Z is for Zombie

Sheeple of Russia, awake and unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains.

There is war for your hearts and minds. And for the very soul of Russia. It is not being fought in a far away land. It is being fought in your Duma, on your television stations, in your cafes and even at your dinner table. The prize is freedom. For if you lose it, you face becoming a subject of a police state that will bring you back to 1984.

The war in Ukraine is being used as a distraction. But it is not a war between Russia and Ukraine. It is a war between a dictator and freedom. There could have been a war for the hearts and minds of the Ukrainians. But Putin has no interest in hearts and minds. However, the Ukrainians have decided that whatever happens, they will not sell their soul. It is now up to you to decide what you will give to Vladimir. But know this, the road to Auschwitz was paved with apathy, so at the very least, make a conscious, informed decision. To be informed, you will need to listen to the people who have witnessed it in person, not just state controlled media and sound bites. "Special military operations" sounds like it came directly from a Nazi playbook. At some point in your destiny, if you want to be significant, you need to open your eyes, open your mind and stand up for what you believe in. Before you make up your mind, open it. 

You are lucky the Ukrainians have the courage to fight a war of attrition on their homeland to defend freedom. The courage to sacrifice their infrastructure, their historical cities, their childhoods and their loved ones. They could have used the time before the invasion to bring the war to Russia. They could have embarked on creating a secret force dedicated to burning every petrol station in Russia, every ATM machine, every truck, every factory, every forrest, every government building, every field of grain, every oil well and gas well. No amount of sentries could have protected everything from a clandestine army of fluent Russian speakers. But the Ukrainians are not fighting their comrades in Russia. They know better than that. For they have seen with their own eyes what the enemy looks like.

The enemy looks like a big Z. Z is for Zombie Nation. Z is for dismembering freedom and nations. Z is for bullying and destroying families. Z is for death and distruction. What is needed is another symbol. One that stands for liberty, equality, fraternity. In case you don’t know, this is Article #1 from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”. Here is a mission for you, get your country to sign the declaration of human rights. It would be one of Russia’s finest moments. No-one is ever going to initiate an attack on a nuclear power like Russia. The thought of signing and adhering to the UN declaration of human rights is what Vladimir is really afraid of, not any invasion. It does not seem so scary to me. What would symbolize what you really want? A symbol of liberty, fraternity and equality will emerge from the people. And when it does, unite behind it. Put it everywhere. So that you cannot look anywhere in Russia without seeing it. This is not a new concept, people have been singing about this for decades.

So who will lead you to your freedom, your full potential, to glory. Putin wants to close down your mind and to spend Russia’s fortune on suppression, control and boys toys. Navalny is behind bars. He appeals for people to protest which means mass arrests. The regime in Russia has no qualms with arresting and detaining millions. Navalny is a world class reporter and has exposed incredible decadence by the class spending your hard earned taxes. The palace on the Black Sea coast has no place in this world and his report on it is a masterpiece of investigative journalism. He would be more useful exposing the truth now than languishing in a Russian prison. Politically speaking, Putin is a liability for Russia. He has led his army to much loss and death. He has told so many lies to his own people which will all be exposed, that it is just a matter of time before he is replaced. But that could be a long time and he is capable of taking down millions with him. The more important thing is who succeeds him. Russia cannot take another demagogue.

So what can you do? I have seen many brave Russians speak out at great personal risk. That is a lot to ask. If stepping on the street at the wrong time will get you locked up, you are free to find another way to have your say that you don’t support your leader. You are the key to unlocking this cycle of distruction. Display that symbol every where in a way that won’t get you silenced. When the time is right, take to the streets. In the meantime, say it loud. I am Russian and I want to be proud.

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