Millions of Americans and I were flabbergasted as a stupefying ambush of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy flashed across television screens on Friday, Feb. 28.
Zelenskyy came to a ceremony intending to sign an agreement to secure America’s military support to end the 3-year-old Russia-Ukraine war.
All seemed to go well until a White House correspondent for a conservative cable network tossed a rhetorical hand grenade into the discussion by asking Zelenskyy why he wasn’t wearing a suit.
Zelenskyy was wearing a black military sweat shirt as he has done all over the world to show solidarity with Ukrainian solders, and the reporter lectured Zelenskyy about respect for the White House and gratitude to Trump and the U.S. for support.
Then Vice President JD Vance pounced, explosively lecturing Zelenskyy, and Trump “invited” his guest to leave.
With now apologies and my editor’s position, I now share my grandson Joshua Day’s reaction to the White House disgraceful debacle. Joshua is a native Pullmanite and lives in Oakesdale.
Into the Liars' Den
By Joshua Day
Pray to me, Oh foolish one,
(come on bended knee)
and give to me your offering,
from far across the sea.
Listen to our prattling,
(and thank me for your due)
Praise me through your suffering,
abandon what is true:
I cannot bend, or break just now,
(we battle to the end)
and seek to find in victory,
if broken hearts will mend.
You can cower, if you must,
(and call it courage too)
while I seek the betterment,
of greater men than you.
Cast him out, what foolishness,
(he’s nothing next to me)
Leave him to the enemy,
for all the world to see.
I am power, I am strength
(tougher than you know)
walk away without a friend
and see just where you’ll go.
Banish me, but never hope,
(our freedom won’t be tamed)
for we shall rise in victory,
with hearts no longer maimed.
Many days will come and go,
(through hardship, loss, and rain)
yet still the world will hear us sing —
Ukraine shall rise again.
Terence L. Day and wife, Ruth, have lived in Pullman since 1972. In 2004, he retired after 32 years as a science communicator on the Washington State University faculty. His interests and reading are catholic (small c) and peripatetic. He welcomes email (pro and con) at terence@moscow.com. Give him a piece of your mind.
