OT - Old Soviet Joke About Free Speech (was "GWB and Meteorites")

Paul H bristolia at yahoo.com
Mon Sep 6 01:59:12 EDT 2004

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