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The russian war and genocide against Ukrainians have changed me. russians have killed three of my friends. They have beheaded, tortured, raped, and castrated thousands of my countrymen. They have destroyed the livelihoods of millions, writes Associate Professor of Economics at Case Western Reserve University Roman Sheremeta.
I used to be much more tolerant and accepting of different points of view. But now my vision is more black and white. The war has become personal. The pain has become personal.
When your family and friends are bombed every night for four years and your country is invaded, it becomes personal. I think every one of us has lost someone, either on the battlefield or when rockets or Iranian drones struck civilian infrastructure.Every day and night, there are explosions in the sky. You start your day reading reports about people hospitalized or killed because russian rockets destroyed civilian buildings. And one of those buildings could be where your loved ones or friends live.
So when I meet someone who claims to be neutral regarding the russian war and genocide against the Ukrainian people, I hold them morally responsible for the atrocities committed by russians. There can be no neutrality in the face of evil.
If you choose to remain neutral and silent, that is your choice. But that choice defines who you are. You are a coward, a silent supporter, and history will judge you as such.
To conclude, I want to quote a few people who understood well that there is no neutrality in the face of evil:
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil; God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
Elie Wiesel: “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
Dante Alighieri (paraphrased): “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality.”
