Francis, I cried reading this. Thank you for your depth of research, and the strength of your compassion. I feel you, and I feel for the lost souls of this war, of all war.

Some good friends have suddenly cast me as an enemy because I refuse to see Putin as sub-human, meaning, in this black and white world, that therefore I must support him, and by association be on "Russia's side". I'm on no country's side. And neither am I neutral. I stand strongly for peace, strongly against war and violence.

You say "And nobody, absolutely nobody is speaking up for this nonsense to stop."

I am. For the little that is worth, I am trying to speak up, as you are, as a few other lone, powerless voices are. It may be almost nothing but it is a start, perhaps.

Thank you for your bravery, for standing for love, and against the mass hysteria. The world needs people like you.