Who is arguing other than you? What is there to side-track? People are providing their anecdotes about the Eastern bloc and growing up in it, and how it differs from the western stereotype.
A curious mind would encourage learning more about something you likely have had no real world experience with.
Thank you. I can't believe I had to scroll as far as I did to see your comment.
I'm not saying the comparison is or isn't apt, but what a side-track to bother arguing that the policy wasn't 1:1 identical.