Art (literature) imitates life in Ukraine

     It’s crazy how art imitates life…

     Right now I’m reading a book titled “The Betrayal of Anne Frank” by Rosemary Sullivan. It’s about a former U.S. FBI agent who joined the reinvestigation into who outed the Frank family from their hide-out in the annex.

     My interest in the book stems from a segment on “60 Minutes” recently about the investigation team. The piece never once mentioned a book had been written and was coming out in two days following the Sunday evening show. So my surprise when I randomly visited the bookstore that Tuesday and came across a new work of non-fiction referencing the “60 Minutes” episode. I HAD to buy it! So far, it’s quite fascinating!

     What I mean by art imitating life, here I am reading a book about the Holocaust and you have a tragic war taking place as we speak as Russia continues to invade and bomb Ukraine, killing so many innocent civilians.

     Even Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, related their country’s situation to that of the Holocaust.

     On Friday afternoon, I got the great and incredible privilege of talking with Roger McMurrin over the phone. He lives in Ohio, and is the founder of the Kiev Symphony, now Music Mission Kiev. McMurrin said he has broken down in tears many times since the Russians first invaded Ukraine. He said it devastates him that so many recognizable structures in Kiev are being destroyed. He is thankful and praises God that the symphony musicians ae safe and sound.

     Another imitation from art to real life… Hitler led quite the propaganda ring leading up to WWII and throughout the war as Jewish people, gypsies, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and more were dying in concentration camps. And now Putin is doing the same in Russia. He is spreading literal “fake news” about the invasion in Ukraine. In Russia, civilians are not being targeted, schools are not being bombed, hospitals are not being bombed.

     Anyone who publicly speaks out against Russia is jailed or ends up missing…

     While it may be controversial, I have to say that it’s pretty great to see so many brands and companies leaving Russia or choosing to close down their establishments in a sign of solidarity with Ukraine, as well as a way to hurt the Russian economy. Some of those great companies include:

     • McDonald’s

     • Coca-Cola

     • Pepsi

     • Adobe

     • Airbnb

     • Ford

     • Amazon

     • Netflix

     • Heineken

     • Starbucks

     • Disney

     • Ikea

     Speaking of Airbnb, a social media campaign has skyrocketed as people from all over the world are paying to book Aibnbs in Ukraine. They’re not booking them so they can go on vacation and have a place to stay. They’re booking them to help the economy in Ukraine. People who own Airbnbs obviously cannot be making money right now during a war, renting out their properties. So this idea help to literally spread the wealth around.

     Again, just another way people all over the world can come together to help Ukraine