Heroes and Villains, &c.

On Ukraine, Donald Trump, a Coast Guard rescuer, Halloween, and more

The amazing Ukrainian drone rescue

A stirring story: “Ukraine claims world’s first drone evacuation of wounded soldier.” The Ukrainians are heroic and innovative because they have been forced to be. I admire them no end: for their perseverance, their courage, their patriotism.

***

Someone should ask President Trump or Vice President Vance, “Do you admire the Ukrainians for attempting to repel the invader and save their country?” I doubt that either man could say yes. I doubt that any administration official could say yes.

***

Maybe we should hear a little about the Ukrainian soldier who was evacuated by drone. I will quote this report:

Kostiantyn Vlasenko was huddled in a hole under the boiler of a bombed-out school when he came to a terrifying conclusion: to survive, he needed to amputate his only remaining foot.

The Ukrainian infantryman had already lost his left foot in a Russian drone strike in February. His right leg was broken and bent in the same attack, hindering his ability even to crawl. About three months later, after working up the courage, he grabbed his knife, sliced off his foot, and applied a tourniquet to staunch the bleeding.

He survived.

***

Another story, here at home, which you have probably seen:

President Donald Trump on Thursday accused LeBron James of disrespecting the United States after the NBA star appeared to continue his warmups while the national anthem was performed before Philadelphia’s season opener on Tuesday.

“I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE,” Trump said of James in a social media post sharing the video. “LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!”

Well, some of us think that Trump is “no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE.” And James should tell him to go straight to hell.

Trump has plunged a knife into the back of our brave ally Ukraine and placed us on the side of his friend Putin. If I never again heard from Trump & Co. about patriotism, it would be too soon. They should take the word “America” out of their mouths.

***

A headline: “Trump to Remove Some Tariffs on Canada in Bid to Help Susan Collins.” Collins, of course, is a Republican senator from Maine, in a tough race for reelection. The subheading of the article reads, “The move, effective Oct. 30, will remove tariffs on some agricultural goods but raise levies on other products.”

Do you know why Trump loves tariffs? A tariff regime allows him to play Caesar: to grant favors and mete out punishment. Economic policy does not govern, you see; personal whim does.

Our country is in dire need of a party that reflects the principles and values of the American conservative tradition.

***

Story No. 1: “Covert Russian Group Injects Baseless Claim Into the Texas Senate Race: Russian influence operations appear to be stepping up efforts to meddle in the midterms, according to intelligence officials. Most are targeting Democrats.”

Story No. 2: “For weeks, deepfake celebrities have been telling Americans not to vote for Democrats in the midterm elections. U.S. intelligence says Russia is behind it.”

Republicans should be embarrassed to get help from the Kremlin. Hell, they should be embarrassed to give help to the Kremlin.

***

“Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine,” said Trump. “They haven’t been doing much.” As the Kyiv Independent noted, Trump said this “hours after a Russian drone strike in a public park killed six people, including two children.”

***

Vance said, “I think they should stop bombing Russian energy.” He was talking about the Ukrainians. You know what I think? That Russia should stop murdering innocent men, women, and children.

Why doesn’t Vance ever say that? Why doesn’t Trump? Why doesn’t any other administration official?

Those are important questions.

***

Another development: “U.S. delaying Patriot missiles already paid for under NATO initiative, Zelensky says.” This is a delay that, of course, helps Russia slaughter innocents.

***

Trump, as usual, painted Zelensky as a villain, saying, “… with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him, and that Crooked Joe Biden gave him in the past, he doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did.”

You know who approved this mightily? Putin’s envoy to the United States, Kirill Dmitriev, who wrote, “BREAKING: President Trump EXPOSES Zelensky.”

The White House and the Kremlin are on the same side, and the Ukrainians must contend with them both.

***

Here is a message that Democrats should run on: Our great nation does not deserve to be allied with Putin. We are better than that. Redeem our nation, redeem our honor. No to Trump, no to Putin.

***

I feel better knowing that Josh Law is among us. Learn about him in this article, which is headed, “24-year-old Coast Guard swimmer says he fought waves and darkness to rescue 16 people from ocean.”

My gosh. Hero.

***

When astronomy and art meet: “New study traces van Gogh’s famed ‘Starry Night’ to an actual night sky from 1889.”

***

When economic decline comes home and hits hard: “Halloween candy sales are off to a slow start amid high chocolate prices and affordability concerns.”

***

Care for a little language? I was in a café here in New York, picking up a baked good (of course). The young woman behind the counter called out, “Cold brew with a shot of vanella!” I was astonished. I thought I was back home in Michigan (where many say “vanella”—and “vanella melkshake”).

Maybe the young woman is from Michigan? I did not ask …

***

Here is a long article in The New Yorker by Jordi Graupera about Michael Walzer. (In particular, the article is about Walzer’s views on war and peace.) I would like to cite one passage, almost a stray one:

At his door, I noticed a mezuzah. He has long been secular, and I asked him why he’d put it up. “So the antisemites know which door to knock on,” he said.

That is classic Walzer. Pure Walzer.

***

I never publish fan mail. This has been my rule since 1995 (when I started writing publicly). I would like to break my rule today, for two defensible reasons, I think: (a) gratitude and (b) a desire to reassure others that they are not alone.

Maybe those are excuses rather than reasons. Anyway, here goes:

Hello, Jay,

Please don’t stop writing the truth about Trump or anything else. I want to hear it every day! It’s like putting on my glasses—I can see clearly again. Not only do I want it, we need it.

Thank you, thank you.

As if that weren’t enough …

Hi, Jay!

I can sense the anger, bitterness, and sadness in your posts over the last several days. I share them. My hope is that the midterms have a swift effect; my greater hope is that God is still directing the affairs of men.

I hope that even and especially in these times, you are taking care of yourself; I’m also writing, however, to express my continuing gratitude for your voice. It is a painful thing to need to be standing athwart conservatism. It would be so much harder for so many of us, however, if you were not doing so.

Thank you.

Speechless—except to say, thank you.

***

Halloween, Southwestern-style:

That scene comes from Tucson, Arizona. And here’s one from the Upper East Side of Manhattan:

Got your candy corn at hand, expensive as it may be? Appreciate you so much, my friends. Thanks for reading, subscribing, corresponding, and being.