Letters

History repeats itself

March 9, 2022

To the Editor,
I could not sleep last night. Watching the newscast about the war in Ukraine
and Putin’s orders placed to put Russian nuclear weapons on high alert just took
my breath away. It’s like a time warp where we have returned to the 1960’s
Cold War.

Have you noticed that we are desensitized to what is happening right now on

the other side of the planet?

I will go to work later this morning worrying about things that really do not mean anything when you think about it, compared to the threat we are reliving. Possible nuclear war.
Nuclear war. Mind blowing. We have not thought about nuclear weapons for decades, believing that those who control them are sane and wise stewards of the most demandingly responsible job on the planet. Several nations have these devices of mass destruction including Russia, America, Pakistan, India, China and Israel who believe in God’s mercy but just in case got themselves a bomb too. Sure we worried about rogue nations like North Korea and possible terrorists attacks using these devices, but possible all out world war.
Humans have the ability to disassociate themselves from reality and create their own, satisfying their needs and beliefs. I have been interested in how a outwardly good family man can do all the things you and I would do in our associations with the family and community, and then go to a concentrations camp or prison camp in the gulag and torture and murder innocent people. This method of doing one’s job and also being socially normal is particularly hard to understand.
Our need as human beings to survive and live our lives safely, mentally protects us
allowing thoughts and beliefs that can be contrary to logic and reality to fool us into believing we are doing what’s personally and socially right.
Today, some lunatic or nationalistic fanatic in the military could launch a nuclear missile at the NATO nations, followed by a response that will assuredly wipe humanity out of existence. How about nuclear powered climate change. Horrible thought, and I am going to work today. Instead of joining many thousands who are protesting Russian aggression, militarism, the existence of horrid dictatorships throughout this world I will go to an office and do my job. Am I so set in my routine and my disbelief that others will protect us no matter what? Can we put our trust in our elected officials to observe, assess and then act in the most logical way?
Should I gather my family together and live a week of happiness, a vacation that will surely be transformed by what is happening, by what will happen in the present and future?
I am a man of self control, but honestly I am frightened for my family, children, community and really the whole world. Driving to do groceries yesterday I had to pull over because I began to weep at the wheel for some reason. Well with all the stresses we have all felt these past few years and now this to can make us quake in our winter boots. I wish I were in the Ukraine with a sniper rifle defending a people I truly know, a people who wish to live like us in a peaceful democratic nation, far away from Russian oligarchs and nationalistic opportunism.

I do not like how I feel right now. Helpless, fearful for others I love and people I don’t even know.
Here I was worried the Russians would hack into our power grid and make life truly
difficult. What Putin has done is far more sinister, threatening possible nuclear war. He also said he had the talent and means to punish those who oppose him using new technologies we have never seen. Surprising that the great powers spend their wealth not on helping humanity, but developing horrible destructive weapons of mass destruction.

The dictator of Iraq was destroyed because of imaginary weapons of mass destruction.
Why are the evil nationalists of the world holding all the cards? Will the Free Worlds
embargo of Russia be enough to calm the Russian Bear? Questions galore with no
answers. Another thing to worry about.
Guess we will all have to wait and see.
Hug your loved ones and appreciate every day.

Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario



         

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