By Steuart Pittman
I, most residents of Anne Arundel County, most citizens of the United States of America, and everyday people all across our planet are outraged and saddened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We want to help. We want to stop Vladimir Putin’s attacks.
In Anne Arundel County we are proud to be home to a large part of the defense on the other front in Putin’s war. Thousands of our residents are defending our country’s infrastructure and our institutions at Fort Meade, where much of the country’s cybersecurity forces are stationed.
Putin recently invaded a peace-seeking neighbor with tanks and bombers, but his digital warriors have been working to weaken American institutions for years through both propaganda and direct attacks.
I want to thank the men and women working at Fort Meade, at US Cyber Command, at National Security Agency, at Defense Information Systems Agency, and all the supporting businesses and agencies assisting with the defense right here in our county.
Russian social media trolls are hard at work trying to weaken our resolve to defend our institutions. They drive wedges where they see cracks. They support politicians who will fan their flames.
Do our soldiers a favor. Don’t spread their propaganda. Don’t let them dismantle our democracy. Speak up for Ukraine. Speak up for U.S. Defense. Speak up for the public institutions that we the people created, even when they’re not yet perfect.
And most importantly, be kind to your neighbors here at home - all your neighbors. That’s what holds us together.