What you said about freedom of speech hit a chord for me because of my experiences in grad school. I had 4 different roommates back then, and one of them was from Russia. This was during W's presidency, and I wasn't one of W's biggest fans. Somehow or another, the subject of Bush came up, and I said something rude and/or sarcastic about him.
The expression on her face was probably the best proof I've ever seen how repressive the regime over there was, and how badly it affected the people. This was a young woman from a well-off, well-connected family by Russian standards, and she looked as if she expected someone to bust down the door and haul us both off. I had to remind her that we were in the USA, and we had the right to say what we wanted, even about people in power, and that we would not be punished for it.
It still makes me feel sad to think of how scared she was.
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Date: 17 Dec 2012 08:18 am (UTC)The expression on her face was probably the best proof I've ever seen how repressive the regime over there was, and how badly it affected the people. This was a young woman from a well-off, well-connected family by Russian standards, and she looked as if she expected someone to bust down the door and haul us both off. I had to remind her that we were in the USA, and we had the right to say what we wanted, even about people in power, and that we would not be punished for it.
It still makes me feel sad to think of how scared she was.