For a year and a half, I have posted a weekly reminder and update on the circumstances of the individuals — both Russian and foreign — being held in Vladimir Putin’s chain of penal colonies for purely political reasons: because they have dared, by word or peaceful action, to oppose his tyrannical regime.

And we have seen that same method of persecution spread, most notably to Putin’s puppet state of Belarus, where the presumptive president, Aleksandr Lukashenko, is holding more than 1,000 people hostage on similarly specious grounds.

But while we abhor such practices wherever they occur throughout the world, we are not surprised when they are revealed in autocratically-ruled nations such as Russia and Belarus. We oppose them, we issue sanctions against them, we even — through human rights and enforcement agencies such as the International Criminal Court — charge them with crimes against humanity and issue warrants for their arrest.

And we Americans say a silent prayer of gratitude that we live in a nation where such things just can’t happen. Because we live in a democracy, with a Constitution that protects our individual rights, and holds our government to a system of accountability — checks and balances — that has protected us from tyranny for nearly 250 years.

Or we did . . . until something started to go suddenly, horribly, unimaginably wrong.

Overnight, we Americans found our freedoms and our most treasured institutions — universities, public schools, the media, law enforcement, our courts and governmental agencies themselves — under attack by a cabal of fascistic oligarchs who make no secret of their mad lust for absolute power.

So I have begun to question my right to criticize the Putins and Lukashenkos of this world, when the disease of their evil has metastasized to my own country . . . and most especially because this circumstance was not forced upon us by an invasion or military coup.

No, we did it to ourselves. We held a free and fair election in 2024. The fault lies with the people — a plurality, rather than an actual majority — who were swayed by the rhetoric of one who promised nirvana but whose history of a lifetime of lies, failures and proven criminal activity was allowed to be buried or brushed aside.

It is often said that “the government you elect is the government you deserve” — or words to that effect. But I don’t agree with that . . . not when the election was based on a campaign of falsehoods and emotional appeals to the least educated and most vulnerable. But we are stuck with it for the time being . . . stuck with the shame, with the fear, and with the knowledge that it will take years of struggle to overcome and reverse the damage that is being done.

But that does not mean I have to discontinue my verbal fight against tyranny in other nations; it simply means that I must — with the heaviest of hearts — add my own country to my list of hostages awaiting a day of reckoning and a renewal of freedom.

*. *. *

And so here, once more, is that list:

Prisoners of War:

The People of Ukraine
The Azov 12

Political Prisoners:

The People of the United States of America

The Azerbaijan 7:
— Farid Mehralizada
— Ulvi Hasanli
— Sevinj Abbasova (Vagifqiai)
— Mahammad Kekalov
— Hafiz Babali
— Nargiz Absalamova
— Elnara Gasimova

In Russia, except as otherwise indicated:

David Barnes
Ales Bialiatski (in Belarus)
Gordon Black
Andrei Chapiuk (in Belarus)
Antonina Favorskaya
Konstantin Gabov
Robert Gilman
Stephen James Hubbard
Sergey Karelin
Vadim Kobzev
Darya Kozyreva
Artyom Kriger
Uladzimir Labkovich (in Belarus)
Michael Travis Leake
Aleksei Liptser
Ihar Losik (in Belarus)
Mikita Losik (in Belarus)
Daniel Martindale
Nika Novak
Marfa Rabkova (in Belarus)
Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Eugene Spector
Valiantsin Stafanovic (in Belarus)
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland
Yuras Zyankovich (in Belarus)

. . . and any others I may have overlooked.

We must never give up the fight.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/6/25

For a year and a half, I have posted a weekly reminder and update on the circumstances of the individuals — both Russian and foreign — being held in Vladimir Putin’s chain of penal colonies for purely political reasons: because they have dared, by word or peaceful action, to oppose his tyrannical regime.

And we have seen that same method of persecution spread, most notably to Putin’s puppet state of Belarus, where the presumptive president, Aleksandr Lukashenko, is holding more than 1,000 people hostage on similarly specious grounds.

But while we abhor such practices wherever they occur throughout the world, we are not surprised when they are revealed in autocratically-ruled nations such as Russia and Belarus. We oppose them, we issue sanctions against them, we even — through human rights and enforcement agencies such as the International Criminal Court — charge them with crimes against humanity and issue warrants for their arrest.

And we Americans say a silent prayer of gratitude that we live in a nation where such things just can’t happen. Because we live in a democracy, with a Constitution that protects our individual rights, and holds our government to a system of accountability — checks and balances — that has protected us from tyranny for nearly 250 years.

Or we did . . . until something started to go suddenly, horribly, unimaginably wrong.

Overnight, we Americans found our freedoms and our most treasured institutions — universities, public schools, the media, law enforcement, our courts and governmental agencies themselves — under attack by a cabal of fascistic oligarchs who make no secret of their mad lust for absolute power.

So I have begun to question my right to criticize the Putins and Lukashenkos of this world, when the disease of their evil has metastasized to my own country . . . and most especially because this circumstance was not forced upon us by an invasion or military coup.

No, we did it to ourselves. We held a free and fair election in 2024. The fault lies with the people — a plurality, rather than an actual majority — who were swayed by the rhetoric of one who promised nirvana but whose history of a lifetime of lies, failures and proven criminal activity was allowed to be buried or brushed aside.

It is often said that “the government you elect is the government you deserve” — or words to that effect. But I don’t agree with that . . . not when the election was based on a campaign of falsehoods and emotional appeals to the least educated and most vulnerable. But we are stuck with it for the time being . . . stuck with the shame, with the fear, and with the knowledge that it will take years of struggle to overcome and reverse the damage that is being done.

But that does not mean I have to discontinue my verbal fight against tyranny in other nations; it simply means that I must — with the heaviest of hearts — add my own country to my list of hostages awaiting a day of reckoning and a renewal of freedom.

*. *. *

And so here, once more, is that list:

Prisoners of War:

The People of Ukraine
The Azov 12

Political Prisoners:

The People of the United States of America

The Azerbaijan 7:
— Farid Mehralizada
— Ulvi Hasanli
— Sevinj Abbasova (Vagifqiai)
— Mahammad Kekalov
— Hafiz Babali
— Nargiz Absalamova
— Elnara Gasimova

In Russia, except as otherwise indicated:

David Barnes
Ales Bialiatski (in Belarus)
Gordon Black
Andrei Chapiuk (in Belarus)
Antonina Favorskaya
Konstantin Gabov
Robert Gilman
Stephen James Hubbard
Sergey Karelin
Vadim Kobzev
Darya Kozyreva
Artyom Kriger
Uladzimir Labkovich (in Belarus)
Michael Travis Leake
Aleksei Liptser
Ihar Losik (in Belarus)
Mikita Losik (in Belarus)
Daniel Martindale
Nika Novak
Marfa Rabkova (in Belarus)
Nadezhda Rossinskaya (a.k.a. Nadin Geisler)
Igor Sergunin
Dmitry Shatresov
Robert Shonov
Eugene Spector
Valiantsin Stafanovic (in Belarus)
Laurent Vinatier
Robert Romanov Woodland
Yuras Zyankovich (in Belarus)

. . . and any others I may have overlooked.

We must never give up the fight.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/6/25

I greeted this day, shortly after midnight, by confessing that I was feeling uninspired and out of words, and would therefore be going to bed without having written my usual late-night diatribe . . . though not without first indulging in my favorite guilty pleasure: a generous portion of Haagen-Dazs coffee ice cream.

No, no, no! I said “Haagen-Dazs”!

Anyway . . . it is now 14 hours later, and I did manage to rack up about 10 hours of sleep. But — though I felt physically refreshed — I found upon waking that I was still missing that hoped-for spark of inspiration.

So I did what I often do: I went searching through my favorite quotations for the words of someone brighter and more eloquent (though sadly long-dead) to open my mind. And the first bit of wisdom that caught my eye was a brief observation by the Roman poet Virgil, written in the first century B.C., and still so apt today:

“So many wars, so many shapes of crime …
Unholy Mars bends all to his mad will;
The world is like a chariot run wild.”

– Virgil, The Georgics, Book I

Well, that was depressing . . . because in more than two millennia, it is obvious that we humans have actually regressed.

So I continued my search in one of my favorite columns, the History Channel’s “This Day In History.” And I was momentarily cheered by the reminders that today is the anniversary of the days on which Elvis Presley recorded “That’s All Right” (1954); Arthur Ashe became the first Black man to win Wimbledon (1975); and Dolly the sheep became the first successfully cloned mammal (1996).

But the history-lover in me was inexorably drawn to an item concerning runaway slave Frederick Douglass’ “What to the slave is the Fourth of July” speech, delivered during an Independence Day celebration in Rochester, New York, in 1852.

And there I found what I believe to be the cause of my current melancholy: further proof that, despite decades of enlightenment and advancement in human rights and civil rights legislation, we are again being pulled backward into the morass of widespread hatred and fear that invariably opens the door to fascism and war.

Douglass was, of course, speaking exclusively of Black slavery in the United States a decade before the Civil War and Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. But his words — when applied to all non-White, non-Christian, non-nationalists in today’s America — are as frighteningly true now as they were for those first African-Americans 173 years ago. And so they are worth quoting here:

“What to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham … your national greatness, swelling vanity … your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are, to Him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages.” [“This Day In History,” History.com, July 5, 2025.]

“ . . . bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages” . . . a perfect description of what we are seeing today in the mass deportation of honest, hard-working immigrants; the persecution of journalists, educators, and political leaders who dare espouse the freedoms granted us by our Constitution; and the massive transfer of wealth to the already wealthy, at the expense of the well-being and the very lives of the general populace.

Is it any wonder, then, that I sometimes find myself unable — or simply unwilling — to face up to another day of more of the same? But Frederick Douglass’ words have reenergized me, and my righteous indignation is back.

So I close with one further well-known quote, as a reminder to us all:

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/5/25

My mind is a blank. It’s midnight — usually the most productive time of my day — and I’ve got nothing.

It happens from time to time. Some call it writer’s block; I think of it as a temporary absence of inspiration. Or maybe my brain is just tired.

So I’m going to grab some Haagen-Dazs, find an old rerun on TV, and put the iPad away for the night. I’ll be back when the fog lifts, hopefully later today.

In the meantime, happy Saturday to all (or Sunday, to those in the other hemisphere).

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/5/25

They spoke again yesterday — at least their sixth conversation since Trump’s inauguration on January 20th.

And Vladimir Putin continues to play him like a Stradivarius.

Donald Trump told reporters after the hour-long call that he and Putin had discussed both Iran and Ukraine, but had made no progress. Kremlin aide and former Ambassador to the U.S. Yuri Ushakov, however, said that Putin had told Trump that “Russia will achieve its goals [in Ukraine and] will not abandon them.” [RFE/RL, July 3, 2025.]

Ushakov also claimed that the issue of U.S. aid to Ukraine had not been raised during the call, and added that Putin had reiterated to Trump that Russia was still interested in a “negotiated solution” to the war. [Id.]

So which report is accurate? Toss a coin.

It has long been clear to nearly everyone — with the notable exception of Trump himself — that Putin has no intention of ending the war as long as he believes he is winning it . . . and as long as Trump continues to placate him by holding back on U.S. support of Ukraine and hesitating to increase or enforce the sanctions against Russia.

Mikhail Alexseev, a political science professor at San Diego State University, has said that yesterday’s call confirmed Putin’s refusal to compromise:

“Moscow’s position just remains entrenched, and in some ways, indeed tougher. In their thinking, they see Trump abandoning Ukraine. And if he does, they don’t have any incentive to stop the fighting, and they can become just more insistent on achieving their initial objectives.

“The only way to actually bring Russia seriously to [the] negotiating table is to provide Ukraine with more support so that Russia doesn’t see a way to win this conflict militarily.” [Id.]

And until Trump acknowledges the truth — that Putin will not surrender his territorial demands unless forced to do so, and that his professed willingness to negotiate is no more than a red herring — the war will continue.

And if it is allowed to continue much longer, Putin will win.

Then he will be free to move on to the next country.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/4/25

Although President Abraham Lincoln did not deliver his immortal address at Gettysburg until four months later, it was 162 years ago yesterday — July 3, 1863 — and fourscore and seven (87) years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 — that the most decisive battle of the U.S. Civil War officially came to an end. [“This Day In History,” History.com, July 3, 2025.]

Today being the 4th of July, when we once again celebrate the anniversary of our country’s founding, I thought it appropriate to take a break from the food and fireworks in order to remember some of the words that Lincoln spoke on that memorable day at Gettysburg, as he honored the fallen heroes who had fought so valiantly to keep the United States . . . well . . . united:

“ . . . It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Since that time, our country has fought in two world wars and other bloody conflicts on foreign soil . . . all in the defense of freedom and democracy. But there are those in power today who would have us forget what this country is about, and what all of those honored dead gave their lives to preserve.

So it is doubly appropriate, I think, to take a moment today to recall history, lest we forget it . . . and to resurrect Lincoln’s words:

“ . . . that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Amen.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/4/25

With all that has been happening in the world lately, I’m afraid I have neglected to keep current with the Feenstra family, formerly of Saskatchewan, Canada, and now living on their very own farm (more or less theirs) in the Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia.

If you’ve been following them, or just my reports on them, you know that Arend and Anneesa Feenstra moved, with eight of their nine children (the eldest son stayed behind with other family members), about a year and a half ago to seek prosperity and freedom from “wokeness” in Vladimir Putin’s promised land.

And they seem to be doing quite well . . . with considerable help from the regional authorities, who found their large, personable family to be perfect purveyors of Putin’s pronatalist propaganda. In addition to the back-breaking labor of creating a working farm from scratch, they are constantly producing videos and documentaries of life in Russia, attending meetings, and occasionally traveling to events in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, to Moscow, and once even to Tbilisi, Georgia.

In the time they have lived on their new farm, they have built a large home and are working tirelessly on a number of other structures: a barn for their livestock, a large workshop, a schoolroom for the home-schooled children, a root cellar . . . and even a guest house.

They have vegetable gardens, and incubators for their egg business . . . because, make no mistake, this farm is also a going business concern, as was their former property in Canada. This is how they make their living, and they know what they’re doing.

Lately, though, it seems they’ve had a couple of setbacks. First, wife Anneesa was experiencing severe leg pain, requiring a trip to the city for tests and treatment. According to Arend, they called on a Saturday for an appointment, and were seen on that Monday. Once again, he raved about the excellent medical care — an ultrasound showed tendinitis and some sort of “spurs” — and compared it to Canada, where he said you could wait 8-10 months for treatment. He suggested, quite seriously, that if you want good medical care, you should “come to Russia.”

I’m glad they’re happy . . . but I think I’ll pass on that offer.

*. *. *

Anneesa’s leg, according to the doctors, will be fine. But the next problem didn’t have such a happy ending. They had set chicken coops outdoors, and one or more foxes went on a rampage overnight, killing 40-50 of their birds. They once had a similar issue in Canada, but Arend said that he used to solve that problem by shooting the offending fox — something that is obviously not going to happen in Russia, where guns are verboten.

And the final piece of bad news was that the government grant for which he had applied in order to start building his herd of cows didn’t come through. Still, Arend’s faith is strong, and he thanked God and the government for allowing him to participate in the grant program, which only had 16 awards available for “lots” of applicants.

It’s always wise to stay on the good side of the people in charge.

*. *. *

But there was also good news. In the process of helping a lady who works for them (they have an employee!) move into her new home, they were introduced to a friend of hers who had two female calves for sale. They were able to agree on a fair price, and the calves — named Alyona and Marta — are now safely settled in their brand-new barn, next door to the litter of young pigs that Arend kept petting while referring to them as “bacon.”

*. *. *

So things are bustling on the Feenstra homestead, as always. Arend teaches the boys the fine points of construction, the girls help Anneesa with the household chores, and everyone participates in tending the animals and the gardens. Between all of the hard labor that goes into running a successful farm, and their daily movie-making, not a minute is wasted . . . to which I have just one thing to say:

“Better them than me!”

I’m exhausted just writing about them!

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/3/25

This leak has nothing to do with whistleblowers, spies, or high-ranking officials who use unsecured telecom connections to discuss top-secret military plans. Today’s news is about a literal leak . . . a leak of water . . . into Donald Trump’s big beautiful Alligator Alcatraz.

It is a well-known fact that it rains a lot in Florida, especially in the summertime when the heat and humidity are already in the danger zone and the afternoon thunderclouds come rolling in like clockwork every day. And yesterday — opening day at the new ICE detention center in the swampland known as the Everglades — was no exception.

By all accounts, it wasn’t a big rain . . . maybe 1/4 inch in total. But reports are that it came down hard for a while, and the tents that are supposed to be constructed to withstand a Category 2 hurricane failed their first test miserably. According to local news reporter Jason Delgado of Spectrum News 13, the water seeped into the tent, onto electrical cables, and around flagpoles. In his video, the rain could be heard clearly hitting the ceiling of the tent, which appeared to rattle as it was struck by the raindrops. [Josh Fiallo, Daily Beast, July 2, 2025.]

The Florida Division of Emergency Management reported that it has taken steps to fix the problem. Spokeswoman Stephanie Hartman said, “Overnight, the vendors went back and tightened any seams at the base of the structure that allowed water intrusion during the heavy storm, which was minimal.” [Id.]

Fine. But that was just a typical summer rain, not a major tropical storm. Hurricane season, which runs through November, is predicted to be an active one this year, and Category 2 resistance is not all that comforting when so many of the storms that hit Florida are Category 3 or more.

Not to mention those wet electrical cables in close proximity to the metal cages . . . excuse me . . . sleeping areas.

From the sound of things as they stand now, this facility wouldn’t pass inspection as an animal shelter, much less a habitat for humans; though in Trump’s estimation, it’s perfect for all of those sub-human “most vicious people on the planet” who will be housed there pending forced deportation to some third-world country.

And anyway, to borrow the words of that other great humanitarian, Senator Mitch McConnell, when asked about the thousands of people in Kentucky who are about to lose their Medicaid coverage . . .

“They’ll get over it.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/3/25

Before someone posted this on Facebook last month, I was unaware that it existed; and I’m fairly certain that I am not alone in having overlooked it until now.

The “Tear Drop” is a memorial to the September 11, 2001, terror attack on the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center. Situated in Bayonne, New Jersey, on the opposite side of the Statue of Liberty from lower Manhattan, it never received the publicity of the memorial that now stands on the site of the original towers in New York City. But it should have.

Standing 100 feet tall, it is exquisite in its simplicity and artistry. The cracked facade represents a silhouette of the broken towers; the huge, graceful teardrop is self-explanatory. I have not had the privilege of seeing it in person; but merely looking at the photograph evokes the same sort of emotional response as, say, the wall of names at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. It is a tribute to thousands of people who should not have died as they did.

But what is most significant about the Tear Drop Memorial is its origin. It was not put there by the people of New Jersey, or New York, or by any American individual or entity. It was, in fact, a gift from the people of Russia, presented in 2006 in remembrance of all those who perished on 9-11.

And it stands as a tribute to the ability of people to come together in times of tragedy. As the world recoiled at the realization that the United States — often thought of as indestructible — had become the object of such a horrific act of terror, expressions of condolence and offers of assistance poured in from nearly every corner of the world.

Even Russia.

And for that — despite the political differences between our two governments — we Americans should express our appreciation.

I, for one, do.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/2/25

Let’s face it: some kids are simply incorrigible.

And as we lace up the gloves for round . . . oh, hell, I’ve lost count of how many rounds they’ve already gone. It probably doesn’t matter, really, as it seems there will be no clear winner in this fight. Because Donald Trump — ostensibly the world’s most powerful man — and Elon Musk — literally the world’s richest man — are proving themselves, in terms of character at least, to be a couple of big-time losers.

Donald Trump started this round with his ”One Big Beautiful Bill” — in reality, a nightmare for the future of the U.S. economy and the welfare of its people. As it proceeded through the late-night intrigues being played out in the U.S. Senate (during which about $1 trillion was somehow added to the bottom line of the national deficit), it became more apparent to Elon Musk that some of the provisions of that bill were going to have a hugely adverse effect on his business interests. And so he voiced his criticisms, enlarging upon those of the Democratic members of Congress, and even going so far as to contemplate the formation of a third major political party.

Yesterday, Musk promised that lawmakers who vote for the bill “will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.” [Ben Werschkul, Finance.yahoo.com, July 1, 2025.]

And as the guy who spent at least $288 million on campaign donations during the 2024 campaign, and can afford to up the ante as far as necessary, he may well be in a position to deliver on that promise . . . presumably before he leaves Earth to take up residence on Mars.

Of course, in Trump world, no challenge ever goes unanswered. Responding to Musk’s objection to the bill’s proposed elimination of EV subsidies — which would have a devastating impact on his Tesla business — Trump said:

“Elon can lose a lot of more than that,” and called DOGE — the Department of Government Efficiency that Trump himself had created — “a monster that might have to go back and eat Elon.” [Id.]

Finally, when a reporter asked Trump whether he would consider deporting Musk — a native of South Africa — he said simply, “We’ll have to take a look.” [Id.]

*. *. *

Yes, boys will be boys. But this is not a schoolyard argument over a game of kickball. These are serious issues, being bandied about by two individuals in positions of nearly unlimited power, whose actions can potentially have an effect on millions of lives.

In bringing Elon Musk to Washington and placing him in the position of DOGE’s chief executioner, Donald Trump, like Frankenstein, created a monster. The question now is whether — like Mary Shelley’s fictional character — that monster, in its inability to fit into its intended role, will turn on its creator.

The mythical Greek Titan called Prometheus . . . Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein . . . today’s Donald Trump . . . each the victim of his own folly.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
7/2/25