[anovikov]

This system must be taken down as soon as possible. There are too many indications that U.S. is no longer a free country. I'd hate go living there and happy that i've settled in Europe, even while i hate socialism. It's not like i feel i had a big chance getting in a no-fly list, i am a law-abiding person with little political activity, neither terrorist nor dissident. What bugs is me is how people tolerate this, having a lot of ways to protest. That would be natural in Europe where people are nihilist and never trusted governments much, nor they are patriotic (hard to be patriotic when a particular government of a country you live in has little control of you because they delegated too much to Brussels, and there is no common 'European' national identity yet - must be like U.S. in 1790s). But the Americans who claimed to be 'free and brave'?

Even in Russia people's rights are not as easily taken away. Mr. Putin's regime may be all corrupt and cleptocratic, but makes very little if any pressure on individual freedoms, and with reason because protests have been violent. People don't care much about officials stealing oil money, but do care about pressure on themselves.

[techdragon]

Tell that 'Even in Russia people's rights are not as easily taken away.' stuff to anyone that is gay, bisexual, or their close friends.

[anovikov]

This is more of PR stuff. I know a lot of gays in Russia and my former gf is bisexual so i know a few lesbians, too. They are doing just fine in big cities. And i doubt Mr. Putin has powers to make them feel safe in the countryside... I admit the problem, but it the problem is population not government.