America. Oh, America. What kind of country are we? Who are we at heart? Are we a shining city on a hill? Or, do we see ourselves as a natural ally of Vladimir Putin and an adversary of the democratic nations of the world — with all of them historically abusing us?
For many years, I have questioned the wisdom of many U.S. tactics and decisions in our foreign relations. But in the past few days, my definition of who I am as an American has been challenged by my own elected president.
Does the narrative I tell myself agree that the president of the Ukraine, fairly elected in 2019, is an illegitimate dictator — yet I can’t allow myself to out loud apply the same label to the president of Russia, elected 25 years ago and subject to “interesting” re-elections since, whose political opponents routinely and carelessly die falling out of windows or from exotic food poisoning?
Does my version of history vouch that the Ukraine started the war against itself in 2014 and expanded it in 2022?
The story I tell myself about Ukraine, about Russia and about their leaders is an inevitable partner to the story I tell to myself about myself.
Kerry Soelberg
West Jordan