“And the young men girded up their loins, and there were burnt offerings in the streets, And there was a gnashing of teeth, and the smashing of buildings, for it was the Molotov Cocktail Hour. And the people descended upon the invaders, and lo, there was instant Karma.
----Parody of 'The Begatting of the President'
The
quote above is inspired by, and a parody of, a recording by Orson
Welles; itself a satire summarizing the presidency of Lyndon Johnson
and the presidential election of 1968. Stealing from Shakespeare,
television commercials and biblical prose the biting satire has many
memorable lines.
Overhearing National Public Radio's Morning Edition as I entered my shop, these lines came immediately to mind as NPR reported that President Zelenskyy had called upon the people to take up arms, every man-jack of them, and to prepare Molotov Cocktails with which to toast the arrival of the Russian invaders.
The appeal touched off what have become “Molotov Cocktail Parties,” in which Ukrainians set about preparing for the 'celebrations', going so far that newlyweds were reported holding such fetes immediately upon the tying of the knot. This is war, and war brides are celebrating with concoctions of gasoline, tar, kerosene with bottles and rags which will be used in the coming emergency. Resistance by any and all means necessary.
The “Molotov Cocktail” is a Finnish invention, used against Russian tanks in the Russian invasion of Finland leading up to the outbreak of World War II. Named after the Russian foreign minister the weapon proved effective, much more so than it will against modern armor. Nevertheless, it is a lethal weapon and the wholesale enthusiasm with which the people of Ukraine have responded is indicative of the level of resistance growing within the nation.
Ukraine will not go lightly into that good night. The resistance will be fierce and prolonged. It will cost Putin and his Russian armed forces dearly, for the hubris of leaders and the arrogance of power will be Putin's Waterloo.
_______
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The Begatting of the President
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