From the LinkedIn page of Marianna Kozintseva

July 3

It is: a) inappropriate, b) meaningless. It is the same as asking a rape victim if they are OK. You should be well aware that they are not. 78% of Ukrainians have close relatives or friends injured or killed as a result of Russian aggression (link to data in one of the comments).

Such question is entirely self-serving.

It makes you feel good about yourself and allows you to give yourself a pat on the back: “I am so wonderful, I showed that I care.” Your question, thus, is about you, not about Ukraine or Ukrainians.

At the same time, the question could make the person you have asked it relive all losses and all pain they endured.

So, rather than being “nice” to them, you’ve just become an aggressor.

About the only time you should ask this is when you hear of yet another Russian strike against Ukraine’s territory and you are inquiring if your friends – or their loved ones – have survived. This makes a lot of sense and is appreciated…

So, if you meet a Ukrainian and want to start a conversation, what do you do?

Tell her/him/them that you have donated to a charity helping Ukraine – or an institution funding Ukraine’s armed forces. This will make a Ukrainian’s eyes lit up.

Tell them/him/her that you have called and engaged your own government to assist Ukraine, that you’ve boycotted Russian goods, that you are making sure a company you work for or are affiliated with does not do business with Russia. This will show Ukrainians that in this fight you are on their side.

Tell him/them/her that their bravery inspired you to become better at something in your daily life. Ukrainian fight is not only about Ukraine but about shaping the future of the humankind.

So if, inspired by Ukraine, you have taken even a single step towards creating better human future, then Ukraine’s fight has already succeeded.

Image: Lviv street scene. Image Credit: Vitaly Mansky, via Ariel Cohen, Ph.D.

………..

A related topic from the LinkedIn page of Roman Sheremeta:

July 3

14 cents a day!

How much is US aid to Ukraine actually costing US taxpayers? Let’s use $40 billion a year (which is the highest year). Most is actually spent in US. Expenditures in US generate jobs and tax revenue. Historically, defense spending is 0.6 net reveneue loss. So, real revenue impact is more like $27 billion.

50% of federal revneue comes from income taxes. So, only $13.5 billion comes from individual tax payers. The top 10% pay about 48% of individual income tax collected. So the bottom 90% (where those complaining are) pay about $7 billion of their taxes toward Ukrainian aid.

Approximately 160 million tax returns are filed, so 90% would be 144 million taxpayers for $7 billion of Ukrainian aid or less than 14 cents a day.

So the whining individuals who do not think defeating the russian army and destroying Putin’s capacity to wage wars is worth it, are complaining about 14 cents a day out of their pocket. This is after the US has spent trillions trying to deter russia.

Helping Ukraine defeat russia is the most well-spent money in the Federal budget of the US.