Often in our “A Reason to Smile” feature here at Steady we share music or other elements of the arts that celebrate the sublimity of human expression. Today, however, we share something very different.
The backdrop for our offering is the barbarity of which humans are sadly capable. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has seen staggering levels of death and suffering. Whenever Russian forces are repelled, the stories that emerge, along with the mass graves, speak of unconscionable atrocities and war crimes.
The most recent location where this is taking place is the city of Kherson, which had been under occupation for more than eight months. Once again, we are hearing a narrative of unimaginable brutality. But we are also seeing something else: hope born from the remarkable resilience of the human spirit. The courage, bravery, and resourcefulness of the Ukrainian military and its citizens is inspiring.
As Ukrainian troops liberated the city, residents who had lived in fear streamed out of their homes and gathered with ebullient expressions of relief and joy. We are living in a time when the forces of autocracy have felt ascendant. Yet we should not discount the resolve of people to live in freedom.
We should also recognize that the path to freedom and liberation from the forces of tyranny is never assured and is full of hardship. Kherson remains a humanitarian crisis — littered with landmines, facing a scarcity of water, electricity, and food, and still near the frontlines. Yet it is also a place where its residents can step out into the light and feel free. It is a symbol to the world of what resistance can accomplish. It is a reason for hope, and we believe, to smile.
The clip today is from about a week ago, when Ukrainian forces took back the city. It features the longtime CNN correspondent Nic Robertson, who has reported from countless war zones over his storied career. Here we see the power of live television as he conducts interviews with residents of Kherson. A crowd gathers, and the spirit they exude, along with the words they share, is something to behold.
Note: If you are not already a subscriber to our Steady newsletter, please consider joining us. And we always appreciate you sharing our content with others and leaving your thoughts in the comments.
"Liberation and Freedom"
I think there are some in this country who call themselves patriots, some of whom incited an insurrection to interfere with a valid election, who need to look at these people and listen to them. In spite of all the hell they have been through they are true patriots.
Juxtaposition of sorts....just before reading this I read an article that the WaPo reported about consumers spending less on Christmas and the story focused on a jewelry store in a large city and the owner was bemoaning that last year people spend literally thousands of dollars on items like tennis bracelets and this year they are buying gifts more in the hundreds of dollars range. And then I read this where to hardships of the folks in Ukraine are in desperate need of basics like water and food. I know Americans can be generous, but to me this is so offensive and speaks volumes about our nation today....the WaPo feels it is more important to run a story about how a high end store is doing maybe because of inflation than to say run an op ed that says "Hey folks, what is wrong with this picture, who are we, a bunch of spoiled brats who are sad because we can't afford a $2,000 tennis bracelet or are we a people that say let's forego the useless Christmas presents this year and send help to the freedom loving Ukrainians (or put in another people...lets say the Native Americans)". I have to say I much prefer a Reason to Smile than a story about how "inflation may steal Christmas" and the equating Christmas with how many presents we can buy.