I want you to look at the labels of the clothes and shoes you are wearing. Really, it is interesting.
I attended a soccer game in Moorhead, Minn., on a Saturday, the 20th of September. I don’t know why I did it, but I decided to just write down where everything I was wearing was made.
The only items I was wearing that didn’t have “made in” labels were my underwear and socks. Here is the rest: My Moorhead Spuds Adidas soccer sweatshirt was made in Cambodia, my matching black “George” T-shirt was made in Haiti. The denim blue jeans “Kirkland Signature” pants were made in Madagascar, my leather belt was made in China and my “Skechers” shoes with the “Goodyear” soles were made in Vietnam. My genuine leather “Dickies” wallet purchased at Walmart was made in India. The baseball cap I was wearing, given to me by the Montana Cattlemen’s Association, was made in China.
Sunday, the 21st, I attended a fund raiser in Moorhead for Ukrainian humanitarian parolees whose parole and work status has not yet been renewed.
My son Ben is the Moorhead High School soccer coach and he attended the event in support of a Ukrainian family who have a son playing on a junior varsity team. I asked Ben to write down the original home country for his varsity soccer players next to their names.
Listed from number 0 to 26 on the program, the countries of origin are: United States, United States, US-Pakistan, United States, US-Iceland, United States, United States, Kurdistan, Albania, Somalia, United States, Somalia, Somalia, Somalia, Kurdistan, Liberia, Liberia, Somalia, Somalia, Somalia, United States, Guinea, Liberia.
At the fundraiser there was a musical group from the Ukraine now residents of Moorhead who call themselves the Borscht Trio that performed during the three hours event. A group of us from Bismarck, Ukrainians and Americans, led by a Ukrainian professional musician, sang the Ukrainian National Anthem in Ukrainian and in English.
Just the musical score of that anthem is inspiring, but the words in English moved me to tears.
“Ukraine’s glory and freedom have not yet died. Fate will smile on us, young brothers, as long as we live. Our enemies will vanish like dew in the sun. And we, brothers, will reign in our own land. We will lay down our body and soul for our freedom.”
Ukrainians, hearing their national anthem sung in Moorhead, Minn., had tears in their eyes.
Ben’s soccer team played a courageous game against Duluth East on Saturday. Both teams were well coached and disciplined, but Duluth had much more offensive fire power and it seemed they would easily win the game. Numerous times Duluth had scoring chances, but every time, the defense of Moorhead held. The game ended in a 0-0 tie.
Ben had told his players that they had plenty of reasons to lose that game. Three starters were out sick, including their key defender. But Ben said he would not give them excuses to lose.
Over and over the Moorhead defenders, Somali and American, defied the odds and played valiantly to a tie.
The clothes I wore and the players from many countries at a soccer match, inspire me to believe America is a sister nation to Ukraine.
America is not “first” in the family of nations, rather the nations of the world are our siblings.
I hope our international family will come onside with Ukraine and they will win their freedom. The United Nations has declared September 21, 2025, the International Day of Peace. At Gooseberry Park on that Sunday, it was.
Bill Patrie is a retired planner and economic developer having worked in regional and statewide positions. He is the author of “Creating Co-op Fever” printed by USDA as a service bulletin, and “100 Stories of Hope” a book about his interviews with 100 people in poverty.
