Dear Russian people:
You are a diverse people who occupy almost a third of the world’s landmass. Your history is complex, and your accomplishments are many. However, today what Russia is known for – all across this troubled planet – is the mad ambitions of one man – Vladimir Putin. Those ambitions are playing out on media around the world. Horrific videos of children and parents being slaughtered, cities flattened, and the most dreadful scenes of carnage since World War II. But, in that war Russians were the victims. In Ukraine, the Russians are the Nazis.
So, let’s cut to the chase here. You all know about the Nazis, because they almost destroyed your country. It was only because of your incredible courage and sacrifice that you defeated them.
The Germans weren’t always Nazis. At one time they were just good people – like you. But at some point, all Germans became complicit in what their madman leader – Adolph Hitler – was doing. Hitler – just like Putin today – told the German people that he was fighting for fellow countrymen, who were being persecuted. He said – just like Putin today – that he was marching his troops in to another sovereign country to defend the “Fatherland” and restore German honour (Putin says “Motherland”, and Russian honour). And at a certain point the Germans effectively became Nazis. The carnage they unleashed on Russia looks disturbingly like the carnage Russia is now inflicting on Ukraine. It has taken the Germans almost a century to wipe away that hideous stain.
You are now at that point, Russian people. You are the Nazis now. Your strongman, Vladimir, is killing women, and grandparents. He is flattening cities, insanely attacking nuclear power plants, and threatening nuclear destruction. He is murdering children.
Think about this carefully, Russian people. You are now close to being condemned by the world for a hundred years as fascist brutes. You can say – just as the German people did when their madman was in power – that you are powerless to do anything about it. But the fact is that he is your leader – you put him there.
And only you can remove him.
Brian Giesbrecht, retired judge, is a senior fellow at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy
