My 16 year old Sophomore is a history buff and news junkie. He's in AP Euro History now. The question is: how is he talking about it to me ?

His 14-year old brother has been engaged. We did discuss how if he were in Ukraine his older brother wouldn't be allowed to leave the country. We talked about perspectives like that, etc. What this means for Europe, the rest of the World, etc.

Anonymous wrote:DS is taking AP Euro now and his teacher is from Ukraine. I'm curious to hear what the discussion was today.

Mine too! GZ?

Anonymous wrote:My kids are in AP world history and AP euro, respectively, and neither teacher has even mentioned this much less encouraged discussion. Thank you, MCPS rote learning!

I had the same thought this morning when I asked my sophomore DD if she had heard about it at school and she said no.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We watch the news in our native language (French), we discuss them, they read some of the articles in the papers, so they're very well informed about current events. They also have the historical background about 20th century Russia to the present, to understand the context, because we're a family that appreciates history.

Never miss an opportunity to brag. The DCUM way.

Are we to understand that you celebrate ignorance and mediocrity? Or are you xenophobic and have a problem with foreigners posting on DCUM, which is a website founded by an American and his foreign-born wife (from Georgia, no less)? Or do you object to posters answering the OP's question in way that arouses your insecurities, and therefore you have to accuse others of bragging to make yourself feel better?

Please elaborate, and let's see what you come up with.
Or scuttle off in shame...

DP. Oh please. Overreact much?

NP here, I’m curious, why did you choose to include the information that you watch the news in your native language (French)? Why did you choose write that instead of, “we watch the news, we discuss them, they read…”
I’m genuinely curious why you included that detail.

Not that poster but I assumed it was a reference to better news sources. I hate to say it but ours are really bad. No real depth. Even CNN international is better than their domestic site. It’s very disappointing.

There are plenty of excellent English language news sites that aren’t CNN. BBC and Al Jazeera, to name two. To include that detail the PP was just being haughty.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found some good articles with brief modern history of Russia and geography that are contributing to Putin’s violent invasion of a sovereign country of 40 million people under the pretext of protecting Russia (NATO is a defense alliance not an aggressive military alliance) and “liberating” Ukraine from democracy.

The level of misinformation/ propaganda online, largely sponsored by the Kremlin, is frightening.

What resources are you using to discuss this dark hour in European history?

NATO has invaded numerous countries. Please don't lie to your children.

That is ridiculous … they are a defense alliance and have never perpetuated unjustified and premeditated aggression in the way Russia is doing …

Name one NATO led invasion. Oh wait, you can’t as it has never happened …

Ok, off the top of my head, Syria, Lybia, Iraq, Bosnia/Yugoslavia... In your mind, those were justified, but in Putin's mind this one is justified, so that is pretty much in the eye of the invader, so to speak.

NATO has not invaded any of those countries.

You do realize that enforcing no fly zones, providing relief efforts and anti piracy measures to protect NATO member countries threatened by other countries are in no way equivalent to unprovoked invasions/ imperial land grabs from sovereign democratic countries dressed up as self defense and social cohesion exercises?

Although the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was present throughout the Cold War as the opposite to the Warsaw Pact, and conducted joint military exercises, no military operations took place

The organization now plays a prominent role in Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks in the United States invoked Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty which deemed the attacks to be an external attack on all NATO members under the idea of collective defense. Aside from continuing efforts in Afghanistan NATO has participated in a wide range of roles including relief effort, counter-piracy, enforcing no-fly zones and naval blockades.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found some good articles with brief modern history of Russia and geography that are contributing to Putin’s violent invasion of a sovereign country of 40 million people under the pretext of protecting Russia (NATO is a defense alliance not an aggressive military alliance) and “liberating” Ukraine from democracy.

The level of misinformation/ propaganda online, largely sponsored by the Kremlin, is frightening.

What resources are you using to discuss this dark hour in European history?

NATO has invaded numerous countries. Please don't lie to your children.

That is ridiculous … they are a defense alliance and have never perpetuated unjustified and premeditated aggression in the way Russia is doing …

Name one NATO led invasion. Oh wait, you can’t as it has never happened …

Ok, off the top of my head, Syria, Lybia, Iraq, Bosnia/Yugoslavia... In your mind, those were justified, but in Putin's mind this one is justified, so that is pretty much in the eye of the invader, so to speak.

NATo did not invade any of these countries. Where are Yiu getting bf your history info? The Kremlin?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found some good articles with brief modern history of Russia and geography that are contributing to Putin’s violent invasion of a sovereign country of 40 million people under the pretext of protecting Russia (NATO is a defense alliance not an aggressive military alliance) and “liberating” Ukraine from democracy.

The level of misinformation/ propaganda online, largely sponsored by the Kremlin, is frightening.

What resources are you using to discuss this dark hour in European history?

NATO has invaded numerous countries. Please don't lie to your children.

That is ridiculous … they are a defense alliance and have never perpetuated unjustified and premeditated aggression in the way Russia is doing …

Name one NATO led invasion. Oh wait, you can’t as it has never happened …

Ok, off the top of my head, Syria, Lybia, Iraq, Bosnia/Yugoslavia... In your mind, those were justified, but in Putin's mind this one is justified, so that is pretty much in the eye of the invader, so to speak.

Anonymous wrote:
We watch the news in our native language (French), we discuss them, they read some of the articles in the papers, so they're very well informed about current events. They also have the historical background about 20th century Russia to the present, to understand the context, because we're a family that appreciates history.

This post can not be real. Parody, right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We watch the news in our native language (French), we discuss them, they read some of the articles in the papers, so they're very well informed about current events. They also have the historical background about 20th century Russia to the present, to understand the context, because we're a family that appreciates history.

I am wearing a traditional tunic from my home country, eating ceremonial breads and honey, and speaking my native tongue to my offspring. We often make meat helmet together as we’re a family that appreciates culture, history and culinary delights. We also have our own version of Rumspringa coming up.

I’m not and I suggested to DD that she not watch any videos or read about it. There is nothing I could say that she doesn’t already know (DH lives in eastern Ukraine for 2 years and DD got interested in the region a few years back and has been learning russian and taking Russian cultural classes, and they visited Moscow and St. Petersburg). What good would it do? She already knows that bad things happen. Our nervous systems are not equipped to handle so much intense information about the world at once.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I found some good articles with brief modern history of Russia and geography that are contributing to Putin’s violent invasion of a sovereign country of 40 million people under the pretext of protecting Russia (NATO is a defense alliance not an aggressive military alliance) and “liberating” Ukraine from democracy.

The level of misinformation/ propaganda online, largely sponsored by the Kremlin, is frightening.

What resources are you using to discuss this dark hour in European history?

NATO has invaded numerous countries. Please don't lie to your children.

That is ridiculous … they are a defense alliance and have never perpetuated unjustified and premeditated aggression in the way Russia is doing …

Name one NATO led invasion. Oh wait, you can’t as it has never happened …

My kid has been talking about the situation for months. She’s well-read on the issues and has taught DH and I a lot about Russian Imperialism.

She and all her friends laugh at the right wing “news” outlets. No danger of any of them falling for the propaganda.

Anonymous wrote:
We watch the news in our native language (French), we discuss them, they read some of the articles in the papers, so they're very well informed about current events. They also have the historical background about 20th century Russia to the present, to understand the context, because we're a family that appreciates history.

My 13 yo was trying to explain to me what was going on over there while I watched Greys Anatomy and binged on St Patrick’s Day iced cookies.
Came out of that still not understanding what’s going on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
We watch the news in our native language (French), we discuss them, they read some of the articles in the papers, so they're very well informed about current events. They also have the historical background about 20th century Russia to the present, to understand the context, because we're a family that appreciates history.

Never miss an opportunity to brag. The DCUM way.

Are we to understand that you celebrate ignorance and mediocrity? Or are you xenophobic and have a problem with foreigners posting on DCUM, which is a website founded by an American and his foreign-born wife (from Georgia, no less)? Or do you object to posters answering the OP's question in way that arouses your insecurities, and therefore you have to accuse others of bragging to make yourself feel better?

Please elaborate, and let's see what you come up with.
Or scuttle off in shame...

DP. Oh please. Overreact much?

NP here, I’m curious, why did you choose to include the information that you watch the news in your native language (French)? Why did you choose write that instead of, “we watch the news, we discuss them, they read…”
I’m genuinely curious why you included that detail.

Not that poster but I assumed it was a reference to better news sources. I hate to say it but ours are really bad. No real depth. Even CNN international is better than their domestic site. It’s very disappointing.

Anonymous wrote:
We watch the news in our native language (French), we discuss them, they read some of the articles in the papers, so they're very well informed about current events. They also have the historical background about 20th century Russia to the present, to understand the context, because we're a family that appreciates history.

I am wearing a traditional tunic from my home country, eating ceremonial breads and honey, and speaking my native tongue to my offspring. We often make meat helmet together as we’re a family that appreciates culture, history and culinary delights. We also have our own version of Rumspringa coming up.