re: Christmas in Moscow

In my public grade school, the teachers told us how the Russians did not allow religion and brainwashed their children. Our teachers were hardcore protestants who hated some Russians.

Then they had all us kids stand and do the pledge of allegiance and sing a patriotic song like My Country 'Tis of Thee. Later, the teacher would lead us in prayer before lunch.

It took me a few years to appreciate the irony.