NP Re: The life in Fidel, and Cuba

[davemarc]

> From: David Casseres <casseres at apple.com>
> 
> Dictionary definitions are a truly clueless way of making political 
> arguments.  However, Castro does not exercise absolute power, not by a 
> very long shot.  He originally assumed control with the enthusiastic and 
> very widespread support of the Cubans, and today he still has widespread 
> support.  Do not, I repeat, do not believe what you read in the U.S. 
> media, and if you listen to the voices of refugees (as you should), you 
> should also listen to the voices of Cubans who are still in Cuba, as Mike

> Weaver has.

I appreciate the instruction.  In the two posts I've made on this thread,
I've acknowledged that Castro's dictatorship has been benevolent in some
ways.  I "hear the voices" of Cubans who are still in Cuba, and note that
they represent a variety of opinions from enthusiastic acclaim of Castro to
casual approval to guarded disapproval to furtive criticism.  Castro may
enjoy very widespread support among Cubans, but after decades of
suppression through harassment and unfair trials and non-trials, as well as
outright assassinations, the rationale for that support is dubious.  Also: 
even if there were a free referendum (or...a vote!) indicating that there
was indeed "widespread support" for Castro, I'd still be extremely
concerned about the dissenters who are in the minority.  His track record
on dissent is appalling.
> 
> And again, all of Castro's offenses against political freedom are 
> insignificant compared to his predecessors and to most of his 
> counterparts in U.S.-supported countries in Latin America.
> 
These "offenses against political freedom," which include terrorizing,
imprisoning, and I daresay murdering out of unmitigated paranoia--and
involving subordinates in such offenses--are not insignificant to their
victims.  I'm not condoning any similarly dastardly acts of his
predecessors or other government leaders, U.S.-supported or not.  If these
chingons have the gall, courage, and presumption to command military power,
they deserve scrutiny and criticism.

davemarc