Ashley Elizabeth Miller

“Rabbit, rabbit,” so the saying from old Britain goes. Never heard of it? Well, for those of us who have the time to think about the origins of such superstitions, it’s a phrase uttered at the outset of each month to ensure one’s soul is carried through the next 30 days with good luck, as rabbits have long symbolized good fortune.

While the official origin is still fuzzy, some say it could come from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, a story about a young girl led through a fantastical dream by a talking rabbit who keeps her in line and on time. (The one scene I remember from the film is when the rabbit looks at his watch and shrieks: I’m late, I’m late — for a very important date!)

Americans would be wise to rise this morning and say the phrase, as we could surely use some good luck right about now — even if it means calling out to an anthropomorphic bunny for help.

This past week, Donald Trump paraded a host of European leaders in his Oval Office in D.C. On the other side of the Atlantic, the EU saw it as a way to reorient Trump back on track after he recently called Ukraine’s president a dictator and signaled support for Russia.

But Trump had a plan here too. It appears he offered up a series of photos as fodder for Putin to use in his latest media blitz of propaganda in Russia: Look at Trump shaking hands with these big-name European leaders, all agreeing that Russia is the victim and Ukraine, the aggressor!

Reality is a big pill to swallow. But here are some facts for JD Vance, who has never been to Ukraine, to consume: Russia has kidnapped over 19,000 Ukrainian children, U.S. presidents have been fooled by Putin before (i.e., once claiming to see into Putin’s soul, George Bush changed his tune in 2008 when Russia violently invaded Georgia), Putin led Russia’s police force before the oligarchs bankrolled his election to presidency, Putin earlier spent 16 years in the KGB, where he was trained to trick foreigners — should I go on? Does Trump really think this man can be trusted?

All I know is, as an American this morning, I say, “Rabbit, rabbit” for all of us here at home and abroad.