We the undersigned, residents of Hudson County NJ, stand with Ukraine in its struggle for freedom from invasion by the forces of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Recognizing that silence by our elected representatives is to give consent to the invading forces to destroy the free, sovereign, and democratic nation of Ukraine, we demand our elected officials support the Ukrainian freedom movement. Doing so does not amount to a call for nuclear war, nor fighting between US and Putin’s forces; it does mean standing up for the multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and democratic nation of Ukraine in its time of need with military and humanitarian supplies and intelligence sharing.

To our elected representatives this is what is required of you on the local level:

1.      Organize Humanitarian Aid Donations - As the boot of totalitarian dictator Putin attempts to stomp out freedom, millions of Ukrainians will be in danger of starving to death and/or dying from the lack of medical supplies. In the early 1930’s Soviet imperialists once engaged in genocide against the Ukrainians in what history knows as the Holodomor, murdering millions of civilians mostly through mass starvation. We must act now to prevent Putin from attempting to repeat this horror by organizing food and medical supplies drives to send to Ukraine.

2.      Express Solidarity With The Freedom Movement - Each town should hold vigils and flag raisings for Ukraine to express solidarity with the millions of Ukrainians in harm's way and the hundreds of thousands of regular Ukrainian men and women who are bearing arms to defend their families, homes, freedom, and liberty from Putin's invasion.

3.      Ease The Path For Refugees – Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are now refugees. There will be more and some of them, as well as Russian victims of Putin (both freedom advocates and those fleeing for fear of military conscription), will end up in the USA. We must find local ways to integrate those fleeing Putin’s war machine, particularly children.

To our elected representatives in higher offices:

1.      Embargo Putin’s Russia Immediately - End all economic trade between the USA and Russia and encourage other nations to do the same. As most nations around the world have condemned Putin’s attack on sovereign Ukraine, that good will should be used to create a global economic embargo until Putin withdraws.

2.      Uncork American Energy - Elon Musk, the new energy guru and leader in electric vehicles recently stated that "we need to increase oil & gas output immediately. Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures" and "obviously, this would negatively affect Tesla, but sustainable energy solutions simply cannot react instantaneously to make up for Russian oil & gas exports." As Putin has destroyed the economy of the police state he rules, oil and natural gas are his only money maker. We must destroy his ability to finance this war of choice by increasing domestic US energy production.

3.      Send a Continuous Supply of Weapons to Ukraine - The US has large stockpiles of weapons, including anti-tank and ground to air man portable missiles, that should be sent continuously to neutralize Putin’s air force and armor. Arming Ukraine is not an act of war, and no US forces should be sent to Ukraine. Ukraine’s neighbors, our NATO allies in Northern and Eastern Europe, should be encouraged to donate their MIG fighters, as well as armored fighting vehicles and tanks, to the Ukrainian armed forces with a guarantee of their replacement with discounted American made fighters, tanks, and armored fighting vehicles.

Only by acting together in support of freedom can we prevent the spread of Putin’s totalitarian would-be empire. Only by standing in solidarity with the freedom fighters of Ukraine can we protect democracy. It’s time to stand with Ukraine.