[Rover222]

Equating Trump to the systems in China/Russia is absurd. You have no concept of what losing free speech really means if you think that's an accurate comparison.

Not saying that what's happening with ICE is okay. But it's a very sheltered view to think that is at all equivalent to what happens in those countries if you actively protest against the govt.

[don_esteban]

I am not equating Trump to China/Russia.

For Iranians, USA is strong foreign country that is hostile to them.

For Americans, Russia/China are (relatively) strong foreign countries that (they think) are hostile to them.

As Americans would NOT like if Russia/China was influencing their internal matters (Russia gate ?), so would Iranians NOT like if USA was deciding who is going to govern over them.

First, they are a proud nation with long history. Second, they have a very good reason (many historical precedents) to believe USA will not act in the interests of Iranian people, but in their own (and Israel's) interests.

[Rover222]

Thanks for clarifying.

[seanmcdirmid]

We know what losing free speech is like, we are living it with Trump. The Chinese and Russians don’t know what it’s like to lose free speech because they never had it.

It’s exactly because we compare against a just a corrupt government directly over a short period of time that our experience is fairly unique in the world.