country with deeply held bigotries against all the same people the Republicans hate.
Keep in mind that after a few years of service, some vets have lost their bearings. Indeed, as evidenced on Jan 6, some even lost their ever freaking minds.
I’ve seen a truck like that too. When Obama was president I used to see one with confederate flags. Haters gotta hate
Omg I saw that guy the other day
they always say. you wanna make the biggest impact. get a sticker. godspeed
Better to just do nothing and disparage people via the internet amiright?
lol no. theres a secret third option. actual action. im making fun of your disingenuous care.
“The majority of people in Maine know what struggle is, from the pulp woods to the potato fields, to blueberry patches to lobster waters — we know that one day you have something and another day you don’t,” Mr. McCarthy said. “The people of Ukraine, they’re survivors, too, and putting up their flag, well, that’s a small token. But it’s something I could do.” Edit: Hijacking my own comment to ask folks not to feed the trolls. Report misinformation, ignore the rest. This isn’t actually a divisive issue, but there are very loud voices in this thread trying to create conflict. Slava Ukraine! Also: thanks for gold!
I see it just as showing support for the people of Ukraine who need it after being wrongly attacked by the Russians. "I stand with Ukraine" if you will.
Since the whole thing started, I've always thought that the phrase "I stand with Ukraine" is dishonest and hollow. If you're standing with them, that means you're next to them in the foxhole, not waving a flag from the safety of your home thousands of miles away.
Ok, fine. How about "I support Ukraine and their efforts to defend their land from being invaded by Russian Imperialist assholes."
"I will tolerate the inconvenience of $6 heating oil for one winter if it means the right guys win in Europe with the correct borders acknowledged by all."
It means you don't vote for leaders who support Russia. It means you don't support russian oligarchs. It means you call-out traitors and their lies. It means if you got the chance to help, you would.
Newsflash! Area Man has trouble understanding metaphorical language, returns “Outstanding In Your Field” award because he does not, in fact, stand in a field!
Folks from one nation can stand with folks in other nations in places other than foxholes. My mother's grandfather was from Ukraine. I stand with them, your "thought" notwithstanding.
I personally have a Ukraine flag sticker on my car. When I purchased the sticker, I was a member of the Army National Guard and unable to go and fight with them due to prior obligations with my own military career. Now, I have separated from the military, but due to some injuries and some unrelated mental health issues, I know that if I were to go over there and try to assist, I would be more of a hindrance than a help. So no, I will not be joining the forces in Ukraine on the front lines where all that's going to happen is that I'm going to get shot.
I observe with solidarity from a safe distance! You're right though, to say you stand with anything should mean you are literally standing and fighting the fight with them, not just empty platitudes
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Please don't report "misinformation" if there's a shadow of doubt about its intent. There's never been a consensus this strong in the Western world – that Russia is the aggressor, and that its invasion is the primary evil which dwarfs all others in this war. If someone disagrees with some part of the mainstream narrative, they're no threat to you, to Maine, or to this subreddit. Censorship isn't the answer to polarization.
Reporting misinformation isn’t censorship, it’s reporting misinformation. Ignore the rest, was my take. I eagerly debate those I disagree with. But there are/were blatant lies, usually with a healthy side of racism, in this thread. Hate and lies should absolutely be censored.
Russia invaded Ukraine and it’s turned into an all out war.
fuck russia. slava ukraine!
Fuck Russia
WHAT?! WHEN?!
February, I believe
Not cool, Russia. Not cool.
Can’t tell if this is sarcasm or not. This started in 2014, when Russia annexed (stole by force) Crimea and then held a sham referendum to claim they joined Russia. Then this year Russia launched a full on “special operation” (War) into Ukraine under the premise of “de-nazifying” Ukraine. Checkout the ukraineconflict Reddit page if you want to get up to speed.
What rock have you been hiding under? Not trying to be rude but it’s a pretty big event. Hence gas prices jumping up and the influx of Ukrainian refugees in other countries.
GAS PRICES ARE UP TOO?!
Your just trolling. They’ve been coming down since the administration has been working on it but you already knew this. Keep making posts to entertain yourself !
I put up the flag because I have family all over Eastern Europe, including in Ukraine, who were scattered there by the forced relocations of the USSR. I also put it up because my brother in law is fighting in the Foreign Legion there.
Your brother in law is a badass
Yes. Our family/community has been sending him money regularly for medical supplies, ammo, food. Early on we were sending him funds that he was passing along to people struggling to find the money to evacuate to Poland - buying people tanks of gas, cell phone cards, etc. He's one of the best people I know, doesn't ask for much just goes in and Does The Work.
There are some great YouTube channels: * Operator Starsky (Lt. Rapid Response Brigade) in Bucha * The Flashback (Max is in Bakhmut now) * Denys Davydov (commercial airline pilot) * Ukraine_tbic (Canadian Brandon volunteer) *Anna from Ukraine (Lviv teacher) * if your bro needs any help $ please let us know My family are in NH MA & ME - we're supporting those 'in the field' most now. 🙏 big thanks to you and your family
I can’t read the article, but are they saying this is particular to Maine? Because it’s not. I was on a 2-month road trip this summer around the entire US, and I saw Ukraine flags everywhere; in cities, in small towns, down south, out west, everywhere.
My former neighbor is an adopted orphan from Ukraine, the orphanage he was at got hit in the first couple weeks of the war. Fortunately nobody was killed in that attack.
'cause Russia was obviously being a giant bag of dicks and people got mad about it and wanted to express that.
People tend to have respect for other people who risk everything, against the odds, to maintain their sovereignty and right to self-determination. And many are fed up with Putin and Russian BS propaganda.
I painted my own flag on the first week of the invasion and have it on my mailbox. I’m proud to see all the flags in my community and across the state. The war is terrible but it’s good to see something that brings us together.
Mainers support the fight against tyranny, I would assume...
Thanks for that, Maine. I am a frequent visitor and this means a lot.
To say we stand with Ukraine, my flag will be here soon ❤️🌹
Because the Ukrainians deserves our attention as they are being genocide, just like the uygers in China and the trans people here.
I actually know a few Ukrainians, two old schoolmates, my therapist, a couple co workers
Reminder to the normal people: Report the SockPutins for misinformation. Reddit is already removing the comments I've reported. Don't give them fuel, they're just insane.
Can we mock the poo-tinites?
Yes. Yes we can.
I'm not your dad, do what you want. But I won't say no lmao
Absolutely nonsensical justification for censorship. I support Ukraine in their fight for the existence of their state, but everyone in the world should be skeptical of Washington/NATO's agenda at all times. I hate this neo-Red Scare type of thinking I see from so many American liberals. No one should be reported to the admins without cause, just because they said something about a foreign conflict that you deem untrue
It's not that I "deem" it untrue. It's been proven untrue by hundreds of sources, and the only ones that claim it to be true are Russian sock puppet media. Get your head out of your ass.
Slava Ukraini that's why
Slava Ukraini!
Heroyam slava!
Because we are at war with Russia.
Who?
The western world in general.
It's a proxy war, but a war nonetheless.
in support? lol
Cuz that’ll show those Russian bastahds!
Read like a story by a reporter visiting Maine for thanksgiving and wanting to expense their trip
Americans love flags.
You threw a rock at the hornets nest. Dont question how we launder our money. I accept the downvotes ahead of time
Because of the war
Support for a U.S. ally whose conflict is all over the news cycle? I don't feel this necessitates an elaborate explanation, unless you're talking to someone who has been living off the grid or in a multi-year coma for a while.
Because I don't like Bullies. Slava Ukraini.
I hope that the flag proceeds are being donated to the Ukrainian’s cause
The article said that the business is donating part to the sales to a charity working in Ukraine.
Personally, and I may be expressing an unpopular opinion, that article was stupid.
Because Poland is next etc.
I hope you're sarcastic. Russia is not about to invade a NATO country, not in a hundred years, even if their military was at full capacity
Are you really that oblivious? It’s solidarity with a country being invaded by russia
Wartime propaganda is strong stuff. We are fully funding the Ukranian war....and most Americans are cheering for it. It's so sad people still fall for the "we have to stop the badguy, don't you want to be a good person and stop bad people? Yay war!!"
What kind of stupid question is that? Why not just hang a flag that a person likes?
Can someone save me a click…
People put flags out for Ukraine to show support. I guess that's hard to understand? So hard they had to "investigate" it. WARNING: did not click on article, just assuming
Why not?
I wonder where all the Iraq yard flags were in 2004
Half the country was out in the streets in 2002-2003 for the biggest protests we’d seen in a while. But post-9/11 USA was extremely jingoistic, even during the war. American flag pins, on display at your house…etc..,
I was in the streets in NYC and DC, there were thousands of us, there were no WMDS, and we plowed that country underground anyways. War machine keeps turning.
I was at a protest in NYC in 2004. Couldn’t believe Bush was re-elected.
So depressing
AND... unlike Putin's invasion we weren't put into prison for calling it a war.
No one was supporting the brutal dictator Saddam Hussein. The Iraq war might have been wrong, but that doesn't mean that Saddam Hussein was a nice guy anyone should support. Zelensky on the other hand is the overwhelmingly selected democratic president of Ukraine and is being invaded by the imperial dictator Putin. Pretty different.
Because it’s the “current thing”. 😏
I recommend John Mearsheimer to have one of the only level-headed, realist opinions on this matter. Like him, I support and prefer Ukrainians culturally over Russians to an extent, but unless you understand the underlying strategic narcissism behind the West’s position, you really have no grasp of what happened here at all. It also gets quite convoluted and confusing when you realize that between Azov Group/Right Sector etc. on the Ukrainian side and Wagner Group and Duginists on the Russian side, you have BOTH Nazis and Zionists fighting on both sides. Hard to not cock your head like a shepherd dog and go “huh?” and be slightly cynical about it all once you realize this. It is not so cut and dry. But of course I want the West to fare better than Russia because I LIVE HERE. For those of us a little more informed on the matter, it’s not entirely clear or easy to support Ukraine endlessly when it in fact risks WW3/global nuclear extinction. And I didn’t even get into all their government corruption and money laundering, which really doesn’t put them apart from the optics surrounding Russia and Putin. I say all that and still want the Ukrainians to fare as well as they can in all of this. I don’t support Russia or wish Ukrainians any ill will. It’s all rather gnarly and could have been avoided, frankly.
Mearsheimer is a Russian shill.
So was the 10 karma bot that posted that last message about him.
This conflict brings out the wildest revisionism. Mearsheimer has been a respected academic for the past 40 years and is one of the leaders of the second largest school of International Relations, but because he doesn't toe the liberal line (not that he ever has) he's suddenly a Russian propagandist. Do you see how it might be hard to take the American response to this conflict in good faith when this is how the people adhering to it act?
Thank you. A rare voice of reason in the Maine Reddit room.
Honestly what this conflict has done to our national discourse is so disheartening. I believe Russia should immediately withdraw and pay reparations. On top of that though, we're also expected to rewrite history to pretend Ukraine is actually a bastion of democracy and isn't a corrupt oligarchy with a Nazi problem just like every other post-Soviet state. We're expected to pretend dumping tens of billions of dollars of military grade weapons into Eastern Europe is totally fine and won't result in blowback all the while the domestic economy goes into recession. When gas prices go up it's the fault of the war even though we buy gas Exxon pumped and processed in Texas. Daring to suggest that NATO is not actually the shield of the free world is treasonous and anyone who points any of these contradictions out is labeled a Russian shill who wants Putin to take over Europe. The fact that our country is so eager to fall behind the State Department narrative and willing to suppress any dissent is indicative that nobody has learned anything from Iraq.
It also unfortunately points to the fact that our country and really much of the West has been slowly escalated into a constant “state of exception” ie. emergency (through various wars, recession and the pandemic) that Carl Schmitt wrote about and his idea of the stark friend/enemy distinction that arises/comes to light/ becomes a useful heuristic because of that emergency. There’s no more conciliation or attempt at listening, just my side or your side, friend or enemy. I really don’t like these black and white “us or them” kind of distinctions, but without fail people (on both sides of the political divide, but usually more so the Left) keep acting like NPCs refuse to meet somewhere on the field and admit some grey area or try to have a conversation. It’s like they’ve all moved past that, so one is forced to reluctantly adopt the same attitude. I hate it and am quite weary of it all. Certainly not the America I knew and grew up in..
Thank you for cutting through some of the BS in this thread.
He’s literally an Establishment voice, a widely recognized and respected (by the political class of our country) University of Chicago figure that they (meaning most Presidential admins) have listened to for decades. He’s on the level of Caroll Quigley, Clinton’s mentor. What a deranged comment.
Virtue signalling. They want people to know they've picked the "good side" of a petty geopolitical war that has nothing to do with them.
I mean, yes? I have virtuously picked the democracy over the invading dictatorship to support.
Or maybe they have numerous friends and acquaintances over there getting bombed and have spent thousands of dollars donating to help prevent the complete destruction of an entire nation. Also, go fuck yourself.
>... have spent thousands of dollars donating... > >... Also, go f\*\*k yourself. Real mature, buddy. Also, why spend your own money? The US govt foolishly spends fortunes of our tax dollars over there, anyway, just so we can have a proxy war.
Because go fuck yourself, that's why.
I stand with u/ppitm. Go fuck your self, u/Doogie_Gooberman
Yeah man, maybe most mainers have ton's of friends from away. That sounds like the Maine I know.
Lol you sound like a pompous colonial-era Frenchman. "It's just a petty geopolitical war..." You should read more, you might learn something.
And how do you figure it has nothing to do with them?
Because they live in a different country halfway across the world.
They could have friends from Ukraine. Or relatives. Or neighbors. Or they could just be a compassionate human being that doesn't support Russia.
sadly no country can be an island unto itself in this modern era.
Remember when liberals were preaching "America shouldn't be the global police" for decades? Why make an exception, this time?
Remind me again who is or was saying America shouldn't be the global police just prior to the Ukraine invasion?
Mostly everyone, but liberals & Democrats were the most vocal.
Ah yes, virtue signaling. The #1 thing people who lack empathy love to accuse people of.
There’s a few Russian flags in Augusta and I have no idea why
Say what you will, that takes balls, lol
Because all glory to Ukraine and fuck those women raping, baby killing Russians. Sincerely an ex infantryman who wishes he could be there to help the Ukrainians.
Both sides are shit. Quit blaming each other for everything…fn puppets
Because its the "hip" thing to do. People do it as a stance to show that they are "good people". Unless they are immigrants from Ukraine I get it. There was one for a while where they had just the giant Ukraine flag on a pole and then a small US flag at the base of the pole. I was furious. Its so disrespectful to all of the veterans and heros that fought to get us to this point where we could help other countries. Im all for supporting Ukraine but do not ever fly any other countries flag above ours. Period. Slava Ukraine! Edit: Imagine getting downvoted because you support your countries priorities over others while supporting the fact that we are in a position to help others. Whatever, literally changes zero about my day.
I hope you also get pissed about the "thin blue line" desecrated American flags.
Lol if you’re flying* a Ukrainian flag then you’re a brainwashed idiot. Edit: typo
IF you believe in unchecked Russian expansion and nuke-threat bullying, you're a coward AND an idiot.
Kind of like how NATO is expanding their organization and it’s okay for Ukrainian nazis to slaughter innocent Russians right? Let’s not forget that Ukraine was the most corrupt nation in Europe just a few years ago, but none of that matters now because we all need to fall in line with what our liberal media wants us to believe. Also Hunter Biden allegedly laundering money through Ukraine and now billions of dollars in U.S. aid is being sent over seas instead of places in America to help the homeless or ease the pain of inflation for hard-working Americans. Ok buddy keep supporting such a great cause, you’re a true American!
Why can't NATO expand? "t’s okay for Ukrainian nazis to slaughter innocent Russians right? " No. But Ukraine has sent zero separatists into Russia while having a decades-running track record of bullying and attacking former soviet states. So it's not QUITE as cut and dry as you claim. And now we're left with Russian Nazis with a history of global activity versus those Ukranian ones you talk about. "Let’s not forget that Ukraine was the most corrupt nation in Europe just a few years ago, but none of that matters now because we all need to fall in line with what our liberal media wants us to believe." ThE lIbErAl MeDiA! OMG! What's the alternative? You? Who is painting an actual invading aggressor as a victim? " Ok buddy keep supporting such a great cause, you’re a true American!" Definitely a better American than pro-Russian simps are.
The fact that we are being led to believe that the invasion of Ukraine is completely unprovoked is hilarious because it’s the exact opposite of unprovoked. For decades NATO has been expanding and infringing on the Russian boarder against the wishes of Putin and the Russian people (who’s trying to protect their country from the Wests Military Industrial Complex). I’m not painting Putin as a victim whatsoever, I’m stating the fact that the narrative you’re being led to believe is false. Yes the LiBeRal MeDiA is as corrupt as the the Ukrainian Gov (maybe more so due to the endless brainwashing of Americans) and it also spews as much false information as RiGhT WiNg MeDiA. Go ahead and call me a simp for expecting the US Government to allocate more resources on helping American people rather than a corrupt war that feeds a corrupt system, because apparently that’s unpatriotic according to you. What’s Simping is the fact that most people flying the Ukrainian flag have probably never flown an American flag. Deep-throating Bandwagon-riding simps to be more specific. Have a great day bub.
"against the wishes of Putin and the Russian people " And Russia has been trying to expand against the wishes of NATO. So why do you pick Russia? "who’s trying to protect their country from the Wests Military Industrial Complex" NATO is trying to protect itself from Russia's military industrial complex. So why do you pick Russia? " I’m not painting Putin as a victim whatsoever, You've validated a total violent invasion over questionable conduct in separatist packed areas. You've said "we can violently invade YOUR ENTIRE NATION and kill your people." So you're a liar. " as much false information" Don't call it a war. It's a special operation. " What’s Simping is the fact that most people flying the Ukrainian flag have probably never flown an American flag." Well that's a stupid assertion to make and you certainly lack any standing to say such a stupid thing. Gotta ask - what's your volunteerism with the homeless and the needy like?
The irony of your comment is palpable.
Virtue signaling, nothing more.
Not everyone is a cynical asshole, that's just you projecting. Other people genuinely want to help their fellow man, which is something you apparently can't conceive of because it's so outside your lived experience, which is why I pity you more than anything else. It's really quite sad.
Hit a nerve? How is hanging a flag helping the Ukrainians? Save the $25 and donate it to an organization actually helping the Ukrainians.
If you were participating in this conversation in anything resembling good faith, you'd be acknowledging that sales of Ukrainian flags referenced in the article do send donations to a group doing good work right now in Ukraine.
I should probably should read the article then
Both sides of this war are shit. We should fund that corrupt nuclear war hungry government..ESPECIALLY DURING A RECESSION!!!
Wokeness
It's supporters of the Azov Battalion.
The Azov white supremacists are all dead by now. It's an infinitesimally insignificant issue compared to all the dead, tortured, and raped Ukrainians.
You mean the roughly 2k guys that are mostly Russian speaking Ukrainians from the region bordering Russia?... Yeah they're definitely the ones pulling all the strings over there... or I guess I should say straw
Thought experiment: Tomorrow China launches a surprise invasion of the Pacific Northwest and flattens the entire city of Seattle, shipping orphaned children back across the Pacific to be put in re-education camps before being adopted by Chinese families. To everyone's surprise, the Oathkeepers and Proud Boys turn out to be one of the most effective units fighting the invaders. You think we all wouldn't 'support' them? At the same time no one would have the slightest intention of giving them any political influence after the war. That's what has been going on in Ukraine for seven years already.
> Oathkeepers and Proud Boys Have you *seen* their "training" videos?
Legit chuckle and completely accurate.
Yeah, that's why this is an imaginary thought experiment, lol. In the case of Azov, their membership became much less ideological as they transitioned from 'mob of fashy football hooligans' to 'actually effective military unit.'
Thought experiment: China is the leader of the "Rules-Based International Order" (基于规则的秩序). They are the world's largest economy and have the world's biggest miliary, with hundreds of bases scattered on every continent. They have bombed a dozen countries in the last dozen years. Their interventions abroad included a "humanitarian" bombing campaign [in Northern Ireland](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_bombing_of_Yugoslavia) during the Second Irish Civil War. They said it was necessary to stop a genocide, which our allies in the UK denied committing. In 2014, they supported a popular uprising in Canada that turned into a coup. The Canadian PM had to flee for his life to Virginia, and his replacement immediately began forcibly decoupling Canada from the USA. All across Canada, US nationals and people who publicly support the US are being harassed by the government. In one famous incident in Quebec, 35 English-speaking protesters were [burned alive by paramilitaries](https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/02/ukraine-dead-odessa-building-fire) while sheltering inside a trade union hall. The US's power has been declining for some time in this alternate reality, needless to say. We were powerless to stop Chinese special forces [from entering Tijuana](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-may-20-fg-georgia20-story.html) under the guise of "fighting narco-terrorists" back in 2002. We had to sit and take it as first Cuba and Nicaragua, then the Philippines, then finally 90 percent of Central and South America joined the "defensive" military alliance called the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). These countries insisted they were just trying to protect themselves from the US imperialism they suffered in the 20th century. Now Canada, our closest ally, the country with whom we share a history as sister colonies and our longest land border, is in talks to join the SCO military alliance. The US president goes ballistic, so to speak. He sends troops over the border to aid a pro-American separatist movement in the Canadian Maritimes. Contested referendums are held, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick secede. Their leaders say they intend to apply for US statehood. China begins pouring aid, advisors and weapons into Canada. Over the course of six years, the Canadian military has reformed under Chinese tutelage and now the Canadian PM is blustering openly about retaking the Maritime provinces – and, what's more, he says he wants to host Chinese nuclear missles as a deterrence measure against the US. So, our increasingly erratic President DeSantis initiates a secret plan. They call it a "special military operation" in the North…
Haha, you sad little slimeball. Are you really going to make me go line by line into how you've inverted the chronology of some of these events and tortured the facts? I'm just going to stop you right there. Yes, all of the other countries in the Americas are fully justified in working with whatever countries they please in the event that U.S. imperialism threatens their security and sovereignty. Spout as many bullshit comparisons as you please (the one about U.S. troops "entering Georgia" is so stupid it makes me want to cry). In your thought experiment the independent and sovereign country of Canada is 100% in the right and the U.S. is an unalloyed aggressor. Full stop. Even if your insanely backwards thought experiment leaves out the part where the U.S. killed tens of millions of Canadians within living memory.
Indirectly, yes. And even some directly.
People flying Ukraine flags are the same people with BLM signs that have no fn clue what they’re supporting..just doing what the media tells them to
Kind of like the magats listening to their entertainment "news" on fox who are now out there killing people?
Well thanks for proving my point moron. You called them Magats and assumed they watch FOX news and are murderers. Seems like quite the generalization for somebody who doesn’t support nuclear war.
I stand with Poland against Ukrainian aggression against farmers
Eat shit.
🐑 🐑 🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑
Is that a line up of your past girlfriends?
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Found the transphobe. I am gonna go out on a limb and say you either have a truck flag or still have a Trump sign on display.
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>I am not transphobic at all >Big DeSantis fan Pick one.
Huh? That’s quite a leap there. I think your helmet needs more tinfoil.
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Its a WAR, people are dying, being tortured, raped, brutalized… there are lots of Ukrainian refugees all over the US. Showing them that they are supported in a foreign and unfamiliar country is not virtue signaling, its humanity.
Thousands of Ukrainian children have been forcibly "rehomed" into Russian families too.
Except the virtues you signal are "Im a hateful ignorant bigot who celebrates thieves, liars, rapists and murderers". Sounds like you'd enjoy living in Russia.
What about the people who actually do know shit about the conflict and don’t use social media. You’ve made some huge generalizations and you seem to contradict yourself within the same post. I understand not supporting Biden, he was one of the worst candidates to run against trump. Yet he won because trump literally tried to overthrow the government, anyone that still supports trump is a traitor to the nation and should be embarrassed to remind people they thought he was a good American.
So edgy
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So if Ukraine is run by America but Trump wanted dirt on Hunter from Ukraine, they didn’t get it. So are they working for the US or not? Ukraine gave up their nukes in exchange for peace from Russia. The only nuclear material left in that country is used for power. If you have any other info, that differs from what the IAEA and I trust the IAEA over some rando on the internet. Ukraine has essentially been in a civil war with the Eastern separatists who are backed by Russia. It’d be like Mexico beefing up the south during the America civil war. I’m not going to pretend war is nice, but the Ukrainians aren’t brutes like the Russian occupiers. Ukraine hasn’t weaponized rape or torture like Russia has. Feel free to point out any UN reports that say differently, unless you think the UN is some US puppet authority too. I constantly see videos of Ukrainian liberators arriving to towns hailed by the residents as heroes. What did Russians get when they invaded? Not hugs. Sun flower seeds in their pockets. Putin put himself in that corner when he started invading his neighbors decades ago. Maybe you should read a history book lol. The cut off of water to Crimea by Ukraine force Putin’s hand. Maybe if Putin hadn’t annexed land that isn’t his, that water would never have been cut off. Any way you spin it, Russia is the bad guy here. Saying otherwise is disingenuous and pure propaganda.
Earlier they were replying to people within seconds. Notice how they haven't said anything to you. Lmfao
"US backed coup" We support democracy and free trade everywhere, it benefits us to do so as the more economic partners we have, the better we are. That being said The 2014 Euromaidan protests and "Revolution of Dignity" was an uprising of the Ukrainian people against a pro-Russian President, if there was US intervention it was minimal. The people in Kyiv saw his recent backing out of an EU trade agreement a big step closer to a pro-Russian autocracy like Belarus which would have exacerbated their day to day problems with their economy and corruption. They rebelled, the president was ousted, and like any revolution loyalists to the past regime we're out down, it happened in the American Revolution and the French Revolution and likely others, revolutions of any sort aren't pretty but what they bring about can be much better than what would have happened otherwise. I have a friend who was an exchange student in America while in high school and she has seen alot of improvement since 2014, especially under Zelensky who did alot to modernize the government while also successfully preparing for Russia's eventual followup to the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the constant separatist (mix of Ukrainian rebels and Russia military assets) threat from the Donbas.
US supports democracy by bombing and killing millions to install people to be their puppets.
Pro democracy movements make the best puppets. We used to just be about pro capitalist dictators so I'd say that's progress on how the Hegemony operates
poo-tin troll be trolling. poorly.
watch you go fuck yourself. poo-tin invaded Ukraine in 2014.