"I came to Omsk [Siberia] because I wanted to. Here in Russia, you have real freedom, which is not like U.S. freedom. Back there you have so many rules." He smiled.
See how fast the world moves? Mr. Jagr's jersey number is 68, to commemorate his Czech heritage and the 1968 "Prague Spring," when Czechoslovakia enacted a series of economic and political reforms. The Soviets opposed the reforms, which called for a decentralized government, and invaded Czechoslovakia in response, occupying it until 1990.
A decentralized government, of course, is a hallmark of American-style governance. Mr. Jagr, an avowed anti-communist and supporter of the 1968 Prague Spring, now lives in Russia. The world has seemingly flipped overnight. America is being called the land of Soviet-style laws, while Russia has the designation as the land of "real freedom."
From my perspective, much credit needs to be given to the Department of Homeland Security for taking us away from the America our founders envisioned.
Oh, the shame.
