[Epona]

Barry, spot on mate.

Just cos people hear the word Communism, and associate it with the USSR because that's what they called themselves, does not mean it's correct.

I could go round calling myself a Buddhist, some people might then get the impression from that if they did not look into it further that Buddhism was about drinking, partying, and riding round on vintage scooters. They'd be wrong, as they'd find out if they read some Buddhist literature.

The ideas of freedom, democracy and equality are CENTRAL to communism. People should try reading some pre-Stalin communist literature if they don't believe me. Alas Stalin ****ed it all up and now he and the USSR is what people think of when they hear the word communism - but rather like me if I were to call myself a Buddhist, the USSR was NOT communist. It's a word that has been misused over and over.