In all seriousness though, look at the last sentence. âThankfully I live here now and can speak my mind without the need to do what they didâ. My mom lived in the Czech Republic(Then Czechoslovakia) when the soviets had control over it. The border had a kilometer wide no manâs land filled with land mines, the border guards were told to shoot anyone trying to escape, there were German shepherdâs protecting the border as well.
People were forced to vote, and your vote was not secret. My great grandfather didnât go to vote one time and they brought the ballot box into his kitchen and watched him vote. One of the men had a gun. You arenât going to vote against them when your life is being threatened.Â
People just disappeared for not becoming communist. My mom had a friend whoâs father hasnât been found.Â
When the radio was on, my great grandmother would close the doors, windows, and curtains. If they were caught listening to radio from the west they could be imprisoned or killed.Â
Until the wall came down my mother couldnât go back, she, her mother and father, and her little brother had all been painted as traitors. The inheritance to our family farm was shifted to my great aunt. We would have gotten 50%, now we have a few acres of forest.Â
Speaking of the family farm, when the soviets came in, they destroyed the gate to the farm, took it, and by the time my great grandpa got it back, he was too old to work it, the buildings were in ruins, and there was nothing left.Â
Those family members of hers, in prison for killing a communist, acted out of desperation. If you spoke out about the government, you disappeared. There is no freedom in communism.Â