A Ukrainian flag went up in an English village square. A resident wrote to the people who put it up:

“I am uncomfortable with the flying of a Ukrainian flag in our village square. I find it very disturbing to see a geopolitical statement at the heart of our village. Please remember that the Russia-Ukraine situation is a complex one, with a lot of propaganda produced by both sides, and it’s important to engage with the full history of this region before making political gestures that take sides with either regime.

Support of civilian victims of war is obviously important, but if you want to show that support then it would be appropriate to fly a whole range of flags supporting Syrians, Libyans, Somalians and Afghans as well as many others. Please also be aware that the entire media focus on Ukraine is hiding humanitarian crises in Madagascar and Ethiopia due to famines caused by global lockdown policies. Please raise a series of flags or a flag symbolising peace if you wish to support all victims of devastation around the world.

The hatred of and discrimination against Russian people is also deeply worrying. I have heard firsthand stories of Russian hate in British communities already. I’m appalled that some people seem to be endorsing this. Please don’t cherry pick causes and foist your political allegiances on residents. This is not right. There are ways in which people can express their support for causes, individually, without being controlled by career politicians, the corporate media, or their parish council. Thank you.”

Artist Hiroyuki Hamada, and playwright/author John Steppling (Esthetic Resistance Podcast on Soundcloud) bring some much needed clarity on the anti-Russia demonization campaign.

March 11, 2022, Hamada:

“I don’t get it. There is no healthcare in the US. There are massive numbers of people incarcerated for mostly non-violent crimes. There are tent cities for homeless people in every major city. There are children starving in this country. People are dying of treatable diseases. And it bombs other countries with impunity. It funds violent regimes across the globe in order to keep poor people poor and rich people rich. In fact Ukraine has been one of those countries since 2014 ever since the US overthrew their democratically elected President. Their economy has been wrecked by the US bankers and oligarchs. Their Nazi regime has been bombing Russian speaking population for 8 years. Every American President is a major war criminal. And why do we have to hate Russian President now? If we truly worry about people dying, why don’t we wave Yemenis flag? Saudi Arabia has killed 400,000 people in Yemen and counting. The US government has killed tens of millions since the end of WW2. Why can’t people get it? The reason why we have to hate Russian President is that we are told so by the western oligarchs: The very culprits of our predicaments.”

March 11, 2022, Steppling:

“its hard to transfer this from twitter to fb. The point is, and one I made the other day during an interview; this is another perfect example of the inherent indelible racism of the West. Demonize the children of Yemen for becoming soldiers fighting the unprovoked and US backed aggression from Saudi Arabia. But applaud the brave white children of ukraine for fighting. How many hollywood films show the horror of child soldiers in africa (which is really just white paternalism masquerading as concern, given these conflicts in africa are armed by US war industries AND created, often , by US mining interests or just US base building).

All you morons flying yellow and blue flags, why didn’t you fly the flag of Yemen? Half a million have been killed by that war. Another million from cholera and hunger and exposure. The US military was in Riyadh orchestrating bombing raids for the saudi air force from day one of this aggression. An attack on the poorest country in the Arab world.

And how is saudi arabia ok, maybe mildly criticized, but Putin is the new hitler? The Saudis execute women for being witches…..beheading them in the town square. They have executed teenagers, and hundreds of heretics (sic). The inequality in KSA is horrifying and acute. But nobody gives a shit because the NY times tells you not to give a shit. Or Palestinians… undergoing a slow motion incremental genocide. No Palestinian flags on Facebook that I have seen.

The average US citizen cares about what he or she is told to care about. Oh gosh, the Orange revolution (never mind its full of literal Nazis)…
the vetted minds of the american public.”

Before history is rewritten, here are some VERY inconvenient, on the record facts…