In Soviet Russia....

[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:

[quote]SexMachine wrote:

Hey Matt, have you heard of Yuri Bezmenov or read his ‘A Love Letter to America’?[/quote]

Wasn’t he a KGB operative who defected? I haven’t read the letter.
[/quote]

Yes. I’d give you a link but it’s been taken down. A friend of mine emailed me a copy. Here’s the introduction anyway. I really like it:

Dear Americans,

My name is Tomas David Schuman. I am what you may call a “defector” from the USSR, and I have a message for you: I love you very much. I love all of you - liberals and conservatives, “decadent capitalists” and “oppressed masses,” blacks and whites and browns and yellows, rednecks and intellectuals. For me you are the people who created a unique nation, country and society in the history of mankind,-- by no means a perfect one, but, let’s face it-- the most free, affluent and just in today’s world.

I am not alone in this love. People all over the Earth, whether they praise America or bitterly criticize her, look upon you as the only hope for mankind’s survival and the last stronghold of freedom. Some may not think in these idealistic terms, but they certainly enjoy the fruits of your civilization, often forgetting to be grateful for them. Millions of people in the so-called “socialist camp” or in the “Third World” literally owe their lives to America.

As a war-time child, I survived partly thanks to such “decadent capitalist’” (as the Soviets say) things as “Spam” meat, condensed milk and egg powder that were supplied to my country by the USA through the lend-lease program of World War II. In the Soviet Union we secretly but proudly called ourselves “the Spam generation.” Too prosaic? Who cares about “Spam” in today’s USA, apart from “underprivileged” welfare recipients? Well, for me these foods are not merely the nostalgic delight of my troubled childhood, but rather, a symbol of love from a friend when I was in need. No amount of communist propaganda against America has ever been able to convince me that the United States out to “colonize and exploit.” I will tell you-- many people have been more than willing to be “exploited” the American way. For what other reason have thousands risked their lives, gone to unimaginable troubles, left behind their families, their motherland and traditional ways of life to come to America? Have you ever heard of “illegal aliens” risking their lives crossing the border at midnight into Socialist USSR? Or the “boat people” swimming oceans and drowning by the thousands just to reach the shores of Communist China? Or defectors like me, leaving behind relative affluence and risking bullets in the back in order to join the “progressive workers paradise” in Russia? No, we all come here to America, obviously willing to be “exploited by capitalists” and enjoy “oppression” together with you. Because we believe and KNOW-- America IS A BETTER place.

I am writing this not to please you with words you want to hear.

The rest of my message may be more unpleasant to you than even Communist propaganda, or more offensive than the speeches of “leaders” in Kremlin. But as a true friend of America, I want to help.

My dear friends, I think you are in big trouble. Whether you believe it or not, YOU ARE AT WAR. And you may lose this war very soon, together with all your affluence and freedoms, unless you start defending yourselves. I hope you have noticed on your color televisions that there is in fact war going on right now all over this planet. This war has many faces, but it’s all the same-- it’s war. Some call it “national liberation,” some title it “class struggle” or “political terrorism.” Others call it “anticolonialism” or “struggle for majority rule.” Some even come up with such fancy names as “war of patriotic forces” or “peace movement.” I call it World Communist Aggression.

I know what I am talking about, because I was on the side of the aggressor before I decided to take YOUR side. I do not believe-- I KNOW that in this war no one is being “liberated, decolonised or made equal,” as Soviet doctrine proclaims. You may notice, if you give yourselves the trouble to observe, that the only “equality” and “liberation” this war produces is the equality of death and the “liberation” from freedom. Look at Russia, Poland, Hungary, Afghanistan-- would you say the people of those countries celebrated and rejoiced when the Soviets brought them equality and liberation? Of course not. We must take a clear and honest look at what Soviet “liberation” actually means.

This war of Communist World Aggression is not fought against some mythological “capitalists” as Communist propaganda claims. No, my dear friends, this war is fought against YOU-- personally.

Communist wars of world aggression are not fought for liberty and equality. We have thousands of unequivocal examples of the horrendous human suffering, torture and mass death that occur after a Soviet “liberation.” The final stage of Communist aggression-- military confrontation-- has very little to do with rivalry for territorial or geopolitical gains in order to free and liberate. Communist world aggression is a total war against humanity and human civilization. In Communist propaganda terms, this is “the final struggle for the victory of Communism.”

The driving force of this war has very little to do with natural aspirations of people for better lives and greater freedoms. If at all, these aspirations are being used and taken advantage of by the manipulators and progenitors of the war. The real driving force of this war of aggression is IDEOLOGY-- something you cannot eat, wear or store for a “rainy day.” An integral part of this war of ideology is IDEOLOGICAL SUBVERSION-- the process of changing the perception of reality in the minds of millions of peoples all over the world. The late comrade Andropov, the former head of the Soviet KGB, called this war of Communist aggression, “the final struggle for the MINDS and hearts of the people.”

The reason that I am so certain of the real goal of Communist aggression is that I was actually a part and an unwilling instrument of Soviet subversion tactics. Having been trained and used by the KGB for their global ideological subversion campaign, I have some first¬hand knowledge about the people behind this war and the methods they use. I know very well the way the Communists, whom the Western media call “freedom fighters” and “rebels,” operate. I know their mentality and their methods, I know their ultimate goals, which are very far from the liberty, equality and freedom they verbally espouse. Because I have seen the tragic consequences of this war of ideological subversion, I would like to offer some suggestions as to how we in the United States can DEFEND ourselves against this deadly war and how we can SURVIVE in this “final struggle for minds and hearts.”

“What’s in it for Tomas Schuman,” you may ask. Well, I’ve asked myself. What do I get for defecting from the winning side (the Soviets)… and joining the losers? (I hope I don’t have to tell you, that at least a dozen countries have succumbed to the Communists since my defection.) In reality, dear friends, I have gained nothing materially from my defection. What I have gained is a firm commitment to the United States as the last real frontier of freedom. This is it, dear Americans, your country (and mine now) will be the last to be “liberated” by Marxists, socialists, and domestic “do-gooders.” If the “liberationists” succeed in bringing their “New Order” to America, chances are you and I will meet in front of a firing squad-- or worse in a “re-education” forced labor camp in the Alaskan Peoples Democratic Republic.

You have too many concrete examples of what Communist “liberation” has done for other countries to believe that I am wrong when I warn you that we are on the brink of disaster. From one that has lived, worked and seen first-hand the realities of day to day life in a communist/ socialist state-- you must wake up now and start defending the rights and freedoms you now have. No matter how many problems you think the U.S. may have, believe me when I say that they are nothing in comparison to the troubles you will experience if the U.S. continues to agree and sympathize with communist/ socialist doctrines.

I have made my choice to be with YOU, the nation I love. I have risked my life like many others, to tell you of my life and experiences within a Communist state. You have nothing to risk by listening to me and making up your mind as to whether I am a “cold war paranoiac,” as your media calls me, or whether my message makes sense. The choice is yours.

Scenario:
First year university physics class. A Russian professor named Zbigniew. He would ask multiple choice questions throughout the class, and we would have to hold up a letter card (A-E), so he could gauge whether most of the class was one the right wavelength.
Me and three friends thought it would be hilarious to change the B card to read P, and each held up a card, spelling out CCCP. Zbigniew noticed, and was not impressed.

Question:
Is Russian humour similar to Wester humour? Was that insensitive?

That was a great letter, SM, thanks for posting that. The sentiments expressed in that letter mimic almost completely my own sentiments and those of many former Soviet citizens who have managed to shake off the Soviet brainwashing, and especially those of us that have chosen to make the US our home.

[quote]Chilliwack wrote:
Scenario:
First year university physics class. A Russian professor named Zbigniew. He would ask multiple choice questions throughout the class, and we would have to hold up a letter card (A-E), so he could gauge whether most of the class was one the right wavelength.
Me and three friends thought it would be hilarious to change the B card to read P, and each held up a card, spelling out CCCP. Zbigniew noticed, and was not impressed.

Question:
Is Russian humour similar to Wester humour? Was that insensitive?[/quote]

Yes, that was not only insensitive, but incredibly rude. Do you have any idea what that man went through under the Soviet Union? How much he and his family suffered? Many of us decide to move away from the former Soviet Union in order to build a life outside of that and to forget what we had to suffer through. That man was trying to teach you, to help you be successful in whatever you wanted to do when you graduated and you had to go and remind him of how much he had to suffer just to get to the position where he could help you. If you had done that in my class, I would have kicked you out and failed you for the semester.

Dr.Matt, this thread has been a great read, thanks for all you’ve shared.
that is all.

[quote]Chilliwack wrote:
Scenario:
First year university physics class. A Russian professor named Zbigniew. He would ask multiple choice questions throughout the class, and we would have to hold up a letter card (A-E), so he could gauge whether most of the class was one the right wavelength.
Me and three friends thought it would be hilarious to change the B card to read P, and each held up a card, spelling out CCCP. Zbigniew noticed, and was not impressed.

Question:
Is Russian humour similar to Wester humour? Was that insensitive?[/quote]

I’ll say this, I don’t believe you have a grasp of western humor.

[quote]Chilliwack wrote:
Scenario:
First year university physics class. A Russian professor named Zbigniew. He would ask multiple choice questions throughout the class, and we would have to hold up a letter card (A-E), so he could gauge whether most of the class was one the right wavelength.
Me and three friends thought it would be hilarious to change the B card to read P, and each held up a card, spelling out CCCP. Zbigniew noticed, and was not impressed.

Question:
Is Russian humour similar to Wester humour? Was that insensitive?[/quote]

I find it funny, but also offensive.

Mind that I’ve been here just three years but I empathize so much with Estonians that I feel offended when someone is wearing a CCCP t-shirt or cap.

Out of curiosity, what do/did older Russians who lived under Stalin, Khrushchev, think about them compared to people born later?

And this is a great thread, I wish some of my friends who tell me that Communism and Socialism are great ‘because they never really happened in the Soviet Union, they weren’t proper Communism or Socialism’ could read this.

[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:

Yes, that was not only insensitive, but incredibly rude. Do you have any idea what that man went through under the Soviet Union? How much he and his family suffered? Many of us decide to move away from the former Soviet Union in order to build a life outside of that and to forget what we had to suffer through. That man was trying to teach you, to help you be successful in whatever you wanted to do when you graduated and you had to go and remind him of how much he had to suffer just to get to the position where he could help you. If you had done that in my class, I would have kicked you out and failed you for the semester.[/quote]

That sheds new light on the good prof. I will say that he was intense, but knew his shit inside and out, and taught with that same intensity. It seems he did us a favour by letting us off with a dirty look. I suppose the level of ignorance I exhibited back in 1998 explains why my university career ended in 1999. Karma’s a bitch.

At the time, I had not thought of it in terms of the USSR being the “government”, and each republic being the “homeland”… Does that sort of touch on why your parents and brother don’t want to leave? Because one can love Russia (one’s country), without loving the corrupt system that caused all of the hardships?

I realize too that my previous questions have ended up highlighting some of the SU’s “strengths” (transportation/healthcare). Not my intention. Just two things I was curious about.

ETA: After some reflection, I can truly appreciate how offensive this could be. I’m sorry to those I’ve offended, and assure you, that armed with a better understanding of life under the SU, I will never make that mistake again. I regret that I can’t apologize to the professor himself.

Congratulations Matt.

[quote]SKELAC wrote:
Suomi perkele!! ;))

Mannerheim rules![/quote]

SKELAC, you sure know everything, that one needs to know to please a Finn.

Back to the CCCP. I think this wasn’t yet covered, but isn’t it true, that CCCP was organized so, that not one state/district could live by itself. One or couple of states produced the cars, few produced oil and so forth. So material was flowing thru places, made good railroad network, created work, but was really made to prevent any state to become too independent.

In Soviet Russia you dont pull the gravity-the gravity pulls you! :)))

[quote]guhkes wrote:
Congratulations Matt.

[quote]SKELAC wrote:
Suomi perkele!! ;))

Mannerheim rules![/quote]

SKELAC, you sure know everything, that one needs to know to please a Finn.

Back to the CCCP. I think this wasn’t yet covered, but isn’t it true, that CCCP was organized so, that not one state/district could live by itself. One or couple of states produced the cars, few produced oil and so forth. So material was flowing thru places, made good railroad network, created work, but was really made to prevent any state to become too independent.[/quote]

I dont know the true meaning of your comment-is it irony or what?!
Anyway,I have a few good friends from Finland and theres also a fact that in Second World War,Croats fought with on the same side along Finns and Slovacs,backed by Vatican against the communists! Old friendship goes a long way.

[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:

Lol, I hear ya.

And, why do you think there is the resurgence of “cool Communism” that you describe?

Also, is there much of a “former USSR ex-pat community” in Pittsburgh? Is there much of a sense of “community” or does everyone pretty much go their own way? [/quote]

I really couldn’t say why there seems to be a renewed interest in socialist/communist ideas among the young people at my school, I just wish it would stop. Communism doesn’t work in the real world and there is no reason to try it again. Anyone who thinks otherwise is going to get an earful from me.

[/quote]

You have already explained it really. They are attracted to it because of it’s implied fairness, not realizing it is against human nature to work hard without reward beyond what everyone else has.

[quote]Bambi wrote:
Out of curiosity, what do/did older Russians who lived under Stalin, Khrushchev, think about them compared to people born later?

And this is a great thread, I wish some of my friends who tell me that Communism and Socialism are great ‘because they never really happened in the Soviet Union, they weren’t proper Communism or Socialism’ could read this.[/quote]

The world has never seen Communism as written and it never will.

Nikola Kavaja,anti-communist who was hunting Tito for 30 years

Here is the interview with Kavaja in English

[quote]Chushin wrote:

[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:
Thanks guys, and if you ever make your way to Pittsburgh Push, the bachelor party is all yours to throw.[/quote]

Been trying to get his old ass there for a while now…

:wink:

But I AM starting to see the makings of a T Nation get-together in The City of Steel.[/quote]

Chushin, I did not know you were from Pgh?

I support the idea. First round is on me.

[quote]Dr.Matt581 wrote:

[quote]Chushin wrote:
Matt, have any family members visited you in the States? What was their first reaction?[/quote]

Yes, every member of my family visits fairly regularly, and they are always amazed at how life is here. They are very well off in Russia now thanks to the engineering firm that my father started, so they have an easy life now as well, but they still know how rough it still is for many people in Russia today (not as bad as under the Soviet Union, though, and it is getting better), and it is not hard to see how much better life is here for most people. I actually have talked to them about moving here as well, but my parents and brother will not leave Russia. My sister does want to move here, which I would love to happen. [/quote]
Could you elaborate on the love for Russia? Although things are better now, there must be memories and reminders of very unhappy times.

What were some of the positives you remember?

Brainwashing aside, where would people draw a sense of home, loyalty to the country et cetera.

Is it a fear of change now that things are well (a bird in hand is better than two in the bush) or a genuine love for Russia?

Given such a difference between classes, are they living “high on the hog” so to speak?

How much of a role does the Russian Mafia play in business and politics today? Did organized crime exist under communism (other than govt officials) or spawn from it?

Born and raised. Family history in the mills, westinghouse airbrake, clairton coke, etc. I live in the lawrenceville section of the city now.