I feel like I’d be remiss in my duties as a Latin@ blogger if I don’t write something about Fidel Castro’s resignation from the presidency of Cuba. When I heard the news on Tuesday morning, I was neither happy nor sad; instead, I just got that feeling of realization that something truly historical has just happened. My knowledge of Castro and his reign in Cuba is too slim to really say much one way or another about the man, to condemn him or to laud him. I know he’s done bad, and I know he’s done good, and generally my feelings towards him and how he and his party have run Cuba these fifty odd years lean more towards the positive than the negative, but again, that’s a vague feeling that I feel is generally uninformed.
I can, however, say that I’m glad that Castro has left power peacefully (thus far) and on his own terms, and not on America’s terms. I mean, think about it – there must be tons of powerful men experiencing emotions ranging from disgruntlement to fury because they didn’t get to take Castro out, in any number of senses, before he stepped down voluntarily. I think that it’s a testament to the strength and the spirit of Cuban Revolution that it has managed to survive this long in defiance of the United States’ condemnation and attempts, subtle and not so subtle, at taking it down. ¡Saludos, Cuba!
Bush lost no time before prattling on about how he hopes for a “democratic process” for Cuba and that the U.S. will help the people of Cuba realize the blessings of liberty. Is that kinda like how the U.S. has helped the people of Iraq realize the blessings of liberty? Let’s hope not. Continuing to speak of Cuba, Bush said that as a part of a transition to so-called democracy, political prisoners there should be freed, since until then “will rot in prison and the human condition will remain pathetic in many cases.” Of course, this vision for Cuba stops at the walls of Guantanamo Bay, where hundreds of prisoners are being held indefinitely. Bush is totally cool with them rotting in prison, their human condition remaining pathetic.
The cloud of hypocrisy surrounding that man is so thick you could gag on it.
Seriously, though – it seems that every time the U.S. pushes for “democracy” somewhere else, they’re really pushing to twist the nation in question to serve American interests. I truly hope that, whatever shape the Cuban shift in power takes, it doesn’t lead to yet another nation being used and abused for the benefit of the insatiable United States.
“. . . it seems that every time the U.S. pushes for “democracy†somewhere else, they’re really pushing to twist the nation in question to serve American interests”
Word.
Interesting angle. Cool. Castro is human garbage who has killed thousands of Cubans in his failed pursuit of a communist paradise.
absurd thought –
God of the Universe says
Castro was BRILLIANT
like Marx, Lenin and Mao
he helped redefine EVIL
absurd thought –
God of the Universe says
celebrities are GUILTY
of having talent and luck
so they must praise dictators
absurd thought –
God of the Universe says
never admit you were wrong
Communism’s FANTASTIC
BEST false ideology
absurd thought –
God of the Universe says
keep your people poor
deny them decent health care
convince them they have it GREAT
Fidel Castro
murderous tyrant
– fools’ hero
communist freedom killer
imprisons many poets…
http://absurdthoughtsaboutgod.blogspot.com/2008/02/castro-steps-down-but-cuba-to-remain.html
http://www.therealcuba.com/
🙂
.
I am not a rabid redbaiter-I actually have some respect for Anarchism’s core tenets-but Fidel had his share of strengths,weakness,successes and failures.The sort of socialism he supported did too. I also feel that state socialism made some serious mistakes. But anti-communists fanatics should refrain from railing about Cuba and taking note that capitalism as an economic system is not all it is cracked up to be either. For every economic tiger, there was at least two banana republics.This was often the case in economics in support of a capitalist economic agenda. Oh, and yeah, I also think U.S. support of “democracy” is code speak for U.S. control/hegemony/”interests”. Speaking of democracy, judging from the debacles in Florida that we had in recent history-it would behoove us to preserve or expand what little we got left in our own borders. I am positive that the third world has made it share of mistakes(even if they accomplish alot of great things we rarely hear commented on) but the U.S. though great at times, ain’t the shining city on the hill. There are times the country is actually O.K. but it ain’t always the stellar role model it upholds itself to be; and the propaganda that disputes this fact gets tired quick. My biggest gripe with the anti-Fidel and anticommunist critics is that for all the criticism heaped upon the man, Cuba was not heaven during the reign of Batista. Cuba would have had economic problems even if they supported capitalism. Some of the bests capitalist regimes are going through their share of hardships. This years after the cold war. Communism can’t be blamed for all this. Specially in countries that never supported it in the first place.
I don’t see why you feel the need to post about something you yourself said you know little about, just because it’s a “Latin@” issue; You’re not accountable to be up on all Latin@ issues. I just feel that we, as an ethnicity, often play into the white ideal of us being a solidified and homogenous group. I get my friends asking me about Puerto Rican culture all the time, the main Spanish-speaking ethnic group around here, but I’m Mexican! How the fuck would I know? I don’t think they would like it if I asked their Irish/German selves about Scandinavian culture. Latin@s are so diverse and, although solidarity is great and appreciated, I just don’t feel any of us should feel guilty about not having an opinion about every Latin@ issue.