**The Unwavering Spirit of Liberty: A Lesson from Ukraine**
A somber portrait of a woman holding a memorial for fallen fighters in Kyiv, Ukraine, serves as a poignant reminder of the unyielding spirit of liberty. As we reflect on this image, we are taken back to the words of Thomas Paine, who penned “The Crisis” in 1776 during one of the darkest moments of the American War of Independence.
In that bleak winter, Washington’s army was in disarray, and many believed the cause of American independence was lost. But Paine’s pamphlet helped turn the tide by rekindling morale, resolve, and a sense that liberty was still within reach. These words still resonate today: “These are the times that try men’s souls.” Paine’s message is clear – words do matter, and truth endures.
**Liberty Knows No Borders**
As an American, I firmly believe in the cause of liberty and its unwavering principles. Liberty is not a matter of geography; it’s a choice and a will. Ukraine is not a proxy or a chess piece; it’s a sovereign nation defending itself against aggression. This struggle matters not only for Europe’s stability but also for the global conscience.
**A Global Struggle**
Ukraine stands at the front line of a larger, global struggle – not East versus West, but tyranny versus liberty. Paine warned that “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” We must remember that freedom is not self-sustaining; it erodes when ignored and vanishes when taken for granted.
**A Generational Challenge**
Paine’s words offer a generational challenge: “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” Ukraine’s resistance matters because the test of freedom is not whether it survives prosperity but whether it survives persecution. The world is deciding, in real time, what it will tolerate and what it will become. Silence is no longer neutral; indifference is no longer safe; and delay is no longer benign.
**Courage in the Face of Adversity**
Paine did not offer comfort to his readers; he offered conviction. He insisted on endurance: “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.” Yet we have this consolation – that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. History will remember the moral courage the Ukrainian people have shown – not just the courage to fight but the courage to keep fighting when the world’s attention drifts.
**A Lesson for All**
You are not only resisting oppression; you are bearing witness to what true liberty demands: sacrifice, unity, grit, and an unbreakable will. For those of us in America who still believe liberty is not a posture but a duty, we see you. We admire you. We stand beside you.
And when the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire. We will not forget Ukraine – not in word, not in deed, not ever.
**Sources**
* “The Crisis” by Thomas Paine
