I’ve had nothing but hope and admiration for the people and President of Ukraine, since Russia’s horrific invasion of the country, for no reason other than to destroy the young democracy and fulfill Vladimir Putin’s desire to bring back the Soviet Union. Ukraine has never been a threat to Putin’s Russia, but its successful fledgling democracy and the accompanying freedoms are.

After weeks of failed diplomacy, Putin invaded Ukraine with the full might of 2/3 of the Russian military forces. But Ukrainian President Zelinsky and the Ukrainian people would have nothing to do with Putin’s attack on the peace-loving nation. The Ukrainian people, women, and children of all ages rallied behind their duly elected leader and their military to defy the Russian troops at every step of the way. Putin miscalculated the Ukrainian people’s strong will to defend their freedoms and their country. The capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, was supposed to be Putin’s prize for the taking, but after 3 days the Ukrainians still hold the capital.

We have seen photos and newsreels showing Ukrainian women making Molotov cocktails and brandishing weapons in defense of their homes. We have seen old men volunteering to join the military to defend their homeland. We have also seen President Zelinsky, in full military gear ready to die for his country, along with his fellow countrymen. We have heard him refuse to be evacuated to safety, choosing to fight rather than seek his own personal protection.

I am amazed at the unity of the international community in standing up to Putin. Almost the entire airspace over Europe has been closed to Russia and the rest of the world, except for China and North Korea, have imposed economically crippling sanctions that will bring down Russia’s currency and hit Putin’s oligarch friends in their pocketbooks.

And then we look at what’s happening at home. As the world rallies around Ukraine, Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress are rallying around Putin. Remember it was Donald Trump who was impeached for attempting to extort Zelensky by threatening to withhold military aid unless he fabricated lies to help Trump’s re-election campaign. From the first day of the Trump administration, Trump tried to eliminate Russian sanctions imposed on Putin for his earlier incursion into Crimea. All during his term, Trump bent over backward to weaken NATO and curry favor with Putin. Trump tried to destabilize NATO, Europe and divide the American people to pave the way for Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

When I see the brave patriots of Ukraine fighting for their lives, their freedom, and their country I can’t help but think of Trump and his cult of ragtag supporters attacking the U.S. Capitol because their cult leader lost the election. I remember Trump firing up his followers saying “follow me to the Capitol” and then running back to the White House to hide ( I guess those bone spurs were acting up) and letting his supporters face the dangers in the midst of the violent attack.

Then I see his supporters attacking healthcare workers, government officials, and even school children for trying to take away their freedoms, by having to wear a piece of cloth to help protect themselves and other people from dying of COVID-19. These brave patriots are willing to attack the Capitol, but they’re too damn afraid to get a simple vaccination, to protect themselves from a severe illness. Now they want to form a convoy of trucks to disrupt the flow of food and goods to their fellow citizens, goaded on by Fox News and reprobates like Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, because of non-existent mask mandates.

These pathetic excuses for Americans would drop dead of fear if they had to face the real losses of freedom that Ukrainians have been facing since the invasion. The Ukrainians stand to lose their government, their country, their homes, their businesses, and their lives. The so-called American patriots are a disgrace to America and every freedom-loving democracy in the world. They have brought shame to every veteran who put on a uniform to fight for America’s freedom far from home.

Remember the people of Ukraine in your prayers and thank God for people like them. If only all Americans valued our democracy as much as they do. They are a model to freedom-loving people all over the world.