But sometimes, with some people, literally all you can do is either give up and hand over your lunch money, or you can take your best shot and kick 'em in the stomach. They're not going to listen to you when they're all hunched over groaning, but even once the pain subsides, the memory of the unpleasantness remains, and then you have a chance to talk sense to them.
And actually, Keith Kellogg (Trump's Special Envoy To Ukraine) gave us a great bit of insight into how these authoritarian brains "work".
A few days ago, Trump announced that we would no longer be supplying intel to Kyiv - the kind of information that the Ukrainians have been using to anticipate Russian attacks - and very shortly after that announcement Russia launched missile attacks against Ukrainian cities that were unable to prepare.
Kellogg articulated thusly, "The best way I can describe it is sort of like hitting a mule with a 2x4 across the nose - you got their attention."
Zelenskyy - a man who's been a good friend to us - didn't kowtow to Trump, so he had to be punished - Ukrainian civilians had to be killed so Trump could make his point.
It sucks, but that's the brand of bullying bullshit we're dealing with. So be it.
I'm not the least bit happy about having to take the hits that are coming, but this is what we've got now. This stupid fuck in the White House - and the asshole plutocrats in charge of our national policy - this is what we have to fight to change.
In the meantime -
Stay with it, Canadians
🇺🇸 ❤️ 🇨🇦