[ZPT] checking equality on a defined variable? Help?

[James Carroll]

I'm looking for the word 'True' here, but instead I get 'False':

  <span tal:define="which_rmas request/which_rmas | string:'active'">

  Which RMAs?: <span tal:replace="which_rmas"></span>  
  is active?  <span tal:replace="python:which_rmas=='active'"></span>

  </span>

This produces the following:
   Which RMAs?: 'active' is active? False 

Can anyone spot the problem?

Thanks!
-Jim