While we are at that, a personal comment. The imperialism, capitalism, poor people, working class and kindred stories that I hear from the left give me a profound sense of déjà vu. Unlike most of you, I was spoon-fed those stories in my previous life on the other side of the 'iron curtain.' And unlike most of you, I learned to regard these stories as shameless propaganda attempts and scape-goating of the outsiders to divert attention from the domestic problems and the ineptitude and corruption of local political elites. We Eastern European intellectuals used to laugh at star-eyed American lefties visiting our countries and earnestly (although inadvertently) repeating the same propaganda and party lines that we were spoon-fed by our own media. We knew better than that from our own experiences. Chris can probably attest the same about Russia as well.
Wojtek
^^^^^^ CB: For you this may be like finding out that some young adult finding out that their parents were right all along or something but, the American lefties were right , and you all were wrong. Whatever domestic problems you had, the Communists in Poland were correct about imperialism, capitalism, poor people, the working class, etc. In a way you were a victim of circumstances; their other shortcomings caused you to revolt against the truth of what they were teaching you. You were being spoon fed the truth.