The Cornerstone of Peace

In 1995, the Okinawa government erected a memorial monument named the Cornerstone of Peace in Mabuni, the site of the last fighting in southeastern Okinawa. The memorial lists all the known names of those who died in the battle, civilian and military, Japanese and foreign. As of June 2008, it contains 240,734 names including 382 Koreans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Downfall

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The decision made by the United States of America to use the first nuclear weapon in a time of war… was made out of an intense desire for PEACE.

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It wasn’t used to start a war. It wasn’t used to liberate another country. It wasn’t used in an act of aggression against a foreign country in an attempt to take away their land.

The Pacific Campaign that played out through the summer of 1945 proved to be some of the most horrific battles of the entirety of the Second World War. The People of the Empire of the Rising Sun demonstrated how far they were willing to go to secure their victory… and it would be at all costs.

Okinawa comes to mind. Where women and children took their own lives… rather than risk surrender to the advancing Allied Forces.

Millions of men, women, and children. ARMED. In defense of the Japanese Homeland. The invasion would have taken the lives of millions of American soldiers, as well as millions of Japanese civilians.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Downfall

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That theoretical invasion of the Japanese mainland would have taken the lives of Russian soldiers as well. The participation of the Soviet Union in that strategy would have been essential to its success, just as it was in ending the European Conflict.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_Manchuria

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Allied in a war, where we fought side-by-side with the Soviet Union. Engaged in a struggle, where we fought UNITED, in defense of modern civilization. Against Nazism and everything that resembles it. Against aggression… against true evil.

The United States and Russia. UNITED. Fighting together in a struggle for the survival of HUMANITY.

Three-quarters of a century later… our nations are not the same as they once were. These are not the countries our grandparents once knew, and nor should they be. That’s one of the lessons we’ve learned from that war. Things MUST change… or we will continue to suffer through the SAME THINGS.

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Their country is not the same…

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet–Afghan_War

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissolution_of_the_Soviet_Union

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… just as our country is not the same.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Afghanistan_(2001–2021)

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War

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With time our values and ideals have CHANGED. We no longer see things as they once were. But no matter how many decades have passed, there is ONE overarching principle that will never change:

The People of the United States of America will never support or defend anyone aligned with the ideals of the Nazi Party.

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Those organizations we’ve helped to develop and continue to support to this day, would never support or defend anyone aligned with the ideals of the Nazi Party.

The People of the United States of America STILL BELIEVE in the commitments established at the close of the Second World War, and we hold them as sacrosanct in furtherance of our foreign diplomacy.

I may be but ONE, but I know I speak for the MAJORITY when I say… we will not support any leader who has shown themselves to be in any way, a supporter of the ideals of the Nazi Party.

Once they’ve shown themselves to be, they are OUTCAST. Those values are not the values of a people who yearn to LIVE FREE. The Pursuit of Life, Liberty, and Happiness, as laid out in our Founding Documents, is unattainable under the rule of any leader adhering to the beliefs of the Nazi Party.

And the Armed Forces of the United States of America will continue to STAND READY to defeat those ideals… wherever they arise.

Just as they were in August of 1945.

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A war, into which we were pulled kicking and screaming… we did not seek to start that conflict. We sought the means to bring it to an end.

To secure PEACE. Not just for ourselves… but for the Soviet Union as well. For ALL Humanity. For all of HISTORY, as it will be written for generations to come.

That chapter has now been written. Our great-grandchildren will learn of our struggles and see that our Alliance stood for Just Principles… for all time.

Today, we write what comes NEXT in that story.
Chapter and verse… it is ours to decide.

The People of the Russian Federation must know… they must be made to understand. In this moment, The United States will NOT utilize our first-strike capabilities. We decided long ago, that’s not what those weapons should be used for… they are a deterrent to war.

The United States of America will never START a Nuclear War…

… because we know how it would end.

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“The only winning move is… NOT to play.”

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I believe The People of the Russian Federation feel the SAME WAY…
Regardless of what their leaders might say.

-JC

The Price of Appeasement

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https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/fuel-recycling/mixed-oxide-fuel-mox.aspx

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https://www.jnfl.co.jp/en/business/mox/

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That’s always been the biggest problem with embracing nuclear energy production… what do we do with all that WASTE? Thousands of tons of radioactive nuclear fuel sits cooling in spent fuel pools in every nuclear power facility across the globe. For thousands of years that fuel will be highly radioactive… where will it go? What will we do with it?

We can bury it. We can forget it. We can ignore it. But no matter what we decide to do with it, it will continue to cost us money… for centuries to come.

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https://www.rbth.com/science_and_tech/2016/03/21/new-siberian-nuclear-fuel-production-unit-is-worlds-first-of-its-kind_577647

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https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/BN-800-fast-reactor-fully-loaded-with-MOX-fuel

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Thousands of tons of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel… with nowhere to go. No one wants it… ‘not in MY backyard!’ No one has a permanent plan for it… so why not recycle some of it? Make some more useful fuel out of it and save some money in the process. No one seems to want it. I doubt anyone would mind if it just… disappeared.

**One man’s TRASH is another man’s TREASURE.**

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_thermal_rocket

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https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-nuclear-powered-spacecraft-moon-venus-jupiter-2021-5

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https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03147500/document

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49432681

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It’s called ‘closing the loop’ on the nuclear fuel cycle. Instead of disposing of all that waste, some of it can be recycled and used again in a nuclear reactor. Not in the BOMBS, though. That requires the highly enriched material. The TOP SHELF supply… the GOOD STUFF.

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https://neutronbytes.com/2020/12/27/japans-mox-fuel-plan-gets-a-green-light-but-reprocessing-start-delayed-for-two-years/

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And that GOOD STUFF is in short supply. Only a handful of locations on earth can produce highly enriched, weapons-grade nuclear material. Those nations who currently have a stockpile want to save all they can for use in their nuclear arsenals.

They wouldn’t want to go and waste the ‘good stuff’ on a single-use rocket engine… especially if they plan on making a lot of them.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/30/science/nuclear-fuels-are-vulnerable-despite-a-push.html

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When there’s short supply and high demand, someone has to find a new supply. Someone will find a way. If there’s money to be made, someone will make it… and TRILLIONS of dollars will motivate people to do, just about anything.

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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-flynn-nuclear-exclusive/exclusive-mideast-nuclear-plan-backers-bragged-of-support-of-top-trump-aide-flynn-idUSKBN1DV5Z6

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https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03147500/document

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https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/russia-want-take-chernobyl-rcna17615

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https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/First-assemblies-loaded-into-new-Chernobyl-used-fu

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Yes, it may be ‘Rocket Science’… but it’s as easy to understand as the phrase ‘FOLLOW THE MONEY’.

They can see the writing on the WALL. They’re living in a dying petrostate. Oil is going the way of the dinosaur and they want a piece of the FUTURE. But, in essence… Nuclear Fission is energy of the PAST. Its time is UP.

We are currently working to unleash the Power of the SUN. And as it turns out… that energy is SAFER and CLEANER than anything we’ve ever seen before.

The Nuclear Age is now a relic of the PAST…

… and we will be dealing with the fallout of that era for many years into the future.

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https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/iaea-chief-grossi-to-head-assistance-mission-to-ukraines-chornobyl-nuclear-power-plant-next-week

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And what will they find when they get there? It’s already been widely reported that the Russian soldiers destroyed radiological monitoring stations around the site. They even dug trenches in the highly radioactive exclusion zone and then tracked that radioactive dirt back inside the facility, contaminating parts of the building that were already clean… what else did they do while they were there?

They have no respect for International Laws. They have no respect for the Ukrainians whose territory they’ve invaded. They don’t adhere to standards or follow established protocols to ensure safety…

We must brace ourselves and be prepared to find the worst-case scenario inside that building. The inspectors from the IAEA might get there… and find nothing at all.

What would be our response then.

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https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-sees-gold-in-ukraine-nuclear-plants-chernobyl-reactor-fuel-waste-disposal-11646946568

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There cannot be any appeasement. There must not be any appeasement… because there will never be any appeasement.

Vladimir Putin must withdraw all Russian forces from the entirety of Ukraine. These actions should not be rewarded in any way.

We do so at our own peril.

-JC

Do Unto Others

Wipe the haze off your political lens… clear away the condensation on that cold mirror… can you now see yourself in their eyes? Try walking a kilometer in their shoes.

What would we do, if millions of Americans became refugees overnight. Too far fetched to see that HERE? Well… it seems REAL WARS can now be started based on LIES, so why not consider an alternative scenario. One that takes place right now, along side this overheated geopolitical situation…

What’s the PLAN if Yellowstone goes off.

What happens when MILLIONS of Americans are forced to leave their LIVES behind because their land is now TOXIC. Unable to drive because machines break down due to ASH. Unable to be rescued because of the SAME. Carrying with them only what fits in a BACKPACK… forced to leave in order to avoid the oncoming volcanic winter.

Overnight, Mexico has a refugee crisis at their Northern Border. Millions of Americans… millions of Canadians… all pushing SOUTH, to find safety and a chance to secure a new HOME.

Let us pray they show us COMPASSION in our hour of greatest need… and forgive us for the level of compassion we’ve shown them in recent years.

And let us say that they DO open their arms and welcome their neighbors from the north… RIGHT NOW, Mexico is not part of NATO. They could face potential pressure to BLOCK the flow of refugees, up to and including a military response. It could be seen as giving aid and comfort to a geopolitical adversary, or it could be seen by some as a ‘False Flag’. A covert-op…

‘Those aren’t refugees, they’re Special Forces. Undercover military officers, hiding amongst the women and children.‘

How much economic PAIN could Russia inflict on Mexico? If that’s not enough, how much economic pain could Russia’s FRIENDS inflict on Mexico? How long could they withstand an economic battle with our geopolitical foes before they’re forced to SHUT DOWN their border to us… leaving us trapped in a hellish landscape of fallout and despair. ALONE.

They’re not a member of NATO, just an ally. Mexico can CHOOSE to do as it wants; especially in a situation like that… when the economic outlook of the United States of America would look pretty stark.

Contractually speaking, what obligations do they have… besides taking care of their own citizens? What obligations would the European Union have to give Mexico support? What of NATO… ‘Mexico is not a member of the organization. There’s nothing we can do.‘

Well… I guess we’re just shit outta luck.

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Being an Eagle Scout, preparedness is in my blood. I can’t help but run scenarios in my head, considering what actions I would take… in situations like those, faced by families fleeing violence in Ukraine.

If there is something that I can do NOW… to prepare… and possibly make the difference. Help save someone else’s LIFE… then why wouldn’t I ACT?

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/28/i-havent-told-my-granny-ukraines-student-molotov-cocktail-makers

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What country is that? What country does that SOUND like. Where is that again… because that sounds awesome.

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https://www.foxnews.com/auto/nascar-richard-childress-donate-1-million-rounds-ammo-ukraine

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That sounds like someone I want on MY TEAM. Who wouldn’t want to do everything they could…

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https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2022/03/07/white-house-dod-lower-expectations-of-polish-warplanes-for-ukraine/

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And so now… here we are. CHAINED. The living, side-by-side with the dead. Walking around in a world that no longer EXISTS. Strictly adhering to RULES written by dead men.

Their rules have produced the situation we find ourselves IN. And now we dust off the SAME old playbooks, in order to prevent more of the SAME… expecting different results. But is that really the case? What outcome do they HOPE for… because right now that’s all we’re sending them.

**That and a boatload of CASH.**

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Once upon a time there was this guy named Osama. He didn’t like what the Russians were doing in Afghanistan about as much as us. So, we thought it was a good idea to FUND a bunch of his buddies, seeing as how they were already there on the ground. So we set up a way for them to access BILLIONS of dollars.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegations_of_CIA_assistance_to_Osama_bin_Laden

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But not directly, of course. What happens if things go SOUTH like it did with the Bay of Pigs? What if it’s seen as an escalatory step?

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Plausible Deniability. We didn’t FUND those groups and organizations, we found a responsible, third-party to take care of distributing those funds for us…

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You know… Pakistan.

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https://www.history.com/news/bin-laden-compound-abbottabad-belongings

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There is no rhyme or reason to any of this. We’ve seen this SHOW before… it’s been in syndication since the 1960’s. It’s the same tired plotlines and the same exaggerated outcomes, but now it’s all IN REAL LIFE. The SHOW never ends…

It’s just too damn PROFITABLE.

New season. New cast. Same shit. Different DAY. Thankfully… we don’t have to keep buying it. We can make a CHOICE. We can make a CHANGE. And we should act NOW… before it’s too late.

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https://www.voanews.com/a/is-russia-using-its-syria-playbook-for-invasion-of-ukraine-/6469061.html

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How many times must we make the same mistakes before we get it RIGHT? We can’t solve all our problems by just throwing a bunch of MONEY at it… it will still be there. Watching. WAITING. Until the funding runs DRY. During the next Administration. When the next set of aged Senators retire. When the institutional memory of their actions fades, and the ignorance of YOUTH blossoms… like Cherry Trees in the spring.

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No one wants a Nuclear War.

Not us.

Not them.

The only death and destruction those bombs now bring is that of INACTION. Born out of FEAR.

Our fear… of an act, that will never come.

It has been Mutually Assured.

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That’s the gift we’ve been given. Secured through decades of diplomatic service on BOTH SIDES of the Iron Curtain. It’s the ONE THING we all agree upon…

LIFE should survive.

Let us start there… and HONOR the work that has already been done.

-JC

Don’t Feed the TROLLS.

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An ode to the Bean Counters, the Pencil Pushers, the I.T. and Resources personnel… the ones who are really in control.

The Deep State, if you like.

The people who actually have to FILE that request and make sure it’s DELIVERED where it’s supposed to go.

LOGISTICS. Shipping Clerks. Essential Workers, hailed as HEROES just six months ago. The people who never get the CREDIT when it happens like clockwork, BUT… they do get the HAMMER when something shady goes down.

They make sure things go off without a hitch… 30 minuets or LESS. Every time. Guaranteed…

**… until it doesn’t.**

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https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/09/spacex-losing-starlink-satellites-due-to-geomagnetic-space-storm.html

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https://www.vice.com/en/article/qkvzb5/the-time-nasa-lost-a-mars-orbiter-because-of-a-metric-system-mixup

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-air-force-airment-lsd-cocaine-warren-air-force-base-wyoming-nuclear-missile-sites-records-show/

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https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2019/06/25/you-can-call-2007-nuke-mishandling-an-embarrassment-but-dont-call-it-the-minot-incident/

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Every great organization embraces great leadership, and every great leader knows WHY they are able to succeed…

‘Our General Manager is our Doorman, and our Doorman is our General Manager’

There is no piece or part of a well-functioning TEAM that can be ignored, and everyone understands the importance of everyone else’s job. Without their team, no leader would ever be able to succeed. Like a high-performance machine, each part is vital in its function… and they must all be maintained with dedication.

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When a machine isn’t properly maintained, it will be prone to failure. If there’s not enough grease added to the proper part, or even too much grease in the wrong spot… the entire assembly could suddenly fly apart. Or, it could just simply grind to a HALT.

Basic maintenance. Current updates. Modernized SOP. Every one of them, marked off on a checklist… right down to the designated location, assigned to that part as it was placed on the warehouse shelf, just after it was unloaded off the DELIVERY TRUCK.

When you push that BUTTON… when you make that CALL… how do you know it will WORK? It doesn’t just happen… it takes WORK.

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It can take YEARS to build a successful team, and it can all fall apart in a second… if we lose TRUST. Because that’s what we’re talking about here. A Sacred Honor… a Fundamental Trust. Born alongside Pandora’s Box was an implicit and explicit obligation, the failure of which could lead to the downfall of our civilization.

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What do we have once that trust has been LOST? Where do we stand if we no longer stand UNITED in furtherance of that CORE PLEDGE… to protect Humanity from the destruction, born of our scientific achievements?

Friends. Family. Fraternity… these values know NO BORDER. They know NO FLAG. And they are still alive in the heart of everyone who has a HEART that’s still beating.

ONE faulty connection, ONE loose screw… ONE broken wingnut shouldn’t be allowed to bring about our ultimate demise.

Not now. Not ever.

The values for which we stand are only as REAL as we make them…

and tomorrow is a NEW DAY.

-JC

The Home of the Brave

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https://twitter.com/defenceu/status/1496193282103250954?s=21

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Be it in pursuit of an enemy in retreat… this far and no farther.
Be it in the advance of forces in defense… this far and no farther.

The Enemies of Democracy come dressed in the same attire, seen countless times before. They come bearing badges of honor… to enforce THEIR RULE, upon those deemed worthy of merely being ruled over.

The Defenders of Democracy are myriad and opalescent. Carrying with them their CHILDREN… clothed only in the scars of WAR. They stand to defend. They MARCH out of necessity. They fight to defend their home.

A task deemed worthy of no less, than the loss of their OWN LIFE.

These are the values of a FREE PEOPLE.

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisakim/2022/02/26/in-photos-ukrainian-volunteers-take-up-arms-as-russian-attacks-wreak-havoc-on-kyiv/?sh=10f18f6b6014

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So too, are the values of The People of The United States.

Because we know— if it can happen to ONE of us, then it can happen to us ALL. It’s only a matter of TIME. If we turn a blind eye now, toward the suffering and injustice; so too, for us… it will be the same. In our time of need, in our hour of oppression… our fate will have already been sealed, long before the first shots are fired.

As we cry out for HELP, the question will be asked… ‘What did you do to help keep their Democracy intact?’

Will it be said that the United States of America, stood on the sidelines and did nothing… or will it be remembered as a time in which we chose to ACT.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_…

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When they had the CHOICE they did not ACT. Now is the time of their regret. Because they did not know… and how could they? Their STORY had not yet been written.

Today, we reap the bounty of their misfortunes. We HONOR the memory of their sacrifices by ensuring it will never happen again.

There is no regret greater than that born of INACTION.

… words so wise, may they be etched in STONE for all time.

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The Great Frieze of the Liberty Memorial, sculptor Edmond Amateis

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Every Nation on every Continent who desires a rich and prosperous future, should stand opposed to these actions… as they endanger the future of us ALL.

-JC