gulag or Gulag? Do You Know the Word?

In an article on the Internet Movie DataBase website today, there is a story about Bruce Willis kissing Drew Barrymore. In quoting Playboy, the website says this,

"Drew and I are old friends. I hadn't seen her for a long time, and I gave her a kiss. There were other things going on in the room that night that weren't reported, things far racier than my giving Drew a kiss. If it's against the law to kiss a beautiful actress who is a friend of mine, then lock me up and take me to the gulag (prison camp). I'm a single guy, and I'm having a hard enough time in the world of romance without somebody giving me s**t for kissing Drew."

Now, I don't know if this is Playboy or the World Entertainment News Network cited at the bottom, but who needs a refresher on the "Gulag?" (I was going to link to Wikipedia, but unless you are a Russian major, just take my word for what is coming next.) Ok, the term Gulag is actually an acronym for the department in charge of running the Soviet prison camps. In expanded use, it means a generic Soviet prison, mainly used for political dissidents and others who just disappear. Now, the Wikipedia points out that it can also mean a prison camp in other Communist countries, like North Korea.

Ok, so no biggie right? Except why would the author explain the term? (I don't know all the styles, but I always thought editorial comments were made [like this] rather than in parenthesis. Guess I should ask an English major, eh?) And maybe this is a little misunderstanding, but "prison camp" doesn't convey the same sinister connotations that "gulag" does. And, while I don't know what Bruce Willis actually meant, I would suggest that he was referring to the generic Soviet camp, thus being capitalized. (I get that from the sarcasm in his comment. He meant to imply a really horrid prison, not the Hilton Prison. Hehe.)

I guess that is what it comes down to. For all the moaning by people about Paris Hilton going to jail, nobody ever really recalls what the Soviet system was like. For all the complaints about Gitmo, it still doesn't compare to a system run by the Gulag. And, if any Muslims had gone into the Gulag system, I am pretty darn certain that the Koran was not on the reading list cause they didn't have one!

Just something to think about. And remember, today is important. Not only was there a new memorial built for the victims of communism (many more died from communism than in the Holocaust), but today marks the 20th anniversary of this line.

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

President Ronald Reagan said those immortal words standing in front of the Berlin Wall, but speaking to the millions in the Gulag system, put there for criticizing the government or demanding a better life. Is there anymore appropriate way to end this post? I think not.