Ukraine Connects Everyone
Social media wars, political corruption, and questions about Eastern Europe that deserve to be answered
Ukraine connects everyone: How Ukrainian politics and connections pull leftist politicians out of the shadows and into the light
I hear myself talking about my childhood as if it is some bygone era that has been swept into the dustbin of history. Not that the 90s was the moral high point of American history by any means, but I think what I miss about it is the absence of social media. And don’t get me wrong – my entire world revolves around social media. I work in the press and media, and the Internet is where I do most of my work. Yet, I also long for a time before instant access to information. A time when you found out about the news by reading the rolled-up newspaper that was tossed onto your driveway every morning. A time before everyone, at the same time, could have the same emotional knee-jerk reaction to a story floating around online before it could be verified as accurate or not.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Internet is a two-edged sword. It offers data beyond our wildest dreams, but the tributaries of information streaming toward us have been captured by enemy forces. “Big Tech,” as it is often called, shamelessly steers conversations and crises by utilizing algorithms, trends, and videos. The Christian community, as well, is not immune to this. Many evangelical figureheads are quick to jump on the trending bandwagon when it comes to issues of social justice or politics (Beth Moore, anyone?).
How many people optimistically posted a black square on their social media feeds to show solidarity with Black Lives Matter in the wake of George Floyd’s death in 2020 without stopping to ask themselves what they were actually showing solidarity with? The same could be said of the Russia and Ukraine crisis at the moment. How many people are flying Ukrainian flags or dumping bottles of Russian vodka into the streets when, quite frankly, we just don’t know what’s really going on in Eastern Europe? Besides, isn’t it beyond hypocritical when governors in the U.S. urge retailers to boycott Russian products while America continues to purchase countless barrels of oil from Russia every year at quickly-skyrocketing prices? It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t add up. Something critical is missing from this picture, and it’s impossible to know exactly what that something is when our knowledge of the invasion overseas is confined to videos and clips from social media or commentaries from pundits on networks like CNN or Fox News. The only thing that we can really know for sure is that innocent civilians have been caught in the middle of this conflict – and that goes for Russian and Ukrainian citizens alike.
It's easy to see how quickly the world can be mobilized, as if it is one massive, hive mind, to react similarly to any event. It is so easy to get swept up in the dopamine hit that you experience when you post something your followers like and comment on. “You’re such a good American!” “Go YOU!” “Solidarity! We stand united!” Granted, comments and interaction on social media can be a really positive thing – but it can be nefarious, too. It is easy to garner accolades for jumping on a bandwagon, and honestly, that should be the first clue that doing so might not be right.
Why do politicians care about Ukraine when they don’t care about their own people?
Personally, why are we so terribly quick to trust the mainstream media narrative on the Russia and Ukraine situation? Why are wildly corrupt politicians like Hillary Clinton (who has been confirmed to have illegally spied on President Donald Trump while he campaigned and while he was in the Oval Office, according to the newest Durham filings – just to name one of her dubious, under-the-table activities) supporting the sovereignty of Ukraine against Russia? Why are Democrats and Republicans alike suddenly united in solidarity with Ukraine and signing executive orders (like in New Hampshire or Utah) to cease the sale of Russia-produced or Russian-made products? We are so concerned about the sovereignty of Ukraine’s borders and yet our own border remains woefully wide open to the world, allowing millions of illegal migrants into our country, along with human traffickers and terrorists. That, apparently, is no concern to anyone. Ukraine, clearly, is far more important than our own homes and safety.
Now, a caveat: clearly, the conflicts of Europe do matter. European politics and wars affect the entire world. We haven’t seen an invasion like this since before World War II. And yet, it is still important for us to ask ourselves why? Why now? The first and most obvious reason is because President Trump is no longer in the White House, firmly holding Putin at bay. Trump, who knows the art of the deal better than anyone, kept America out of war (and Europe) during his four years in office. In fact, he is the only president of the 21st century on whose watch Russia did not invade another country, as he pointed out this past weekend during a powerful and sometimes somber address at CPAC in Orlando, Fla.
Quite frankly, what social media indicates (to me, at least) is that wars and rumors of wars can and will be used to direct the attention of Americans across the country. When it comes to the Russia and Ukraine conflict, I think it’s helpful to highlight a few facts about Ukraine’s relationship with the United States and why progressive politicians and celebrities who clearly care nothing about personal liberty or freedom are suddenly espousing patriotic support for Ukraine:
· First, Ukraine is really an epicenter for funneling money into the pockets of politicians. Let’s take the Biden family. In fact, let’s look at Hunter Biden specifically. It is well documented that Hunter Biden made millions of dollars in Ukraine based on an 87-page Senate report that exposes Biden’s connections to a Ukrainian natural gas company (Burisma Holdings Ltd.), as reported by Townhall. The New York Post further reported that Hunter was being paid $1 million just to sit on the board, and apparently, Vadym Pozharskyi, an executive with Burisma Holdings, also met with Joe Biden, who was then the vice president. I’m sure Joe’s position as VP had nothing to do with getting Hunter, who is also a well-documented crackhead, a million-dollar position on a Ukrainian energy board.
· Joe Biden has joked about getting rid of the pesky prosecutor involved in investigating Hunter’s shady Ukrainian business dealings. “I looked at them and said, ‘I’m leaving in six hours. If the prosecutor is not fired, you’re not getting the money.’ Well, son of a bitch. He got fired,” Biden said in 2018 during a speech at the Council on Foreign Relations.
· It just so happens that the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) Biological Threat Reduction Program likes to collaborate with other countries to help counter the outbreaks of infections diseases. Naturally, it also just so happens that there are U.S. bio-labs in Ukraine. Imagine that! And while the legacy media denies this, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine’s official website freely acknowledges the presence of these bio-labs: “The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense received an official Order from the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine concerning the deployment of the mobile labs to the regions of Kyiv, Lviv and Eastern Ukraine to help with the COVID-19 response.” They also stated that President Zelenskyy visited the SED units in multiple Ukrainian cities to take a look at the “capabilities of the mobile laboratories.” What does all of this mean? No one really knows, but it can hardly be a coincidence that these labs are in Ukraine, and that Ukraine just so happens to be so terribly important to defend to these radically-left politicians.
· Ukraine has also been connected to Hillary Clinton (another big shock, I know). Politico reported in 2017 the following: “Ukrainian government officials tried to help Hillary Clinton and undermine Trump by publicly questioning his fitness for office. They also disseminated documents implicating a top Trump aide in corruption and suggested they were investigating the matter, only to back away after the election. And they helped Clinton’s allies research damaging information on Trump and his advisers, a Politico investigation found.” Oops! In light of the newest Durham filings, which prove that Clinton was actively working to spy on Trump during his campaign and continued that spying during his term in office (which is treason, by the way, if it is proven)…does anybody really think that the Clintons are involved with anything, ever, that has been good or moral or just? I don’t.
Truth be told, you could investigate the ties between Ukraine and American politicians all day long. There is plenty of material. I think, too, that it’s pretty obvious that politicians are fired up and ready to defend Ukraine…and I just wonder if their desire to keep Ukraine safe comes from a place of love and respect for the Ukrainian people, or if it has something to do with self-preservation.
One thing is for sure, Joe Biden’s calculated absence has plunged the U.S. into economic ruin and the world into utter chaos, leaving many Americans longing for a return to strong, America First policies that protected not only our interests, but the interests of innocent civilians abroad.
But, before you draw a line in the sand and jump on board with the latest social media trends demanding fealty to Ukraine or whoever, question the intent. Question the motive. Question the person giving the message. Pity and pray for the innocent people on the ground, but always, always ask yourselves why when it comes to the words and actions of America’s elites.
Note:
If you want to learn more about Hunter Biden, the Biden family, and more, check out Marco Polo, a non-profit research initiative organized by former White House staffer Garrett Ziegler. They really do their homework in exposing both blackmail and corruption in the political sphere.