Leading and Inspiring the Free World
Instilling the will to fight
“You should put sunflower seeds in your pockets so that they will grow on Ukrainian land after you die.” ~Anonymous woman in Ukraine, confronting invading Russian soldiers
At the beginning, three long years ago, it was the Ghost of Kiev. The sunflower seed lady. The Battle of Snake Island.
It was the driver who rolled down his window to offer to tow a broken-down Russian tank back to Russia. It was a guy who looks like your neighbor that – with a lit cigarette between his teeth – ever-so-delicately carried a live land mine across the road and off into a muddy field.
It was the Ukrainian president who rebuffed offers to help him leave his country by saying, “The fight is here. I need ammunition. Not a ride.”
And last week it was that same Ukrainian president, war-weary and dressed in a battle uniform, defending his country from a verbal ambush in the Oval Office.
After more than three years, we have plenty of stories of Ukrainian courage. Cheeky, somber, inspiring, sometimes apocryphal stories – they all feed into the mythos that may be intangible but that undergirds and defines this moment in history and Ukraine’s place in it.
The stories of these heroes bolster the spiritual infrastructure – the mental struts that support a people’s identity and willingness to carry on. Heroic narratives inspire others to action, give them hope that they can make a difference. That hope leads to action, which leads to more stories of heroism… That continuous loop feeds the will to fight, to be courageous, to show honor.
That spiritual infrastructure may not be visible but it’s critical to their success; Ukraine’s superior will is the reason what was supposed to be a three-day invasion has turned into a three year war. And even now, three years into a war of terror in which Putin has bombed entire cities to dust, Ukraine’s will remains unbroken.
Conventional warfare and rampant war crimes didn’t bring down the Ukrainian resolve.
So Putin needed a different kind of bomb – one that would hit the people of Ukraine deep in their hearts, in their psyche, in their will to resist.
He found one in Donald Trump.
The Oval Office meeting last Friday has been widely described as an ambush and a trap. I agree, but think it may have been a trap of a different sort. I think the outcome of that meeting was nearly certain, and that Trump was going to illegally withdraw support for Ukraine – no matter what Zelenskyy said or did.
I think the trap was set to try to get Zelenskyy to publicly bend to Trump’s will – to deliver a blow to Ukraine’s spirit that only the submission of a proud leader could land.
Had Zelenskyy groveled like they wanted him to – debasing himself and kissing the ring in front of a sea of reporters – it would have been a sharp deviation from the president who famously proclaimed “I need ammunition, not a ride.”
It would have been a sign to his people, to the world, that he was broken.
In the battle of wills, that would have been a crushing blow.
Zelenskyy refused to give them the satisfaction.
And the entire world rallied behind him.
Even now as word hits the news that Zelenskyy has called the meeting “regrettable,” the mythos of that moment is set. When the moment came, and he stood firm before two of the most powerful people in the world, he honored his people and showed everyone else the way.
To say he is now the leader of the free world is not hyperbole.
He is, in this moment, quite literally showing the free world how to stand up for humanity against tyrants and despots.
This morning we saw Justin Tudreau similarly stand up for Canada. He was direct, honest, frank. He explained directly to the American people that Canada means us no harm, and that its fight is with our government. But he made it clear: they will not cower.
Neither should we.
Recently a leading Democrat said that we can’t swing at every pitch the GOP throws. The criticism was swift, and rightfully so. These are not typical times when the “pitches” the GOP throws are policy positions that reasonable people can disagree about reasonably.
These GOP “pitches” are dismantling American democracy while smashing lives and jobs and security and relationships and reputations. There is destruction in every direction.
In these times – under these circumstances – we need leaders to show that they care enough about everyone in our coalition to swing at every pitch. Not because they’ll connect every time, or hit every one out of the ballpark. But because they know that there is honor in the attempt and their fighting spirit will bolster our collective will.
Without the will to succeed – the will to fight – no amount of military might in the world matters. But with it, people who are under resourced, under nourished, sleep deprived and lacking in all material comfort will rise to meet incredible challenges.
Politically, fighting against all odds is something that many Democrats are familiar with – those of us who are in so-called unwinnable districts, or in red states, or under Republican supermajorities. We’re used to the cards being stacked against us. We don’t give up. We dig in.
We’re just asking for leaders to do the same.
Maybe watching Ukrainians who are outgunned and outmanned but still eager to fight for their democracy in muddy fields with their bare hands has made us wonder why leaders are not rising to fight for ours in antiseptic climate-controlled office buildings where their biggest concern is losing the next election. Truly, I crave an American leader that shows the kind of resolve that this moment requires.
So watching Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, I felt a strange combination of horror and envy. Horror that America has fallen so far, so fast. And envy that a leader would have such pride for himself and his country that he would stand up to two of the most powerful men in the history of the world on live television.
I know I wasn’t alone.
Ukraine in general and Zelenskyy in particular have taught the world a lot about honor, leadership, integrity, and sheer will. Now it’s our job to act on what we’ve learned.
For too long we’ve stood, shocked and slack-jawed, watching authoritarians ascend and democracies falter – making excuses even as our own democratic institutions wither. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian people’s heroism and fortitude has inspired and helped galvanize a previously paralyzed world.
My hope is that their heroism will feed into our vision of what we should be.
What we used to be.
And, should we gather the will, what we can be again.
Slava Ukraini.
Let’s get to work.
“We are all potential heroes waiting for a moment in life to perform a heroic deed.” ~The Banality of Heroism
Actions for the Week of March 4, 2025
Friend, things may be heavy – but you can lighten that load by doing something small – a “small deed” – to bring about the world that you want to see.
In doing so we tell the world, the universe, our leaders – and most importantly, ourselves – that we will not go quietly into that good night.
I call it Action Therapy.
That’s why in each Tuesday post I share a few “small things” – usually a Small Thing to Read, a Small Event to Attend, and a Small Call to Make or Action to Take. My intention here is to give you actions you can tuck into your week with ease – and know that you’re doing something today to make tomorrow better.
Join me in doing so. It matters.
Small Call to Make: Support Ukraine/SAVE Act
First, last week Donald Trump and JD Vance parroted Putin’s talking points and tried to back our ally Ukraine into a corner. The response around the world has been swift – and catastrophic to our reputation and world standing.
The world is watching to see whether Americans will follow Trump’s lead on this.
So if you are nauseated by what you saw Friday, it is critical that you make your voice heard right now. Today. And every day this week.
Calling your Senators is a great start here, and Rogan’s List has a great script and resources. Get those here. When I have called this week, I’ve simply explained that I’m horrified at the treatment of Zelenskyy, and that Trump would unilaterally end congressionally-appropriated support for Ukraine. But, using Antonia Scatton’s messaging advice (see below under “Small Thing to Read”) I am changing my script for tomorrow:
Script: Hi, my name is [your name] and I’m calling because we have a moral and legal obligation to help Zelensky and the people of Ukraine. We are betraying the Ukrainian people. In 1994 Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons and naval fleet in exchange for a guarantee of sovereignty and protection in a treaty with the US & Russia. Russia broke the treaty when it invaded in 2014 & 2022. Trump is breaking it now. What will you do, Senator?
If you don’t know your Senators’ telephone number, you can call the switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Second, last week our friends at Americans of Conscience Checklist (AOCC for short) published a great action on how to call your Congressperson about the SAVE Act. The SAVE Act would disenfranchise millions of people and make voter registration very difficult. There are many reasons we should oppose it. Go here for more.
Script: Hi, my name is—in [ZIP], asking you to oppose H.R. 22, the SAVE Act, which would enact broad purges of voter rolls and force voters to prove their citizenship when registering. Almost 10 percent of Americans lack the required documentation, including many women who changed their names when they married. This law could have a chilling effect on women voters. Please assure me of your “no” vote on H.R. 22. Thank you.
Small Event to Attend: A Virtual Town Hall With Heather Cox Richardson and Simon Rosenberg
Renowned historian Heather Cox Richardson and influential Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg are teaming up for a virtual Town Hall with Commit To Democracy on Wednesday at 3pm central. They will hold a discussion on how we can best build an effective opposition party. There will be a moderated Q&A at the end of the program.
Register here: https://www.mobilize.us/committodemocracy/event/754749/
Small Thing(s) to Read: Project2025 and Talking Points Grab Bag
First, check out this new website that shows just how much of Project 2025 has been implemented. Just six weeks into the Trump term, they’ve already completed 87 actions and have another 42 in progress. This is a great website to bookmark and refer to later. Check it out here:
https://www.project2025.observer/
(Hat tip to the always-wonderful Jess Craven for bringing this one to my attention.)
Second, Antonia Scatton has yet another great substack article giving us all very clear talking points on a number of topics. If you’re not already following Antonia, I highly recommend doing so! Antonia is a messaging expert who gives direct advice on how to (and often how not to) get our message across.
Thanks for reading, friend – I’m glad to see you here! You’re making a difference, I promise.
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Well written! Thank you. Slava Ukrayini, Slava heroiam!
I think this was your best post…ever.