How I escaped the Soviet Union

I’ll never forget the fear I felt growing up in the Soviet Union, knowing that my every word and action was watched by the state. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|* ~/AARclAA~/RgRo2TOoP0SNaHR0cHM6Ly95b3VuZ3ZvaWNlcy5yZXZ2LmNvL2Rpc3NpZGVudGRvbmF0aW9ucy1wYT91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249MjQwOTAyJnV0bV90Yz1SRVMyLTIwMjQwOTI3JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cmV2c2hhcmUmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1wYSZ1dG1fY29udGVudD1sb2dvVwNzcGNCCmb05qj2Zi8YZGRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~ Friend, I’ll never forget the fear I felt growing up in the Soviet Union, knowing that my every word and action was watched by the state. But the most terrifying part wasn’t the surveillance — it was how normal it all seemed. For decades, millions of people lived under a system where freedom was an alien concept, and for years, I was one of them. My name is Janna Blanter, and I’m a speaker with the Dissident Project. Even though I left the USSR in 1976 as a teenager, the memories of the horrors I experienced remain vivid. I can recall standing in long bread lines, family members getting sent to gulags, and having a pervasive fear of authority. ~/AARclAA~/RgRo2TOoP0SPaHR0cHM6Ly95b3VuZ3ZvaWNlcy5yZXZ2LmNvL2Rpc3NpZGVudGRvbmF0aW9ucy1wYT91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249MjQwOTAyJnV0bV90Yz1SRVMyLTIwMjQwOTI3JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cmV2c2hhcmUmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1wYSZ1dG1fY29udGVudD1pbWFnZTFXA3NwY0IKZvTmqPZmLxhkZFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA Now, many young people think that bringing communism to the United States is a good idea. But they have no idea what life is like under communism. They don’t realize that they are giving away their freedom in exchange for a lie. It’s why I decided to join the Dissident Project. The Dissident Project sends survivors of authoritarian countries to engage with high schoolers across the country. By working with the Dissident Project, I can draw upon my experiences to educate the next generation about the importance of preserving freedom and respecting human rights. [As a personal favor to me, can you help me share my story about the Soviet Union with high school students across the United States? Please consider chipping in $10, $35, $50, $100, or even $250 today.](~/AARclAA~/RgRo2TOoP0STaHR0cHM6Ly95b3VuZ3ZvaWNlcy5yZXZ2LmNvL2Rpc3NpZGVudGRvbmF0aW9ucy1wYT91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249MjQwOTAyJnV0bV90Yz1SRVMyLTIwMjQwOTI3JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cmV2c2hhcmUmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1wYSZ1dG1fY29udGVudD10ZXh0X2xpbmsxVwNzcGNCCmb05qj2Zi8YZGRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) [Donate](~/AARclAA~/RgRo2TOoP0SXaHR0cHM6Ly95b3VuZ3ZvaWNlcy5yZXZ2LmNvL2Rpc3NpZGVudGRvbmF0aW9ucy1wYT91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249MjQwOTAyJnV0bV90Yz1SRVMyLTIwMjQwOTI3JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cmV2c2hhcmUmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1wYSZ1dG1fY29udGVudD1kb25hdGVfYnV0dG9uMVcDc3BjQgpm9Oao9mYvGGRkUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MkBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAA~) I often get asked why I am fighting this battle. My answer? Because I know firsthand how quickly freedom can disappear when government power goes unchecked. When I see the rise of censorship, centralized control, and attacks on individual rights — even here in the West — it brings back painful memories of the world I thought I had left behind. ~/AARclAA~/RgRo2TOoP0SPaHR0cHM6Ly95b3VuZ3ZvaWNlcy5yZXZ2LmNvL2Rpc3NpZGVudGRvbmF0aW9ucy1wYT91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249MjQwOTAyJnV0bV90Yz1SRVMyLTIwMjQwOTI3JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cmV2c2hhcmUmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1wYSZ1dG1fY29udGVudD1pbWFnZTJXA3NwY0IKZvTmqPZmLxhkZFIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAA For 75 years, the experiment of Communism turned out to be a fraudulent premise. I grew up in a country where neither my rights nor even items at the grocery store were guaranteed. As it turns out, equity means that everyone will be equally miserable! The younger generation isn’t old enough to remember how terrible life in the USSR was. It’s probably why they want to bring Communism to America. But you and I can’t let that happen… [Will you help me teach high school students about the horrors of Communism by donating $10, $35, $50, or any amount to the Dissident Project? Click here to give your gift today ](~/AARclAA~/RgRo2TOoP0STaHR0cHM6Ly95b3VuZ3ZvaWNlcy5yZXZ2LmNvL2Rpc3NpZGVudGRvbmF0aW9ucy1wYT91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249MjQwOTAyJnV0bV90Yz1SRVMyLTIwMjQwOTI3JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cmV2c2hhcmUmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1wYSZ1dG1fY29udGVudD10ZXh0X2xpbmsyVwNzcGNCCmb05qj2Zi8YZGRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAA~~) The Dissident Project speakers know how to connect our experiences to the principles that have made America prosperous and why we must defend them. We undergo a rigorous audition and training process to learn how to speak to young audiences about difficult topics and experiences in a compelling way. You can help me share my story with high school students and teach them the true value of freedom. Click below to donate today. 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