True Story: A few years back, I was teaching an ESL class with students from all over the world. The topic of the day was "Freedom of Speech" so I thought of an innocuous example and said, "If I say, 'Obama smells like potatoes!' nobody comes to arrest me." 1/5
The class chuckled appreciatively—even the Korean boys who weren't generally chucklers. I went around the room, asking students what happens if you criticize the government in their countries. The Saudis talked about the influence of social media in their country.... 2/5
The Germans said they say whatever for the most part. No Nazi symbols on school backpacks, naturally (natürlich...) but criticize the government? Sure.
I got to the Russian students (two blonde girls and a stony faced guy who's probably a case officer in the GRU now.) 3/5
I got to the Russian students (two blonde girls and a stony faced guy who's probably a case officer in the GRU now.) 3/5
In the same tone I'd started the discussion, I asked, "So what happens if you say, 'Putin smells like potatoes!' in Russia?"
There was a collective gasp from them. They looked at me like I'd slapped them in the face. One of the girls whispered, "Dun't zay dis..." 4/5
There was a collective gasp from them. They looked at me like I'd slapped them in the face. One of the girls whispered, "Dun't zay dis..." 4/5
The other girl even glanced around real quick to see who was listening. (The whole class was. Because it was weird.)
So, there you go. Freedom of Speech, folks. God bless America!
And Trump smells like a bucket of warm piss in an old outhouse on a rotting pig farm. 5/5
So, there you go. Freedom of Speech, folks. God bless America!
And Trump smells like a bucket of warm piss in an old outhouse on a rotting pig farm. 5/5
