In support of Ukraine

by Nathan Boddy

More than eighty area residents gathered to show support and solidarity for the people of Ukraine in Hamilton on Friday, March 4th. The gathering began at MineShaft Pasty Company on Second Street in downtown Hamilton, before moving to the O’Hara Commons opposite the Bitterroot Public Library. The crowd was a diverse collection of faces both young and old, but the tone of the event was unwavering in its message: division and bloodshed in Ukraine is a horror that impacts even the residents of Montana.

Gretchen Strohmaier, the Pastor of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Hamilton, was asked by event organizers, Kristen and Scott Hoenstine, owners of MineShaft Pasty Company, to share her thoughts with those in attendance. After a short introduction and prayer that asserted, “We all gather under the umbrella of humanity,” Strohmaier gave a powerful message about the importance of understanding how division can either lead to opportunities for growth, or tear communities apart.

“Our world is in crisis,” said Strohmaier. “We’ve been dealing with the pandemic for nearly two years and with the invasion of Ukraine, things feel more vulnerable than ever. But, at times like this we have three options: we can move away from others and withdraw, we can move against others in conflict, or we can move with others in solidarity.”

The yellow and blue ribbons of the Ukrainian flag, as well as the candles held by those in attendance, were clear signals that a large part of the Bitterroot community would choose solidarity.

Even as many in Montana hope and pray for the peace in Ukraine, global sentiment seems to align heavily with those who gathered at O’Hara Commons. On Wednesday, March 2, 141 members of the United Nations General Assembly voted to condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine with only Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea voting against. In Washington DC, the passage of House Resolution 956 ‘Supporting the People of Ukraine,’ echoed that call for peace by firmly stating that the House of Representatives, “stands steadfastly, staunchly, proudly, and fervently behind the Ukrainian people in their fight against the authoritarian Putin regime.”

Although House Resolution 956 is non-binding, it passed with tremendous bi-partisan support, with a margin of 426 to 3. Of the three ‘no,’ votes, one was Montana Representative, Matt Rosendale, who had stated earlier that “The United States has no legal or moral obligation to come to the aid of either side in this foreign conflict.” Rosendale had recently sponsored a bill (H.R. 6648), which would prohibit any military or security assistance to the Ukraine until such time that the U.S. Mexican border is “operationally controlled,” by, amongst other items, a “30-foot high internally hardened steel-bollard physical barrier.”

Rosendale’s actions notwithstanding, such high levels of support for the people and future of Ukraine seem to be exactly what Gretchen Strohmaier’s message was all about on Friday. She concluded her remarks by saying, “Let’s stand together in our shared humanity, no matter where we live regardless of the county, country or the continent, we are just people who are part of families. We are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers. We stand together and we gain strength. Together we call down peace. Together we find hope.”