Yes, the title is accurate...
Sitting in playing music and having a beer in a bar a couple nights ago I decided to then try a different spot.
An Irish bar known for having traditional Irish music one night a week I sat down and saw across the bar a gentleman with a cat.
Yes, this guy had a cat with him in the bar, so I asked the bartender " Who's that guy over there with the cat?" She said " Yes he comes in regularly with his cat"
So, being a cat person myself having two felines, I approached the man and asked if I could pet his cat. He said yes, but she may get a little feisty.
I let the cat check me out and then began petting her saying " She knows I'm a cat person"
I began conversing with this guy and he almost immediately said he's from Russia.
I would not have guessed that because he spoke perfect English with an American accent.
He said he immigrated to America 30 years ago, but then also told me he lives in China as well. So I deduced this man gets around...
"But I get around also a lot "I told him, "I'm a professional musician since the late 70s who's toured extensively in Europe and performed in Beijing as well as Communist Poland before the Berlin wall came down in 86."
I asked him "So as a former Russian what do you think of our politics, you know Trump and Biden?"
He said " Two sides of the same coin" Ok, I hear that a lot, so that wasn't that surprising...
But then I stated " I think Biden and democrats are actually more like Communists now"
He stated " Well it depends on your definition of Communism"
I've heard this before...Hard leftists Communists, and nearly ALL socialists will tell you " It depends on your definition of Communism/Socialism" Or, well the New type of Socialism is much different than 50 years ago, It's " Democratic Socialism"
I told him " I've seen real Communism with my own eyes in Poland and more recently in Beijing in 2009"
He said " Well that was a long time ago, China's much different now"
I said, uh not really, the Chinese Communists present a FACADE of Capitalism, but they still tightly control EVERYTHING that happens in that Country.
He said " I think China is the way to go now, that's the was things need to go"
I was flabbergasted...In my mind I was thinking " This guy is the real deal, a hard core committed Communist who's either bought the Chinese propaganda, or is here in America to SELL Communism to Americans"
I asked " So are you a professor? Do you work at the University"
" No" he said
OK, I didnt pursue his employment or career anymore.
But what I ended with was this " So you've come here from Russia, you've seen that kind of oppression and authoritarianism where you came from, and now you think China's system is the way to go forward?" I asked him, "So what about the Chinese government squashing the Uihyger people and putting them in concentration camps? Or the Chinese govt. Crushing and bulldozing Christian Churches in different cities imprisoning some Christians for their beliefs?"
He had no answer...
I walked away sort of shaking my head...
The Cat let me pet it BTW...
I'm just the Sax player dont shoot me...
