sbrobert
UPDATE! The next Ukraine support rally will be at the Courthouse at 2:00PM on Sunday March 6. Immediately followed by a march on State Street. People are encouraged to bring signs. Here the event is announced on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1125495184970814
By Robert Bernstein
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has shocked the world But Putin has been shocked at the fierce resistance of the brave Ukraine fighters and at the powerful resolve of the world to make Putin pay in a big way.
On Monday the people of Santa Barbara gathered for a second time to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Many in the crowd were from Ukraine and/or had family and friends there. Here are my photos.
I should note that my Bernstein family is from Ukraine, though we don’t have many details about our past there. We don’t even know what our family name was originally. Our family was one of many Jewish families that left early in the 20th Century. I am proud that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also Jewish.
I was rushing to the event from a work meeting, so I arrived just as World Dance for Humanity was finishing its performance.
Various elected officials had spoken before I arrived, but a number of Ukraine people spoke while I was there. Here the crowd listened intently.
This woman moved me to tears with her message. In the middle of her grief for the people of Ukraine, she wanted to make it clear that we must not show hatred to innocent Russians here in Santa Barbara. She told of Russian school children here who were being blamed for Putin’s brutality. She also reminded us of the many brave Russians who are risking their lives to protest against Putin in Russia.
Here are a few video clips I made.
John Palminteri interviewed Supervisor Das Williams and I captured that as best I could here.
This young Ukraine woman had information about how to help. I don’t do smart phones, but you may be able to use these QR codes to connect.
The crowd held signs along Anacapa Street in front of the Courthouse and motorists passing by blew their horns in support.
The Mission priests gathered in a show of peace and solidarity.
At the end, some people gathered for group photos.
Here are a few more of my photos.
Let’s support the Ukraine by not allowing Russian Aeoflot flights to continue as normal at LAX , as they did this weekend. Let’s support Ukraine by not buying the 100’s of thousands of barrels of Russian Crude and begin fracking and producing our own oil again. Let’s support the Ukrainians by arming every civilian that stays in the country. We could have supported the Ukraine by allowing them in NATO and becoming E.U. members. Support the Ukraine by calling out the worthless United Nations and the fact that Russia is on a “human rights committee”. Remove Russia, CHINA (Russia’s ALLIES) and the United States (Biden and and Company) from negotiations with the IRANIANS, (Russia’s ALLIES) nuclear “deal”…
It’s a bit ironic that the same people who support buying oil from Russia rather than producing our own also support Ukraine. It’s quite a contradiction. If we want to support Ukraine, we should stop funding Putin by buying his oil and gas and instead expand our domestic and even local production. We have the resources, we can cut off Putin’s main source of funding, all we need to do is drill!
Calling them “the Ukraine” says it all about your information sources.
We buy piddling amounts of Russian petroleum. Better to just dump petroleum and expand non-carbon renewables. Between the pandemic and this crisis, it’s the perfect time.
On a side note, rumors are that Putin is seriously worried about his strategy after he heard that the Orange Moron called it smart. However, with the sanctions, he is willing to consult with the former Twitler about bankruptcy. See the Borowitz Report for details .
Our NATO allies in Europe procure 40%+ of their energy from Russia. Ironic don’t you think, that they simultaneously look for the US’s protection from the very country they supply with billions of dollars a month and are reliant upon for their energy needs? If only someone could have called out NATO members for both NOT contributing the required 2% GDP to defense, AND continuing to supply Russia, the sole reason NATO exists, with tens of billions of dollars every year (they could be buying it from the US). Oh wait, there was someone who did call out NATO on their irony!
Who here doesn’t like facts? Or do you just not like what the facts say?
How exactly @5:07 do we “dump petroleum”? You’re painfully unaware how much of our energy is currently provided by petroleum and related products and how not just our economy but our society would grind to a halt if we just dumped petroleum. It will take decades to be in a position where even a majority of energy is derived from green sources. This timeframe could be reduced significantly if people had a accurate and knowledgeable understanding of nuclear energy. While no energy industry is anywhere near perfect, even solar panels need raw materials stripped mined with large machinery and heavily processed (i.e. energy intensive), including nuclear as a stepping stone would allow the weaning off fossil fuels (a much dirtier and more dangerous industry than nuclear) much sooner. It would literally save lives.
The person who called out NATO has been in Putin’s pocket for a long time. If that person was still in office he would have greenlighted Putin’s attack. Now that’s ironic.
The same person wanted a phony investigation into Hunter Biden – in exchange for delaying not delaying security raid. Also ironic?
And VOR crying about a Larry Elder comment. Cancel culture much?
The choice of where our oil comes from is made at the voting booth, not the gas station. If you wish to support Putin’s oil industry and help fund his invasion of Ukraine, you can vote accordingly. If you prefer to squeeze Putin’s oil revenue and promote domestic oil production you can also vote accordingly.
CHIP – is there an election happening now? Please let us know where we can vote to oppose Putin’s unprovoked and sudden invasion of Ukraine.
It’s really pathetic (yet not surprising) that you would place the blame on American democrats for Putin invading Ukraine. Передайте привет Путину и Отечеству.
After we slow played sanctions, ukraines only hope is we (or the eu) enact a now fly zone over Ukraine. In the absence of that… there isn’t much hope. So sure… send aid, prayers and best wishes…but it adds up to essentially just making ourselves feel better about abandoning Ukraine.
VOR puts oil before human lives. Just let Russia have Ukraine and kill those who fight back so everyone can get their oil and gas uninterrupted? Typical.
“If you wish to support Putin’s oil industry and help fund his invasion of Ukraine, you can vote accordingly.” — ah, so *that* is why you voted for Trump.
I knew about Glenn Greenwald and Jimmy Dore carrying Putin’s water for quite a file now, but I was not aware that CODEPINK and FAIR were on that path … thanks for the heads up.
” buying oil from Russia rather than producing our own”
False dichotomy, but truth and honesty have never been your thing.
“Because of Europe’s reliance on Russian oil, Putin felt empowered to do what he did to Crimea, and now Ukraine.”
Nor you … that’s a blatant lie.
I actually said nearly the opposite GT. Because of Europe’s reliance on Russian oil, Putin felt empowered to do what he did to Crimea, and now Ukraine.
Pretty got dang sad that we can’t have an article about something as universally accepted as supporting Ukraine without people complaining about those who are out there protesting. To those moaning about Russian oil: when you go to the gas station, are you able to choose the source of your gasoline? Didn’t think so.
Might I suggest this event be changed to: “RALLY FOR PEACE!”
It is an obvious choice to support democracy in the Ukraine, but the soldiers who do Putin’s biddings are clearly misguided and our hearts should ache for their lives and families as well.
After hearing the Democrats tell us Trump was Putin’s “lapdog” for the last 4 years (regardless of whatever was really happening), it now seems like a small price to pay to prevent millions of humans from being displaced and tens of thousands from needlessly losing their lives.
May peace prevail for all.
Marcelk, you may not know this if you only watch CNN and MSNBC, but Trump was very much against Europe and the US’s purchasing of oil/gas from Russia, and very much supported Europe and the US developing our own energy resources to be self sufficient and not dependent on, and give billions of dollars to, a rouge country like Russia. Yet today, with all the “historical” sanctions being applied, they’re excluding oil/gas exports. So even with all the rhetoric from our political leaders, it’s the Biden administration that’s supporting Putin’s oil industry and we’re still sending Russia $65 MILLION dollars a day for oil. How many tanks a day can Putin make with that?
10% of our imported oil is not a “piddling amount” in anyone’s book… Green tech is 90% supplied by Chinese “green suppliers”… (Solar panels and wind machine components.)
It will take DECADES if not generations to ween off carbon fuels… The Chinese do not have to reduce ANY carbon footprint until 2030 and even then, only have to reduce single digit percentages (or be fined) LOL… In fact, China is bringing dozens coal plants into operation annually. The Paris Accord is set up for Chinese Industrialists, and has nothing but penalties for the U.S. energy businesses… Where do electric vehicles get power? Where do batteries for those vehicles come from…? CARBON fuels.
Hey VOR: What was Trump’s one addition to the GOP 2016 platform?
Here’s a quick primer for you to satisfy your curiosity.
https://www.npr.org/2016/08/06/488876597/how-the-trump-campaign-weakened-the-republican-platform-on-aid-to-ukraine
Note the date on this article.
I suggest you dig deeper into the actions of Trump and his buddies. Manafort, Guiliani, Stone and Jr. are in this one deep… very, deep. They, like Trump are not going to escape their involvement and their direct connection to Putin.
Trump was a horrible president who made horrible decisions just about everywhere. That is completely true. Biden though horribly slow played the sanctions, for some reason holding back until after Putin had invaded. It’s OK to criticize your President…that doesn’t mean you are for Trump…it just means you hold the capacity for objectivity.
President Trump to Putin: “If you move against Ukraine while I’m president, I will hit Moscow! All those beautiful golden turrets will be blown up.”
Narrator: Putin did not move against Ukraine while Trump was President.
I read you’re article SBO which said his addition the GOP: “The Trump campaign convinced the platform committee to change Denman’s proposal. It went from calling on the U.S. to provide Ukraine “lethal defensive weapons” to the more benign phrase “appropriate assistance.””.
I don’t follow how that change is anything significant, especially when lethal defensive weapons can be appropriate assistance. I can see everyone tip toes around the US’s continued funding of Putin to the tune of $65M a day and Trump calling out this very BS when he was addressing Nato.
“If you move against Ukraine while I’m president, I will hit Moscow! All those beautiful golden turrets will be blown up.” – where/when did he say that? Yeah yeah, we all can google and see he “IS SAID TO HAVE TOLD…….” (https://nypost.com/2022/02/22/trump-talks-threatening-putin-mocking-merkel-at-mar-a-lago/)
What Trump tells an interview he said is about as trustworthy as, well….. Trump.
A 30 second read of a brief article and you respond with certainty. If that’s not a shining example of why people should not pay you mind than I don’t know what is…
What are you going to do when you find out everything you believe is a lie?
“funding of Putin to the tune of $65M a day” – Where do you get that figure? Don’t just keep saying things without providing some basis for your claim. Seems that’s why so many here distrust your comments.
VOICE – “No where did I talk about the Biden administration supporting the oil industry or supporting Russia’s oil industry”
You sure about that?
” it’s the Biden administration that’s supporting Putin’s oil industry and we’re still sending Russia $65 MILLION dollars a day for oil” (MAR 03, 2022 02:17 PM)
“US’s continued funding of Putin” (MAR 03, 2022 03:36 PM)
Can’t wait to see this “explanation”…..
And get my name right, there’s no “H” in it. Get together man.
VOICE – sorry, was laughing so hard at your last lie, I forgot to address your otherbaloney sandwich. I meant where did you get that the US is “funding” Putin? Buying oil doesn’t equate to supporting Putin’s invasion. LOGIC is a word you should learn.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she supports banning all Russian oil to the United States: “I’m all for that. Ban it,” Pelosi said Thursday at a press conference at the Capitol.
WOW @4:36: “Buying oil [from Russia] doesn’t equate to supporting Putin’s invasion.” Keep them coming Sacjon! I see the logic though, buying Nike shoes made with child labor doesn’t equate to… oh wait n/m.
VOICE – You’re right, it doesn’t. Oil is not the same as Nike shoes. So no, you clearly do NOT see the “logic.”
You planning on explaining my 4:34 comment though? How did you not “talk about Biden supporting Russia’s oil industry” when you said “it’s the Biden administration that’s supporting Putin’s oil industry?”
Explain.
LOL, you actually think I meant read the article… Trump’s Putin’s puppet. Prove me wrong.
Sure SBO: https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/18/politics/full-mueller-report-pdf/index.html
Also the information released in the Durham investigation and indictments released. It amazes me that after spending years being investigated by the government at a cost of tens of millions of dollars, and finding nothing, people still think Trumps Putin’s stooge. He may be a stooge, but calling him Putin’s stooge isn’t based in reality and shows the level of propaganda that so many have consumed as truth.
Now, can you prove Trump is Putin’s puppet? Or does proof only have to go one way?
Shhh…. Coastwatch, facts aren’t welcome here if they contradict with the narrative. But hey, we banned new natrual gas hookups in the City of SB, so that will ….. actually have zero impact on climate change but might make a few SB citizens feel better when driving their Range Rovers around town.
Marcel – where is the lie there ? It’s a simplistic answer that doesn’t cover the breadth of Putins intentions or thoughts (obviously), but 30 years of appeasement and attempts to get closer by the West (plus all that natural gas and our relative ambivalence about Crimea) certainly did empower and embolden Putin.
We need to cut off Russian oil from as much of the world as possible… this slow/half sanction plan by Biden is terrible. The Russian economy is essentially that of a gas station… it’s not time for half measures!!!
I thought she was tasked with our southern border? I guess with illegal immigration out of the news cycle and Ukraine in, that’s where she goes….
“If you move against Ukraine while I’m president, I will hit Moscow! All those beautiful golden turrets will be blown up.” — a google search for that text yields two hits: the comment here from VOR, and a post at welovetrump.com
You’ve gone way past the point of return VOR… Here we are years into this and you are still clinging to the Foxnews Hillary DID IT, Durham stuff (debunked by Durham himself) and worse, you still have NOT read the actual Mueller report! You just repeat Hannity. How sad. BTW: Did you read about Hannity’s producer and long time friends arrest yesterday by the FBI? Did you notice the charges? Hmmm…
I pointed you to a very real, very startling starting point on Trump and Russia/Ukraine, but you are too far gone to ever see the forest from the trees or even curious enough to question your own beliefs. Good thing no one cares what you think (except for Sacjon), for some reason he spends an awful lot of time trying to get some sense into your head… He must really care for you. At least you have SacJon in your life.
At least here we agree. Escalating this with involvement of the US will not end well. Unlike Iraq,Russia has weapons of mass destruction also unlike Iraq, Ukraine has nuclear power plants (thank you Israel). There are no good solution to this.
“At least I acknowledge there are no real “news” sources, just spin for different agenda’s, requiring more digging, reading quotes in their original context, or going to the source referred in order to get an accurate idea of what occurred. ” – Hogwash. Here’s an example of how hoggy that wash just is:
“If you move against Ukraine while I’m president, I will hit Moscow! All those beautiful golden turrets will be blown up.” – What was the “original context” of that quote? Oh yeah, something someone said Trump “is said to have told” Putin. Come on man.
Then all is lost Marcel…and tens of thousands will die and millions will be displaced. We slow played sanctions which led to Putin being pot committed and going all in. We needed to give Ukraine planes, weapons and have had the sanctions ready and fully transparent pre-invasion so that everyone knew the ramifications of an invasion. Biden, like Trump before him, Obama before him and Bush before him tried to reason and accomodate Putin’s Russia…now we are seeing the effects.
This is such a poorly thought out and presented argument. Its almost as if you think the only beverage choices in the entire world are Coke and Pepsi…
I really don’t care if you’re not capable of digesting content and forming opinions based on multiple sources and actual cited facts. Most people are not able. That’s why they turn to talk shows and charlatans – it makes them feel like they’re doing the work. Its also why they go to church and worship false idols while pretending to follow the teachings of their chosen deity…
Marcel – What actions does the right want Biden to take that will spike inflation? I thought you didn’t believe in inflation…it was propaganda from the Right…and not a real concern…
For those of you who think that we are not doing enough to support the effort in Ukraine, CNN is reporting the VP Harris is planning to visit to Poland in a few days:
(CNN) Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to travel to Poland early next week, a White House official told CNN, as the Biden administration continues to show support for Ukraine and its eastern NATO allies while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters a dangerous new phase.
The Poland visit will take place on the heels of Harris’ latest international travel to the Munich Security Conference, where she met with US allies and partners including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. Harris also spoke over the phone with several Eastern European leaders on Tuesday, including Poland’s and Romania’s prime ministers.
What is going on is extremely unfortunate but the US should not be the world police, that is what the UN is supposed to be. We also don’t have the moral high ground as we have been doing the same thing to other countries for the past 70 years. We did the same thing to Iraq not to long ago remember? We rode tanks right into Baghdad under false pretenses and installed a new government, which went to shit and lead to hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians dead.
VOR, did you catch Twitler’s simpering support of Putin after the start of his ruthless War Of Choice on independent Ukraine? He’s Putin’s Poodle.
And, of course, VOR has no idea about how the UN functions, given that Russia is on the Security Council with veto power.
“that is what the UN is SUPPOSED to be.” @8:32
HAHA @Chip. Yes Putin is so grateful that he’s getting everything he wanted. A stronger NATO and EU rallying behind Ukraine, a Russian economy in freefall, communist buddies distancing themselves, and Russians fleeing and protesting their leader. Yep, exactly what he wanted.
Chevy, he is also getting a little more of Ukraine every day. Years ago Trump encouraged European nations to spend more money to bolster their militaries and to become less dependent on Russian energy. Trump even implemented sanctions against the nord stream 2 gas pipeline, but Germany persisted with the project. Now Europe has finally adopted Trump’s policies. European countries are rapidly building up their militaries and Germany had finally followed trumps lead and cancelled nord stream 2 project. One wonders how things might be different if these trump policies had been implemented sooner…
Putin’s firing cruise missiles at airports, while people in sunny SB wave silly handmade signs that say “Delusional Bloody Midget.” What a useful endeavor.
“Ukraine has nuclear power plants (thank you Israel). ” Blaming Israel with zero proof. Typical of a screechy “voice of reason.” Ukraine nuclear power plants are of Russian design and construction. Look it up.
BOB – what do you prefer we do here? Just say nothing?
Do you somehow think that VO even cares whether what he posts contains anything factual?
Aha! Tass, RIA-Novosti, and Interfax, all mouthpieces for Russian disinformation, are claiming that Ukraine was making a dirty bomb using their reactors, based on no evidence whatsoever. That explains why the local voices of propaganda are spewing it here.
VOR – we’re essentially banking on a Russian civil war. Because if not… tens (if not hundreds) of thousands will die.
830pm – Neville chamberlain couldn’t have said it better.
The thing is, we’re already at war…We’re just letting Putin dictate most of the terms…
If you change what the definition of “simpering support” is then your comment would be accurate. What he’s said since this started would not be considered support under the customary definition. For example, calling Putin a genius is an accurate statement; he’s ruled Russia for decades, amassed (pilfered) more personal wealth than Jeff Bezos, taken over Crimea without anyone doing anything and recently amassed 200,000 troops on another border for the world to see and then invaded, unmolested by the world. Evil, yes, an enemy yes, a genius, also yes, he should not be underestimated. He’s been planing what’s going on in Ukraine for a decade.
Good one VOR! I finally see what you’re doing. You’re trying to be sarcastic! Hahaha, you’re funny. No one actually believes a word Trump mutters. Everyone knows he’s just talking in jest! Haha, now I get it, you’re a comedy writer. No wonder your posts are so close to the propaganda spewed by the fringe talk show hosts and Fox News writers. You don’t actually believe this stuff, you’re just trying to be funny. hahahaha Thanks for the laughs VOR.! You really are hilarious…
SBO, say why you will about the orange man, but Putin is very grateful that he gets to deal with sleepy joe now.
One indication of how detached from reality some people here are regarding the crazy idea of a no-fly zone and other overt acts of war: The Orange Moron has just proposed painting Chinese markings on US aircraft and bombing Russia.
I don’t, but many feeble-minded Muricans do. And just what kind of idiot would say something like that publicly?
Chevy, if we had time to discuss things in depth, rather than a few sentences back and forth, and without the 3rd parties swopping in with insults, deflections, and ‘but Trump did…’, I think we’d find there is a lot more we agree on.
1:26 – Why is that when the orange man says something horrific or absurd, his defenders come in and say “oh don’t take him so seriously….” When a president, even former one speaks, people listen. Words matter. The right would NEVER give Biden a pass on anything he half-wittingly uttered. Look at every anti-Biden meme ever.
” insults, deflections, and ‘but Trump did…'” – indeed, lol. Indeed.
The reality of nuclear weapons has apparently not dawned on some people.
Finally, there’s an explanation of why anyone might vote for trump!
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/lead-gasoline-blunted-iq-half-us-population-study-rcna19028
Bob you misread that. Iraq didn’t have a nuclear power plant because Israel destroyed it while it was under development.
VOICE – where’s you outrage over our imports of Russian oil? Crickets….
You’re clearly to focused on arguing with whatever I post to actually read the comments as I expressed the lunacy of continuing to fund Putin via oil and gas purchases several times in this thread.
VOICE – ” I expressed the lunacy of continuing to fund Putin via oil and gas purchases several times in this thread.” No kidding? Yeah, kind of why I asked where your outrage was now that we banned it…… Boy oh boy, you skip your coffee or something?
DUKE – so instead of a “way to go” he gets a “too late?” I dunno, sounds like banning the import of Russian oil isn’t as easy as you think it is. Lots of pushback around the world.
The rest of your comment reads as though you’re blaming Biden for the refugees and the dead. Sad you spend so much effort blaming everyone other than the monster who actually ordered the invasion……
What took so long??? Did Biden need all 200k troops to physically enter Ukraine for him to say we should probably go ahead and cut that Russian oil? And hey, glad to see our various energy policies over the last 20 years have us going to Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela now to ask to buy oil. Well played…
Yes, it would be a largely symbolic gesture. In times of war, symbolism matters. Plus It would put us on the right side of history…
DUKE – “have us going to Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela now to ask to buy oil. Well played…” Wait, WHAT???? Now you’re complaining about the result of the EXACT thing you and VOICE have been clamoring for for a week? THIS is what happens when you cut off oil from one supplier. You have to pick up the slack elsewhere. And hey, don’t forget the “last 20 years” included 10 years of Republican White Houses……
Look, it’s OK to just come out and say you blame Putin even less than you blame your own country. No shame in admitting it…..
@8:29 – It’s lucky for the world that people a lot wiser than you are dealing with this situation, in a collaborative manner.
No, Duke, it would not be a “largely symbolic gesture”. You need to put some more work in to thinking things through. It would be a low value gesture, yes, but it would also put American forces in to likely shooting war with Russian forces. How exactly do you think that all plays out “symbolically”. It is very high risk for escalation once both sides start losing planes over Ukraine we are in a shooting war with Russia–and for what, a symbolic gesture with very low value around saving lives on the ground. We’ve sent a billion dollars in weapons in the last month or so and we are giving them what works; portable anti tank and surface to air missiles. Ukraine have been killing armor and aircraft with these weapons and have stalled the Russian advance and are getting a steep price in Russian lives. That assistance plus escalating economic sanctions is what makes sense, not some ridiculous gesture that does little to nothing to change the course of events. I know you’re emotional about it, and you and everyone else should be, but think it through.
SaCJon: VOR definitely has some valid points, so dismissing anything and everything from VOR certainly does not make sense. One thing you are forgetting is that our POTUS is viewed as somewhat of a weakling around the world, and you know what happens to weaklings….they are dismissed as so much hot air. Imagine this report today from the WSJ:
“Leaders in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates declined calls with President Biden as the war in Ukraine intensified, Middle East and U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.”
So, VOR definitely has some considerations for you to ponder if you are someone who is introspective, and seek the truth.
Sac – I have completely and unequivocally blamed Putin for the mass murder of each and every Ukrainian and Russian in Ukraine. This is his and his alone to own. But our response has been slow and 2 to 3 steps behind. We could have banned Russian oil two weeks ago and pressed hard to kick Russia out of swift too. We’ve been slow to act.
But, let’s get back to my question at hand, VOICE. Do you support today’s ban on Russian oil? Or, like DUKE, will you complain that it wasn’t fast enough and continue to to complain about Biden’s response even after he did the very thing you’ve been saying he should do?
What will it take for you to support your own country’s response to Putin?
Biden just banned the import of all Russian oil and gas. OK, now what are you all going to complain about?
The very important word in the middle of your comment…”just”. He “just” banned oil and gas. Having the heavy sanctions ready pre putin sending all 200k soldiers into Ukraine was the play. Why did we slow play sanctions until Putin was pot committed. It’s insane. Multiple people on here agreed with the slow play…it’s just absolutely crazy that it took tanks deep in Ukraine territory and thousands of civilians being bombed as they try and flee for us to finally get to this point. But I guess I shouldn’t complain… we’re only at 2 million refugees and how many dead? What’s to complain about…?