The Same Conversation

For as many years as I can now remember,
I seem to have the same conversation over and over again with Europeans.

It goes something like this:
He or she alludes to communism,
but does not provide details.
And that allusion is enough to tilt the conversation.
I must acknowledge the allusion and shut up.
We don't describe or analyze.
We shift.

And if I happen to say something about the USA,
about wealth inequality,
or racism,
or anything less than the Hollywood Stereotype,
somehow it's not given equal weight,
or it sits there in the conversation not moving things one way
or another.

Or, even,
often,
there are the doubts:
Could that be true?
I don't believe it!
You must be exagerrating!

Because de facto censorship,
and propaganda have done their job.