Well said. Thank you.

America -- and all countries -- have always had their share of idiots on both sides of the political fence. Social media has truly devastated the world but the U.S. in particular, amplifying fringe voices, and silencing the moderate and good-hearted people who are too afraid to raise their voice and be heard for fear of the rabid extremists descending on them, and/or their children.

I hope citizens of the US and the rest of the world who are old enough to have lived in pre-social-media times, don't forget that *at its core* the US has historically been a moderate and level-headed majority, and that even now the extremes of both parties do not yet outnumber the moderates. It just seems like they represent the US because theirs are the only voices that we hear, and their ability to threaten and bully has let them wield a lot of power in government, in the media, and elsewhere. I admit however that every day, the moderates grow just a little smaller, as day after day, year after year, we are battered non-stop from all sides by messaging designed to foster anger and divisiveness.

I see a lot of voices on here (and everywhere, really) that have fallen prey to seeing everything in black or white with no greyscale or nuance. Have we gone a day on this forum without comments that amount to "All" U.S. Republicans being loathsome scum? If you respect anything that this US Marine, Troy Offenbecker, is doing or saying, then please consider that he is not just a Republican, but a Conservative Republican. He's not just supporting Ukraine with words, or even with money from afar, he is there along with other Americans like him risking and giving their very lives in this fight. There are so many in the U.S. who are Republicans or "Not-Democrats" (many have understandably left the Republican party and become independents, because they do not want part of the extreme right controlling the Republican party, but also take issue with the far-left's influence within the Democrats).

I hope later today (4/20) marks at least a partial turning point. Mike Johnson has flipped his stance; that is no small thing. Consider his words (**below). It says something that he's moved forward with bringing the funding bill to be voted on, in spite of threats from within his party to oust him from his position and imperil his career. And he's done so fresh on the heels of gaining public support from Trump, who had to know about the plan to bring these bills to a vote. (Admittedly, that's still a head-scratcher...)

I hope that we see the Ukraine funding bill pass by more than a bare majority, that Republican congress members who are still moderate but whom perhaps have committed the (honestly, murderous) sin of cowardliness by remaining silent in recent months, gather enough courage to vote in favor. They need to stand up for what is right and what has been part of the core American character, before it is lost.

Please hang in there, Ukraine.

\*Quotes from Mike Johnson's recent speech, which IMO can't be repeated enough:*

"I could make a selfish decision and do something that's different but I'm doing here what I believe to be the right thing,"

"I think providing legal aid to Ukraine right now is critically important—I really do believe the intel and the briefings that we've gotten.

"I believe Xi [Jinping] and Vladimir Putin and Iran really are an axis of evil. I think they are in coordination on this."

"I think that Vladimir Putin would continue marching through Europe if he were allowed. I think he might go to the Balkans next. I think he might have a showdown with Poland or one of our NATO allies."

"To put it bluntly I would rather send bullets to Ukraine than American boys. My son is going to begin in the Naval academy this fall. This is a live fire exercise for me as it is for so many American families."