To Be or Not To Be

​To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
 
        An excerpt from Hamlet
 
I have included this excerpt because I find it incredibly pertinent to what happened at the White House between Trump, Vance and Zelensky.  This, in my opinion is what Zelensky faced: Sign “the deal” and suffer at the hands of Trump and Vance or continue to take up arms to try and save his country.
 
I am of the opinion when Vance said to Zelensky you need to say “Thank you”, it was akin to asking Zelensky to kiss the ring of the Dom, or enter into subservience as a serf to the feudal lord.
 
Providing war materials to an ally for the purpose of defending itself against an aggressor is not a new program to the United States.  During the outset of WWII, the Lend/Lease program allowed the United States the ability to aid the Allies without the United States entering the war.  A talking head at that time indicated it really was not Lend/Lease, we were ensuring our freedom by supplying the Allies.  Zelensky is trying to defend his country in the best possible way he can, against an aggressor who seemingly has convinced the United States, China, and North Korea that Russia is the victim.  (Our President did say Ukraine started the war with Russia).
 
What is missing here and goes unnoticed is the term that has been used many times by Trump himself:  Patriot.  I have a difference of opinion in regards to how Trump believes this word definition is correct.
 
patriot | ˈpātrēət | noun 1 a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors
 
By definition then, Zelensky is a patriot of Ukraine and it is unbelievable the administration of the United States does not understand that.  Instead, our President, has called those who attacked our Capitol on January 6th, those who were insurrectionists, were the ones called “patriot”.
 
I, as an American, am embarrassed by the behavior of the current administration in regards to the Oval Office meeting with Zelensky.  Our elected officials are expected to be better than that.  They are to be held to a higher standard than the electorate.
 
And so…should Zelensky suffer the slings and arrows of the outrageous fortune of the Trump administration, or take arms against a sea of troubles from Russia, North Korea, and possibly China?  We know Zelensky did not sign “the deal”, and now he, the patriot, and Ukraine faces an almost insurmountable task of winning the war.
 
Being a registered Republican, I stand with Ukraine.