Remember Ukraine and Ray Charles Today
Ukrainians vote for a new government tomorrow, May 25th. They're going to the polls despite the threats and intimidation of Moscow and those in Ukraine who prefer living under Moscow's rule. Remember Ukrainians in your prayers today, those who want to shape their own future without living under the thumb of Moscow.
We attended a street festival in downtown Manhattan last week sponsored by a Ukrainian Catholic Church. They hold it every year. My wife and I spoke with some young men and women who represented an organization that has tried to inform Ukrainians who are citizens of Ukraine living in the U.S. about how they can vote in the election. I admired their efforts. There was no "anti" anyone in their comments. They just believe that the vote taking place may change things for the better in their country and they simply want to do their part.
We Americans don't always appreciate how fortunate we are to live here in the U.S. Sure, our government can drive many of us crazy. And criticizing the many things Washington does that deserve criticism is by no means unpatriotic. In fact, sometimes I think of America as my country and Washington as almost some other country - a place where people live who want power for themselves and the hell with the rest of us.
But seeing as how this is Memorial Day weekend, rather than get caught up in all that, I'd rather offer up this version of "America the Beautiful" to my Ukrainian friends, relatives and acquaintances. It's a performance of the great song by the late great Ray Charles, sung in 1972 in the midst of an extraordinarily difficult time here in America. I hope you find this as uplifting and inspiring as I do - every time I hear it.
Meanwhile, I'll say my prayers for a fair election and peace for the Ukrainian people, who certainly could use both.
We attended a street festival in downtown Manhattan last week sponsored by a Ukrainian Catholic Church. They hold it every year. My wife and I spoke with some young men and women who represented an organization that has tried to inform Ukrainians who are citizens of Ukraine living in the U.S. about how they can vote in the election. I admired their efforts. There was no "anti" anyone in their comments. They just believe that the vote taking place may change things for the better in their country and they simply want to do their part.
We Americans don't always appreciate how fortunate we are to live here in the U.S. Sure, our government can drive many of us crazy. And criticizing the many things Washington does that deserve criticism is by no means unpatriotic. In fact, sometimes I think of America as my country and Washington as almost some other country - a place where people live who want power for themselves and the hell with the rest of us.
But seeing as how this is Memorial Day weekend, rather than get caught up in all that, I'd rather offer up this version of "America the Beautiful" to my Ukrainian friends, relatives and acquaintances. It's a performance of the great song by the late great Ray Charles, sung in 1972 in the midst of an extraordinarily difficult time here in America. I hope you find this as uplifting and inspiring as I do - every time I hear it.
Meanwhile, I'll say my prayers for a fair election and peace for the Ukrainian people, who certainly could use both.
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