Wasn't on my radar, thanks for this. The Narnia bit was great.

I am from Russia and I get it. To say "Russia is more traditional than Seattle" is an understatement. That is why it always surprised me how unaware some people are or what they have here.

@2 Agree. Another reason to value things like free speech and 2nd amendment. You don't frt that in Russia where I am also from. Funny to see how American socialists and anarchists want what Russia is full of today, without ever living there. My response to their cries for socialism and anarchy is this; go live in Russia for a day, my precious snowflake, you will be BEGGING to come back to the sweet, sweet US of A and will kiss the ground it sits on, I guarantee it.
Lolski.

@3: I've been to Russia for more than a day, and while the place has its problems, it's not that bad if you have money. That's true of the US too. The difference in Russia is if you don't have enough money, but you have too much... well, someone may be coming for it.

@3. You can say that again. It is a biproduct of communism/socialism. As soon as it fell apart, everyone started grabbing what they could (and ONLY for themselves) with a mentality of "I was poor once, and won't be again. And I don't give a fuck who I have to take it from". And they say capitalism is greedy. Pffft. Riiiight. They haven't lived around socialism/communism yet.

So yes, if one has money, someone will be coming for it. They are never safe and need protection. Usually mob. But that comes at a price as well.

@3 was meant for @4

Teehee, you seem to be under the false impression that Russia is in any way representative of socialism or communism, and that this is what western socialists and anarchists are aiming for. On the contrary, modern Russia is intensely capitalistic to the point of its extreme: an oligarchy with imperialistic ambitions. In fact it is the western right wing who fetishises and desires to be more like Russia. You're familiar with the US president, are you not?

We're pulling more for an European-type socialism
without all the fascism trumpy and Moscow Mitch et al're offering us.

You know, like Scandinavia, or France or Germany, where CEOs make 30 times their lowest paid employees, and not the hundreds of times they are allowed to take here. We can have a very very few who can claw their way to the top; or we can have a society where people aren't made homeless because they got sick or their car broke down and they couldn't get to work or find a babysitter or whatever, and 87,000,000 (that's A LOT OF Citizens) un- or under-insured are terrified if they, or their kids, happen to get sick enough to require lots of care. And insureance Corps skim 20-30% of dollars that could be used to treat people.

Inequality's getting worse every year; heck, even the Billionaires know this shit's not sustainable...

We're not looking for Stalin on Mao --
we're looking more for our version of Canada's Tommy Douglas.

@7. You never really lived in the USSR have you? It is cute how a privileged American is trying to wokesplain what socialism/communism is to an immigrant who actually lived the regime. Cute. Keep trying. (Also, Scandinavia aren't socialist, so don't even bring that up that one).

Also, when someone is parading around with a Lenin pin and a hammer and siclke (symbol of socialism that existed in USSR), then they support the s"version" of soviet socialism,/communism. But nice try. We all know that is exactly what socialism/communism is.

@ohtosix\nineteeheehee

People under thirty here have no fear of your evil commie/scary socialist hyperbole -- btw, Progrssive are NOT looking for government take-over of the means of production, no matter how much you may insist -- and IF under-thirties, or so care enough to come out and fucking Vote -- provided we happen to Give them someone Worth voting FOR -- then we can support and encourage the Citizenry, not the hoarding of our resources for personal gain.

We do need to rethink our whole winner-take-ALL monopolists always win, and win BIG approach to our Society. Massive income inequality is always a recipe for overthrow, eventually.

FDR liked to say he saved Capitalism from itself.
We need a another New Deal now.
And the Citizenry is Ready for it.