[meteorite-list] OT - Old Soviet Joke About Free Speech (was "GWB and Meteorites")

[Paul H]

The discussion about Mike Farmer and 
his comments about President Bush 
reminded a Russian friend of mine, who 
grew up in the Soviet Union and then 
spent the time after 1991 living in 
the Ukraine, which wasn't governed much
differently than the Soviet Union, of 
a joke shared among close friends 
during Soviet times.

An American businessman was chatting 
to a Soviet official over an exchange 
of vodka after negotiating a trade deal.
After several shots, they got a little 
chummy and the American businessman 
politely mused that, the Soviet Union 
desperately needed freedom of speech. 

In fact", the businessman stated, "In 
the United States, if I don't like what 
the President of the United States is 
doing, I can stand on the steps of the 
White House and call him a "SOB" and 
nothing will happen to me.

Don't insult us", replied the official, 
passing the American another shot glass 
of vodka, "We also have freedom of speech 
in the Soviet Union. I can stand on the 
steps of the Kremlin and also call the 
President of the United States an "SOB" 
and nobody will do anything to me."

Best Regards,

Paul
Baton Rouge, LA



		
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