OMG Castros Done

[BeerHat]

If you count the abuse of the rights of millions of Iraqis then I'm sure the US is up there, but domestically of course the US isn't as bad as many other countries, but your (or rather our, the UK is no better) leaders actively support regimes, such as Saudi Arabia, with a much worse human rights records than Cuba.

Cubans are dying crossing to the states for the same reasons Africans are dying crossing the Mediterranean. I don't doubt that some are genuinely fleeing persecution, but most are simply seeking a better life, economic migration.

Would people see things differently if Cuba was a democracy and Mexico was Communist? Or maybe a useful military dictatorship? Easy to convince the sheeple that human rights abuses there aren't as important as ones in Communist (or lately, Arab) countries.

Human rights abuses are important everywhere. I'm not going to get dragged into another idiotic debate about us in Iraq, yes the war hasn't been managed properly, no we did not go in there for the purpose of murdering women and children.

Being a former military man I can assure that our training involved none of that. We did however learn amongst ourselves to kick some hippy ass .

Seriously, if people would take the blinders off for a second, and realize just how many restrictions are put on us as far as rules of engagement, you'd be shocked.

As far as Cuba, I was born there. I have had family albeit not immediate (uncles ,cousins) executed and imprisoned, and no they weren't criminals. My father in law was imprisoned for a year and a half at the age of 14 for attempting to flee, he was by the way thrown in with common criminals.

Liberal elitist like you sit there and rationalize everything from your comfy homes, with your stomachs full, and throw out all the talking points which are only meant to do one thing, blame America. I was lucky enough to have this country welcome us, and by the way I did it legally.

I'm glad I did get out so I could respond to people like you, had I stayed in Cuba, I would of never had the chance since internet access is not allowed.

 

[LazyHippy]

I'll happily admit I'm liberal but I do take offence at being called elitist. That couldn't be further from the truth. I'm more socialist than capitalist, I think society is better for everyone if we all help each other rather than focussing just on what benefits ourselves or our country. I think one life is worth the same as another.

I don't really blame America, though I'm sure you can understand how it is natural for the biggest loudest kid in playground to get the most attention, I don't blame anyone really. Maybe it's what humans are naturally meant to do?

It does sound like you were lucky, I'm sure you must have considered how things could have been different had the US leaders tolerated the regime and not blocked trade or on the other hand if they had invaded.

I might be wrong but my understanding is that Cuba is more like say Russia or Iran as opposed to say Burma in that the leaders may be very authoritarian and happy to sacrifice human rights to maintain power, but (and this is the problem) the majority of the people support them and prefer stability and security to freedom - something that is hard for most of us to understand.

Peace

 

[BeerHat]

I'll happily admit I'm liberal but I do take offence at being called elitist. That couldn't be further from the truth. I'm more socialist than capitalist, I think society is better for everyone if we all help each other rather than focussing just on what benefits ourselves or our country. I think one life is worth the same as another.

I don't really blame America, though I'm sure you can understand how it is natural for the biggest loudest kid in playground to get the most attention, I don't blame anyone really. Maybe it's what humans are naturally meant to do?

It does sound like you were lucky, I'm sure you must have considered how things could have been different had the US leaders tolerated the regime and not blocked trade or on the other hand if they had invaded.

I might be wrong but my understanding is that Cuba is more like say Russia or Iran as opposed to say Burma in that the leaders may be very authoritarian and happy to sacrifice human rights to maintain power, but (and this is the problem) the majority of the people support them and prefer stability and security to freedom - something that is hard for most of us to understand.

Peace

Most everyone in Cuba wants the US to invade or at least do something, I know its hard for you to believe but it's true. The majority of the people don't support the regime, they have to pretend to, otherwise they will have services denied and or thrown in jail. All those massive marches and protest you see on tv is staged, people are told to volunteer or else. To get a feeling for what its like living in Cuba, you should read 1984. Kids literally snitching on their parents, in school they are taught that the walls have ears. The secret police in Cuba was trained by the KGB and the Stasi. Recently a student asked why they couldn't travel outside and he was summarily thrown in jail. The list goes on and on. Cuba is probably one of the biggest charades in all the world and Castro has fooled everyone.

There is no stability in a closed society, don't buy the whole workers paradise crap with free healthcare and education. Actually Cuba is full of mental instability, having one of the highest incidences of mental health problems and having the highest suicide rate in the western hemisphere, add to that also the highest rate of abortion and divorce. Its one fucked up place. The dependency mentality has all but crippled the entrepreneurial spirit that once thrived before Castro, my grandfather was one who had his business, that he worked for all his life to build, taken from him for 'the revolution', he was never the same after that.

I really hate to talk politics here and I usually ignore most of it, but Cuba and Che is one story I will die telling because it needs to be told. I don't know how he did it, but Castro has fooled millions. If you want to watch how it happened, just keep your eye on Chavez in Venezuela.

* by the way, there's no embargo. You can buy Marlboros and Budweiser there. Castro is the one that doesn't want the embargo taken down, its his biggest excuse for everything. If not, look back in history, everytime we've come close to lifting it , he does something to piss us off. (mariel, guantanamo)

* here's a good one for you , do you know Cubans actually attempt to get inside of Guantanamo? I've met 2 who made it.