Thread by @BlazeOfTruth

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC I also lived under communism in USSR,in Ukraine.We immigrated to US in the 90s.USSR”progressed”closer to communism than CZ or RO.Every1 was equal,but some more equal than others. Star athletes were more equal(unless they were Jewish)& enjoyed special privileges like daily meals/1

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC and the international champions were even issued non-communal apartments(see my previous threads about assigned communal living space)with indoor utilities;though even their indoor plumbing(Soviet luxury)couldn’t handle toilet paper(another Soviet luxury).So even they still had/2

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC to deal with dumpsters full of shit paper on every residential street that would blow over with the wind. I find that incredibly symbolic of the communist regime,but why get hung up on the details.Besides,at least these athletes never lacked toilet paper whereas the”commoners”/3

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC often resorted to using newspapers;usually Pravda,which in another twist of irony means”truth”in Russian.But enough about shit & communism.Back to our more equal athletes.The communist propaganda machine demanded a steady supply of superstars to display to the world & to its/4

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC citizens. They spared no expense in money & human costs.”Talent scouts”would scour schools for young kids who had specific traits.Kids who were chosen were sent to athletic camp.There’s a documentary about the infamous Soviet hockey team “Red Army.”/5

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC Fetisov talks about what they dealt with behind the scenes.Their plane was empty bc no1 else was allowed to travel outside the country,gvt minders followed them to pre-planned destinations,everything was monitored.Also, interrogations & beatings when they thought he’d defect./6

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC Talk about getting the star treatment! There’s no way an avg Soviet citizen could be brought up on charges of even *thinking* of defecting and ever be seen again. Yes, thought crime was a real thing under communism./7

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC The avg Soviet citizen,who was “less equal” than a star athlete like yourself @Martina had to deal w shortages & rationing on a daily basis.Everything from food to personal items(mom nearly fainted when she saw the feminine products aisle at a US pharmacy)to living space & 8/

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC medical care.I’ve tweeted plenty about horrors of socialized commie care where the elite like you @Martina got the best care to promote communist propaganda,which clearly worked w you,while the less equal masses faced rundown hospitals,lack of meds & supplies,&policies where no/9

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC hospital would admit some1 too sick/too old (w/o a proper “gift”). No point in wasting already severely rationed gvt resources.These were things about the communist regime that foreigners were never allowed to see.Also, @Martina you have been touted by the LGBT community as a/10

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC “Champion” of LGBT rights.I’m sure you’re aware that the communist regime considered homosexuality one of the most severe mental disorders & routinely committed homosexual citizens to psychiatric hospitals.There was a psychiatric hospital a few streets over from our apartment/11

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC building,where 8 of us lived in a gvt-issued 2br/1bth apartment.Even by Soviet standards,that psychiatric hospital felt like the most disturbing place in the world.Of course there were bars on windows,&a perimeter fence,but it was the feeling that horrible things are happening/12

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC in there. After the USSR collapsed, word got out that the avg life expectancy of a homosexual “patient” at the psych clinic was around 2wks,+/-a few days(mostly minus). Most common cause of death was listed as “suicide.” You can make of that what you will./13

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC One other,and perhaps most important,aspect of daily life under communism is the constant indoctrination. Starting in early childhood we were taught that there’s no greater freedom than communism & no worse scourge than capitalism. It was drilled into us,the less equals,that /14

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC our communist gvt is taking amazing care of us. I can only imagine the level of indoctrination that was drilled into the more equals,who actually WERE taken care of by the communist gvt.Even after getting away from the indoctrination,it took time for me to fully shed it.I know/15

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC Soviet refugees who were imprisoned and tortured by the communists, and for decades after emigrating, remained most ardent supporters of communism. In cases of the more equals, such as athletes like @Martina, it’s no surprise that she still holds fond memories of the regime./16

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC Communists gambled that giving the more equals some “controlled” freedom would more than pay off in propaganda, of which @Martina is a perfect example.
As Lenin used to say, “Freedom is precious, so precious that it must be carefully rationed.” 17/17

@Martina @RexValllachorum @JesseKellyDC @threadreaderapp unroll