Soldiers don't usually call themselves victims. You won't hear that word in the mud of a trench or the sterile briefing room of a command center. When someone puts on a uniform, they’re making a trade. They’re trading their safety for a chance to keep a specific idea alive. That idea is usually some version of democracy, even if the reality on the ground feels a lot messier than a civics textbook.
The phrase "we are not victims" isn't just a line for a press release. It's a psychological shield. If you're a victim, you've lost your agency. If you're a protector, you've kept it. People across the globe—from the front lines in Ukraine to activists in authoritarian regimes—are currently betting their lives that freedom is worth more than their individual survival. This isn't abstract. It's about who gets to decide what your kids learn in school or whether you can criticize the person in charge without disappearing.
The Myth of the Passive Soldier
We often talk about war as something that happens to people. While civilians are frequently caught in the crossfire against their will, the men and women holding the line often view their position through a different lens. They see themselves as the active barrier between a functional society and total chaos.
Look at the volunteer units that formed in the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These weren't just career military types. They were IT professionals, teachers, and small business owners. They didn't see themselves as pawns in a geopolitical game. They saw themselves as the only thing standing between their families and a literal erasure of their national identity. When you choose to stay and fight when you could have fled, you've moved past victimhood. You've stepped into the role of a stakeholder in global liberty.
Freedom is expensive. It's not a one-time purchase. It’s a subscription model that requires payment in blood, time, and sanity. Most people in stable Western democracies have forgotten this because we’ve been coasting on the payments made by our grandparents. We treat democracy like the air we breathe—something that’s just there. But for a significant portion of the world, democracy is a fragile garden that requires constant weeding and a very high fence.
Why Democracy Isn't Just a Western Luxury
There’s a cynical argument often floated in academic circles that democracy is a "Western export" that doesn't fit every culture. Tell that to the protesters in Hong Kong or the women in Iran. The desire to live without a boot on your neck isn't a cultural quirk. It's a universal human instinct.
When people say they’re sacrificing their lives for freedom "all over the world," they aren't just talking about their own borders. They know that if democracy fails in one major theater, the "strongman" model of government gains momentum everywhere. It’s a contagion. If one dictator proves that you can redraft borders by force and get away with it, every other aspiring autocrat takes notes.
The Ripple Effect of Resistance
- Information Integrity: Every time a free society holds its ground, it protects the right to objective truth. In autocracies, truth is whatever the state says it is today.
- Economic Stability: Markets hate unpredictability. Dictators are unpredictable. Rule of law, which is a pillar of democracy, is what allows you to own property or start a business without fearing it’ll be seized on a whim.
- Human Rights: This isn't just a fluffy concept. It’s the difference between a fair trial and a shallow grave.
The sacrifice isn't just about the person holding the rifle. It's the family waiting at home. It's the economy that shifts to a war footing. It's the psychological toll on an entire generation. But the alternative—living under a regime that dictates your thoughts—is viewed by many as a slower, more painful death.
The Problem with Selective Support
The global community loves to cheer for freedom until the bill comes due. We post hashtags and light up buildings in blue and yellow or other colors of the day, but true support for those "protecting freedom" requires more than digital gestures. It requires hardware, intelligence sharing, and economic guts.
We see a recurring pattern where the "protectors" feel abandoned once the news cycle moves on. If we accept the premise that these people are fighting for our freedom too, then our debt to them doesn't end when the sun goes down. It’s a cold reality. You can't fight a tank with a heartfelt tweet.
The Mental Shift From Victim to Protector
Psychologically, the "not a victim" mindset is what prevents total burnout. If you believe you’re a victim, every setback is a tragedy. If you believe you’re a protector, every setback is a tactical challenge. This distinction is vital for long-term resistance.
In many conflict zones, soldiers and volunteers talk about "the burden of choice." They chose to be there. That choice gives them a sense of power even when they're outgunned. It's a rejection of the idea that they are just collateral damage in a fight between giants. They are the giants.
Standing Your Ground in 2026
The world hasn't become a safer place lately. The lines between "peace" and "conflict" have blurred thanks to cyber warfare and gray-zone tactics. You might not be asked to pick up a weapon, but you are asked to protect freedom in other ways.
Stop taking the mechanics of your daily life for granted. Every time you vote, every time you support an independent press, and every time you demand transparency from your leaders, you’re doing the low-intensity version of what soldiers do on the front lines. You're maintaining the system they're dying to protect.
Don't wait for a crisis to start caring about how your government functions. If the people on the front lines don't see themselves as victims, the least we can do is not act like helpless bystanders. Check your sources. Understand the history of the regions in conflict. Support organizations that provide direct medical and tactical aid to those who’ve chosen to stand between the world and those who want to burn it down. Freedom doesn't have a "set it and forget it" button. It’s a daily grind. Get to work.
