A New Jersey-Ukrainian perspective: Question what they tell us about the crisis (Opinion)

The good folks at 23andMe didn't exactly line up with the truth about my heritage but did confirm that I'm not as Italian as I was told growing up. What they missed is the fact that my mother's side of the family is all Ukrainian, which makes me technically a Ukrainian-American.

Over the past few days, I've been receiving notes from friends and family, some of whom reside in Ukraine, and having conversations about the picture being painted, which seems to be far less dramatic than what is portrayed on social media.

Yes, there's violence. Yes, the Russian army is on the move.​ But if you’ve turned on any TV news in the past few days, you’ve seen video after video of the war in Ukraine. Sadly, the complicit media continues to carry Joe Biden’s water and it’s getting harder to separate fact from fiction, especially on social media.

In one case, a video went viral that wasn’t war footage at all. In fact, according to the Associated Press, it was a video game. Pictures of little girls telling the Russians to go home...inaccurate. Even the pictures of the Ukrainian president are outdated and out of context.

Why the big push to lionize a regime leader in Kyiv who in my opinion is no better than Putin?

According to former Democratic congresswoman and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard, Zelensky imprisons opponents and shuts down media critical of him, all making Ukraine look a lot less like a peaceful democracy. Watch the video she posted to TikTok here:

@tulsigabbard Warmongers argue we must protect #Ukraine because it’s a “democracy.” But they’re lying. #politics #news #fyp #democrat #republican #foryou #russia ♬ original sound - Tulsi Gabbard

Why is the media pushing an emotional frenzy on Ukraine? Why are we seeing a corrupt Ukrainian president heralded as a hero? Why are Americans being told that we have to prepare to send in treasure and troops? All for a border dispute that could have been easily diffused with LEADERSHIP. We can certainly pray for all the civilians impacted by war across the globe, but let’s not let our emotions cover the facts.

Let’s be perfectly clear: In my opinion, Joe Biden let this happen. Instead of recognizing the years of tension and corruption among leaders of both nations, Biden pushed the agenda to bring Ukraine into NATO, which clearly pushed Putin to act.

Based on the history of the borders and the overwhelming majority of Russian-speaking, pro-Russian residents of the disputed region, Putin may actually have a legitimate claim that the area is actually Russian.

Since 2014 when Obama and Biden allowed the Russians to annex Crimea, the region in dispute has been controlled by Russian separatists. According to reports, at least 14,000 people have been killed as the Ukrainian government moved on the separatists.

What's even more telling is that according to local officials, the Russian government pays the salaries and provides a pension for the separatist government. And when it came time for evacuations in anticipation of war, tens of thousands of refugees in the region crossed the border into Russia, not Ukraine.

In 2019, the Russian government issued more than 800,000 passports to people living in the disputed Donbas region. Again, all signs that this area is in fact, Russian. The fact that Biden didn't force diplomacy by committing to keeping Ukraine out of NATO and facilitating a conversation about a border that clearly raises questions is why we're seeing a conflict.

Joe Biden's presidency has been highlighted by foreign policy failure after foreign policy failure. He allowed Americans to get left behind and die with the failed Afghan withdrawal and now he doubles down on inciting violence. Joe Biden pushed an unstable warmonger into a corner and now innocent lives are in jeopardy.

America’s president is supposed to lead the international community and promote peace. Instead, Biden helped enrich Putin by cutting off our own energy independence. When it comes down to it, we’re financing this invasion. With oil prices surging, thugs like Putin are empowered to be more aggressive.

Isn't it also curious that far-left politicians who fight to take away guns from law-abiding Americans and allow our southern border to remain open and unchecked are now screaming to protect a disputed foreign border and arming civilians with machine guns?

This is all about political positioning for the midterm elections, which are shaping up to be a political bloodbath for the Democrats. Biden needed this distraction and he actively manipulated the public and world leaders to get it.

This conflict has been boiling for years since Biden and his boss meddled and helped oust an elected government in Ukraine in 2014. Instead of trying to de-escalate things, knowing full well that with mostly Russians in the disputed area, Putin could make a sound claim, the Biden administration rattled the saber to cover up their own failed agenda.

It’s led to nothing but death and the prospect of more violence and instability. And as average working and middle-class Americans suffer under his inflation, Biden doesn't get to make his foreign policy failure an excuse for his domestic policy failure. Empty shelves, lost jobs, mandates, and spiking energy prices all contribute to a bleak picture heading into the State of the Union address and the midterm elections.

America used to be energy independent. Now, we're paying foreign governments huge amounts of money to import oil to the U.S. all because of Biden's policies, which include a freeze on drilling. Nothing like a conflict and fake bravado from the man who played a major role in causing it to stem the GOP tide that is coming in November. Keep in mind while Biden paints Putin as America's worst enemy and ignores China.

Closer to home, Gov. Phil Murphy cries crocodile tears for Ukraine while ignoring the mayhem and death caused by his reckless release of prisoners, corrections staffing shortage, and assault on medical professionals with his booster mandate. I don't recall the governor saying anything, let alone attending prayer vigils, about the genocide in China, the ongoing massacres of Christians in Africa or the violence we saw with the riots over the past summer.

So before you post that Ukrainian flag to virtue signal, read and understand. There's a reason that the media and incumbent politicians want to keep you scared.  They tried with climate change and it failed. They tried again with COVID and it worked to keep you down for two years. Now with the fear-mongering over Russian aggression and renewed nuclear conflict narrative they have their story. It's your job to question all of it.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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