On the internet, everyone is Sophie Scholl

Actually, even *she* might not have met social media's high standards.

These past few days, my social media feeds have been dominated by three things: videos of protests in Iran against that country’s dictatorial government; videos of protests in Russia against that country’s dictatorial government; and, people making fun of Adam Levine’s sexting game.

Duolingo @duolingo

Thousands of Iranians took to the streets following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested for wearing “unsuitable attire.” They were not moved to protest by the mullahs’ Holocaust denial, support for Islamist terror groups or violent repression of religious minorities, but when another young person died at the hands of the religious police, it became clear that it might affect them so they were finally moved to get off their asses and protest. So why should I give them any credit for being so late to do the right thing?

If that sounds harsh and frankly kind of sociopathic, especially from someone in a free Western democracy who can put obscene slogans about the Prime Minister on my windshield without fear of arrest, you’re exactly right.

But it is how much of Twitter has reacted to Russians protesting against Vladmir Putin:

Max Linski @maxlinski

These 3 cops will be freaking dead in a minute if that were happening on the streets of Kyiv. Muscovites just bloody stare and make selfies. Amazing bravery!

Diana Magnay @DiMagnaySky

Brave Muscovites 🇷🇺 💙 https://t.co/qa1cfiOr4W

Paul Massaro @apmassaro3

It’s a shame it took mobilization to spark protests. Bucha should have sparked protests. Izyum should have sparked protests. Mariupol should have sparked protests

Kov (She/Her) 🇺🇦 🇬🇧 @theeKov

@TristanSnell They are protesting the mobilisation - not the war. And don't tell me the excuses of: "They didn't know" or "They are afraid to speak up because it's dangerous" Then why are they able to protest now, all of a sudden? Because now they're expected to fight.

Or bugging out of the country altogether, which you’d think would be a good thing:

Aleš Prokopec 🌈 @Prokopex

@SevaUT No. Never ever. They are just disappointed that they are losing the war and don't want to fight it themselves. We already have problems with the Russian fifth column.

Aperture Elf @ApertureElf

@SevaUT So they can paint the “Z” symbols on buildings and support their beloved country they escaped from, afar? The same thing they’re doing all over the world? Nah. They were fine watching the rape and murder on TV. They are complicit.

Alexkoll @Alexkoll7

@DanielH16577898 @mhmck They should stay in their own country and overthrow their corrupt masters. They are complicit in putins regime by doing nothing and you are too if you support them leaving.

Ron DeSantis must be kicking himself, thinking, “why didn’t I just say these Venezuelans are cowards who should have stayed behind and overthrown Maduro?”

Yes, it is true that Putin’s sort-of-but-not-really conscription has been the straw that broke the camel’s back for many Russians who had until now remained silent. Not wanting to die tends to clear the mind in that way.

It’s also why protests against the Vietnam War didn’t really get going until the American body count started getting too big to ignore.

And why support for same-sex marriage increased as more people found out their children or friends or neighbors were gay. And why people who had been opposed to abortion become more supportive when it’s their own daughters in trouble. And why the mayor of Portland changed his mind about defunding police after protesters violently drove him from his home.

There are some far-sighted people who take the “right” position on an issue from the very start, and God Bless them. But people taking a stand only after their own lives are affected and threatened is pretty much the entire story of human history.