Their Fight is Our Fight

I grew up learning to speak Russian. The Cold War was at its height in the early ’80s, and my school in Germany offered English as a second language in fifth grade and Russian in ninth. Just in case, you know? We were caught—though I didn’t fully realize it as a bookish punk-rock teen—between two massive powers that might just conclude that a little nuclear war in Europe was the price to pay for global dominance.

So, in my overalls and with bangs down to my