[Jeffismine]

Mercy Chefs is providing food in all areas of Ukraine..after distribution they plan to deliver hot meals they need donations.
https://mercychefs.com/ukraine/

Many of you don't know this since it's not relevant to the functioning of Mobilism, but I am Ukrainian. Mobilism also has Ukrainian servers (among others), Ukrainian coders, and is obviously home to many of my fellow compatriots. You're all currently using a Ukrainian site.

3 quotes come to mind when wotdaphuque sees the atrocity that is Putin's War.

1.) "Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing." Inaugural Address at St Andrew's (1867);
OFTEN mis-attributed to Edmund Burke who did in fact say something similar in 1770: "When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle."

2.) “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” - George Santayana

3.) “You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war.” - Winston Churchill 1938 to Neville Chamberlain, in reference to the appeasement offered in the face of the German annexation of the Sudetenland.

These quotes beggar the question in wotdaphuque's mind; "If not here, and NOW, then where, and WHEN?"
Putin is a madman, but a coldly calculating one who will escalate until he is checked with a response that threatens to obliterate his homeland & turn his legacy from savior to destroyer of Mother Russia.
Unchecked, there is NO serious question that he will keep taking and taking until all of Europe is under his control.

As an unintended consequence, China will escalate it's ambitions and take Taiwan and other areas of Asia it has long had designs on, Iran will accelerate it's 1,000 year old struggle with Sunnis in the rest of the Middle East, and every tin-pot dictator across the globe will decide America and it's allies are too weak to prevent their expansionist ideas as well.
WW III is upon us, those who CANNOT or WILL NOT see it, have forgotten history &/or failed to learn from it.

Wotdaphuque wishes to thank Ukraine, it's people, and most of all it's comedian-turned-Statesman President for reminding us that stopping tyranny and conquest requires not only great sacrifice, but great heart and great determination as well.
We, all of humanity, must set our resolve to see an end to Putin and his aggression.
We, all of humanity, must rise up & accept the challenge of this day - to fight for peace or cower in the ruins of civilization as we knew it.
Not just an end to the Ukrainian War, but an end to Putin personally, to remind others with zero conscience and no sense of what is right and humane, that they too will end badly no matter what they threaten.
SEAL Team 6 found and ended Usama bin Laden - can we do any less in the face of so much worse?
It is impossible to decide for all, that living under tyranny is better than not living at all, but wotdaphuque KNOWS what his choice would be - to die free rather than as a slave to madmen.
Nuclear war is unthinkable, yet as long as there are people who would even contemplate such a scenario are allowed to reign in this world, NONE of us will ever be truly safe or free.
In this, wotdaphuque believes he is of one heart and one mind with the people of Ukraine.

[marcolius]

I had no idea this was a Ukranian site. This situation breaks my heart! I can't even imagine what you must be going through but I hope you stay safe and make it through. Sorry my message is late, I've haven't been on the forum for a couple weeks.

Outside of Ukraine and Russia, Canada has the largest population of Ukrainians in the world and in my city there is a large community not far from where I live where there is a Ukrainian festival each year. Both our city, our province and our Country have stepped up and I am so proud to be part of a country that does the right thing in situations like this. I am not a fan of our Prime Minister but he hasn't wavered in his support financially and politically. In addition, at least 550 Canadians have travelled to fight in Ukraine's foreign legion. I don't think I would have the courage to do something so brave but it makes me proud. Our city is even involved in cooperation with the province, both implementing plans to accept Ukrainian refugees. There were so many donations in our city alone that they had to stop accepting them (clothes etc). I am not the best to argue what more should be done or if it's enough but I think our Prime Minister going to Europe and working with Europe to find a way to end this is the right thing. I believe he is committed to do everything he can to help on our behalf and I support him in this and wrote to him telling him this!

And, Volodymyr Zelensky, just wow. EVERYONE in Ukraine is an inspiration to the world!

Reading this forum has brought me to tears again. I just can't believe what's going on.

I have a wonderful granddaughter Heela, who, when the Corona pandemic began here in Israel, started a group of fellow university students to help the many people who had no other source of help.
The group helped many thousands of people mostly the elderly and the group, now of hundreds of volunteers, is still actively helping those who need.

Now she is in Ukraine, and is starting up the same sort of volunteer group, helping the wounded, those trying to escape what may turn into yet another Holocaust.

Yes, I worry, yes, she is in danger but I am proud of her and applaud her. If I were not close to ninety two years of age, I would try to be with her!

[jimtje]

I realize that it's not likely to make a lot of policy impact, but I've managed to get out ahead of the Chinese government shills on western platforms and have been essentially using Chinese historiography and terms they're familiar with to make the case that this invasion is effectively the equivalent of 108 years of Russian attempts at denying China of its territorial integrity. Russia is the only imperialist power to never return any occupied territory and have actively engaged in ethnic cleansing, and then turned around to justify their annexations that way. This went on continuously between 1860 and 1968. This is attested by western sources and also taught in every Chinese history class. I personally don't believe in the sort of ethno-nationalist twaddle the CCP puts out but one should know the audience at least and as someone whose family is consisted of an older generation of CCP officials - my grandfather is even in the party encyclopedia - yet have chosen liberalism over authoritarianism and very much view myself as something between a far-left libertarian and an individualist anarchist, I feel like I'm in a unique position in that I'm likely far more familiar with the substance and history of Chinese history between the Opium Wars and 1949 than the average government shill or even the average government official, and I'm able to frame it in a context that I don't believe in but can wield nonetheless. The pushback have been pretty tepid. The namecalling is laughably puerile and can easily be pointed out. The conspiracy talk they keep trying to steer the conversation to can't withstand a simple labeling as "self-centered fantasy in the face of imperialist aggression". Chinese historiography loves irredentism and what is more irredentist than territory that is occupied by a foreign force at this present moment, and that occupied force is in Ukraine, period. I know their higher ups are reading these conversations as they are in Chinese. At the very least I can get some of these shills fired, but hopefully someone up the chain who's a little more educated will recognize that all I've made my arguments with are standard Chinese textbook material. The funniest accusation made against me so far is that I'm being unpatriotic and the response was "I'm not Russian so patriotism isn't to justify invasion but to stick by your country's values and that is nonintervention, period. Putin is not my president and supporting Russia's every move will make you a han jian, or Quisling, thanks to Russia's attacks on Chinese sovereignty.

Hopefully that, and the few thousand dollars worth of DOGE I threw in the pot, will help. I don't believe in state charity, but I believe in resistance politics beyond what the state can see an control. This is infrapolitics at its best. A little psy-ops on the grassroots level is icing on the cake.

Thank you for sharing. Stay safe! My thoughts and prayers are with you...

[BertIdoff]

I shared bank link on Facebook and Twitter.
I am in Sweden. You are fighting for us too.

[aoibhe]

Mercy Chefs is providing food in all areas of Ukraine..after distribution they plan to deliver hot meals they need donations.
https://mercychefs.com/ukraine/

Donated, thank you for sharing this. I've also used the copypasta form to mail to my senators and will share it, along with the Mercy Chefs link.

No words I can put together adequately describe how disgusting it is to see what's going on; it's horrifying to see the way so many of you are suffering at the hands of these tyrannical psychopaths. As suggested, I have written my representatives (and will continue doing so) and I've encouraged friends and family to follow suit. Stay strong friends.

The country I live in is neutral, voting neutral on Ukraine, the government they call the Russian invasion a special campaign but me and the other people in my country will always pray Ukraine will win against Putin Hitler

The Russian economy is in recession, the money is depreciating, the people are depressed, the Russian military is corrupt, so Ukrainians, try your best, the world will not abandon you.

Прошу извинить, что на русском. Я сам русский, россиянин, но последние 8 с лишним лет живу в Украине...жил в мирной свободной Украине. Путинская орда трусливо напала на Украину, ведет террористическую деятельность и геноцид украинского народа. Они даже не воюют с мирным населением - они уничтожают мирных людей "Градами" и прочими РСЗО, стирают с лица земли села и города. Мой город почти ежедневно подвергается артиллерийским, авиационным ракетным обстрелам, разрушаются школы и жилые дома, похищают людей в соседних областях. Я веду с агрессором войну на том фронте, где могу это делать. Я верю, что Украина победит, ведь каждый, кто здесь живет, ведет борьбу на своем фронте (объединились все люди), а путинские собаки дохнут неизвестно за что - их расстреливают свои при попытки бегства, их тела не забирают с полей, дорог, городов. Они просто расходный материал там, и враги для каждого украинца здесь.
Можно много чего еще сказать, но 2 момента кажутся мне важными:

1. Все в мире видят, что изоляция россии в экономике, торговле, спорте, культуре, туризме, в каких-либо международных проектах не дает результатов - по крайней мере для остановки войны. К чему санкции, если безумный кровавый тиран продолжает геноцид и террор? Когда ЕС опомнится? Когда российские террористические войска будут осаждать Берлин, Париж? Разве Европа не помнит за всю историю последних столетий, что россия понимает исключительно язык силы, а не дипломатии и санкций.

2. К сожалению, даже ликвидация путина с его шайкой, уничтожение москвы со всем правительством, бомбежки российских городов в корне ситуацию изменить не смогут (хотя и очень бы хотелось). Там, в россии, по разным подсчетам 60-75%, а то и больше откровенно поддерживают путина, войну, хотя сами живут, скажем так, ради лживой идеи фашистского толка "без копейки за душой". Уж мне-то это прекрасно известно. Оставшиеся 20% (в лучшем случае) - потенциальные жертвы режима - если за ними не придет ФСБ сегодня, то сделают это завтра. Они там "враги народа" и "изменники" только за то, что не согласны с режимом. Там за пост в социальной сети со словами "война в Украине" может привести к тюремному заключению на срок 5-10 лет, и это на законодательном уровне утверждено, а не мои фантазии или какие-то фейки. Здесь будет уместна цитата одного российского писателя (под псевдонимом Акунин) из Facebook (за правдивость отвечать не могу - фейки в наше время могут быть везде), давно выступающего против путинского режима:

"Россия стремительно превращается в остров. Есть Большая Земля – и есть кусок суши, на котором осталось много живых людей, в том числе для меня очень важных.
Я знаю, как им плохо. На острове свирепствует эпидемия. Она поражает мозг, и у заболевших нарушается зрение. Белое видится им черным, черное – белым, а на лбу у них образуется сыпь в виде буквы Z.
Тех, у кого иммунитет к этой заразе, выслеживают. Они в еще большей опасности.
Наблюдать за этим со стороны невыносимо. Что делать – пока непонятно.
Но лечить первых и спасать вторых необходимо.
Всё время только об этом и думаю."

Вот и я не знаю, что с этим делать. Россия в любом случае уже проиграла войну в Украине, и продолжает уничтожать саму себя. Но что делать с теми россиянами, у которых из-за пропаганды с самого детства и даже в 30-50 лет формируется фашистское (рашистское) представление о мире, неизвестно. Ведь их не 1-10 миллионов, их много, и они больны. Путина уничтожат, режим уничтожат, но из больных голов больные идеи никуда не денутся, и с этим в будущем что-то кардинальное нужно будет делать. А пока что - Слава Украине!

Hi, I'm from the Czech Republic. And we here know very well what it's like when the Russian occupiers invade you. Our fingers are crossed and our hearts are with you. God save Ukraine.

My heart goes out to all those that are suffering. President Zelensky addressed our Canadian Parliament yesterday and I was so moved by his powerful speech. We need to stop history from repeating itself. Bless you and yours.

My country voted for UN resolution against Russia. And we have introduced sanctions too. I'm fully behind it.

Btw, there is a "Bundle for Ukraine" over at https://itch.io/b/1316/bundle-for-ukraine. Minimum $10usd to donate for 1,000 games, tabletop RPGs, books, etc. All proceeds goes to charity for Ukraine. I have donated, and perhaps some of you might be interested.

Please be well. And safe.

[ssafe05]

Made a large donation to World Central Kitchen, which has a setup on the Polish border of Ukraine, so that those fleeing this horror can get hot food.

Will continue to see what else I can do to support Ukraine.

FWIW - two generations ago some of my family fled from Odessa because of Cossack attacks. So sick of this crap.