Speaker Pelosi: Putin Is 'Afraid Of A Democracy On His Doorstep, Which Ukraine Proposes' - MSNBC
Ahead of the State of the Union, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi joins Andrea Mitchell to discuss the Russian invasion and her hopes for how that will play into President Biden’s speech. “The attack on Ukraine is an attack on democracy. We all know that. The bullying efforts of President Putin are efforts, because he is afraid of a democracy at his doorstep, which Ukraine proposes to the Russian people,” says Speaker Pelosi. Aired on 03/01/2022.
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They had hope when the USSR fell, but now Putin is working to recreate it. 
I think of the young people I met there, the girl from a peace committee who my grandmother and I were paired with who was studying to become a doctor, the little girl I went on an amusement ride with in Sochi (since none of the older ladies in my group would go with me) - not to mention the young kids from the school in Krasnaya Polyana (our "sister town"
who met us with flowers. Are any of those kids who were taught to support peace now expected to serve in the Russian military??
Did you stay in touch with anyone there? 
Only the one younger woman in the group - and me - are left. And I have often thought of trying to get in touch with her. As long as my grandmother was living, I met up with members of the group every time I visited. But the last time I was there was 1999 and there were only 5 of us left. It was at a memorial service for the eldest member of the group who I got to know the best. He had been head of the YMCA worldwide and was forced to retire when he turned 65 - in 1962!!! So he moved south to NC to run their southern conference center - and worked for civil rights there as well. He helped found the retirement community that my grandmother joined, and after the Russian trip, he and my grandmother became a couple(!). So I often wonder what he would think of this country and the world today. And at his funeral/memorial service, there were visitors from several other countries. He was 101 and was still active and fine mentally - it was only his heart that failed him.
Cool that they became a couple!
What a great experience your trip was. Life-defining!
So he got to vote for him twice! And, as I said, Jimmy Carter was very popular in my group - as he was among the Russians we met - as opposed to Reagan who was president at the time. But we had a connection to that administration so were able to bring presidential greetings to our "sister town." The connection was that one group member's wife happened to be first cousins with then-VP George HW Bush! So I asked Ben what he thought of Bush - and he said he was "a nice guy" - "but I don't agree with his politics!" 
Likely he was being polite.
Such a wonderful experience you had! Thx for sharing it with us! 
