Right v. Wrong, and Good v. Evil. Let us act on our beliefs, today and every day.

From Ukraine negotiations to USAID cuts

We must never lose sight in talking about negotiations for a ceasefire in Ukraine of the fact that what Russia is doing in Ukraine is wrong.

We must never lose sight of the distinction between right and wrong.

This distinction between right and wrong is based on moral values.

Our moral values.

These are embodied in the U.S. and many other constitutions and in national law in many countries, in international human rights treaties, and in international law and the U.N. Charter.

Right and Wrong are aspects of Good and Evil. Good is Right and Evil is Wrong.

This is elementary philosophy, on the third grade level. But nowadays, when discussing Ukraine and other subjects, the distinction between Right and Wrong is often forgotten.

So, why can’t Trump simply say, “Vladimir, what you are doing in Ukraine is WRONG. STOP"?

When we think about actions of Donald Trump and his administration which may be unlawful and unconstitutional, we should always ask, “Is this action RIGHT or WRONG?” “Is it GOOD or EVIL?”

And, “WHY?”

Is it RIGHT or WRONG to cut off USAID humanitarian assistance that will lead to the deaths of tens of thousands or millions of children?

Is it RIGHT or WRONG to cut off millions of Americans and American children from Medicaid benefits, including medical care and food assistance?

Let’s stop pretending that it is OK to avoid thinking about Trump’s actions and policies that are directly related to GOOD and EVIL and RIGHT and WRONG.

Republicans as well as Democrats and Independents believe in GOOD and EVIL and RIGHT and WRONG.

Let us all now apply those beliefs to politics, and actions by the House of Representatives and the Senate.

In doing so, let us conjure up the image of an individual child who will die as a result of the cuts to USAID humanitarian assistance programs.

If we really believe in GOOD and EVIL, and RIGHT and WRONG, let us act on those beliefs. Today, and every d

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About the Author

James Rowles is a former Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School and professor of international law at other universities.

He studied the history of Nazi Germany at Stanford, and has studied and worked on human rights, judicial reform, and access to justice projects in many countries in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and in Afghanistan and Russia. At Harvard Law School, he taught a course on “Law, Human Rights, and the Struggle for Democracy in Latin America”.

At the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the OAS, he worked on human rights cases involving forced disappearances, executions, and torture in a number of authoritarian countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Recent Books by the Author

James P. Rowles, The Rape of American Democracy: Republican Actions and Democratic Failures, 2016-2021 (2024). Available on Amazon, and from IngramSpark by clicking on a link here.

James P. Rowles, Don’t Be Stupid. Pay Attention, Damn It! Advice for Undecided Voters and Voters Leaning Toward Trump (2024). Available on Amazon,and from IngramSpark by clicking on a link here.

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