Public Comment

How I explained Ukraine to a longtime white Canadian friend of mine all ca ught up in, 'Zelensky all good, Putin all bad':

If the U.S. was "Shoog", & Russia was "Ray-Ray", & Ukraine was "L'il Dog", and Shoog & Ray-Ray were feudin', and Shoog & Ray-Ray wanted L'il Dog to side with one of them (Shoog or Ray-Ray). This is what my friend Kinn in the 'hood woulda told L'il Dog beforehand [like I told a Ukrainian female academic way before even Covid, except of course I told her in standard U.S. English]:

Loook..., both Shoog & Ray-Ray been feudin' for a lllongggg lllonggg tihhme... Ever since anyone from around here can remember... And I know each of them want you to be ōn they side... And I know you got a right to choose which side you wanna be ōnnn... 

But listen here...: this ain't really about moral right or moral wronggg to Shoog & Ray-Ray... Certainly not to Shoog... Shoog been bangin' all ova these 'hoods since Shoog was three-quarter growwwn... He think he got a right to go evvvrywhere and bang..., and tell evvvryone what to do... 

Both Shoog & Ray-Ray are kinda crazy... You know what I meannn?... And they ain't evvva gonna stop feudin'... Even though now they both Crips [capitalists]... -- just ōn different sides of the same highway... 

Besides..., between you & me..., Ray-Ray got a point...: Why don't you just remain neutral mannn?... Hey I'm just tryna keep you aliiive!... Just 'cause you got a right to choose which side, don't mean you have to choose which side, who you side with... You gōn' get snagged-up in Shoog & Ray-Ray's bbulllshit..., and end up all shot up..., crippled... -- or ddead... Is that what you want?... 

Now I gave you my advice... But, L'il Dog..., it's up to you mannn how you wanna end up!... But one thing you oughta o' learnt in these 'hoods, mannn...: you​ ain' gōn' feel safe, if, at a minimum, you don't let yo' neighbors​​​ feel safe... And in the ennnd, the only people who always winnn... are the people sellin' us the gguns​.