...astounded by their freedoms, also a bit horrified by them.
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Interesting. Could you elaborate?
I find it amusing when the russophobes rail about the *dictatorship* after learning Russian citizens have personal firearms , even handguns, although I gather those are subject to somewhat more state control.
Yes. While living in a large apt building in Moscow for several months, a Russian holiday prompted children to have no school. Their parents went to work. Ages oh maybe 8 and up were left on their own for the day. Quite a large group. Sometimes a babushka unrelated to them would stop their hijanks and scold them. Some babushkas got together and fed them lunch.
It was a nice apt building but I found the elevators to be scary. Huge gaps you had to step over.
I met and befriended Canadians in the building who were doing drastic work on their Apt and, they said, on their dacha outside of Moscow. Not one building permit required.
No one objected to the construction noises or piles of sawdust at the entry.
I saw Russians selling meat on a card table in public, flies landing on it. Just raw meat, lying there on the table.
Guy standing behind the table hawking it for sale, was excited to see me stop and stare.
Disgusting. But allowed.
In the streets of tourist areas in Moscow were children in wheelchairs with an adult, begging, here and there. I stopped to donate but the Russian woman with me put her hands on my shoulders and turned me away, telling me No. They were mafia or something.
But not against the law. The children were not required to attend school, nor were there any agencies called to see to their welfare.
I took my three yr old to the street and held out rubles for rides to where ever I wanted to go. Moscow.
Guns are fine, as you mentioned.
Let me think on this a bit more. It has been awhile.
There are some religions which have been banned.
Soros was booted after kiddie porn was “discovered” on the computer at his Open Society office...😂😂😂