Before there was an Asphalt & Rubber, I spent some time working for the United Nations, prosecuting war criminals from the Balkan and Rwandan conflicts. These we massively devastating events, where neighbors found ways to dehumanize each other and through that process, commit acts that rose to the level of genocide and crimes against humanity.

While those crimes unfolded, the world stood by and watched, and in the case of the massacre done in Srebrenica, forces of good were forced to stand idly by and watch evil perpetrated right in front of them.

My work then at The Hague was part of an effort to correct the wrongs of indifferent nations, who suffered the guilt of not doing more – not interceding, largely because their toolbox of remedies was so limited and complicated at the time.

For the past weeks, I have found myself watching once again as neighbors attack neighbors, and heinous acts are perpetrated against the innocent. It is as deeply troubling this time around as it was before, but it is also different.

The past few days have seen a new front against evil emerge, one that spans outside the realm of politics and non-governmental organizations. In Thomas Friedman’s flat world, economics and business have just as much influence as armies and politicians.

Companies that are willing to draw a line in the sand between profits and people are showing that they can influence the world in new ways, and that we have shared goals of prospering together. This is a new kind of modern warfare.

So, it is warming to see that those in the motorcycle industry who have a voice and influence over the events surrounding them are using that platform, and I am sincerely thankful to see in my inbox today the following open letter from MV Agusta CEO Timur Sardarov, himself a Russian national.