Praising Fidel Castro: Cowardly or Respectful?

[Surrealistik]

:shrug: Osama bin Laden built schools.

Sure; and Castro's positive accomplishments were much more impressive than Osama's.

 

[Bodi]

Poe's law applies sadly.

I am the anti-Poe. It works most of the time and keeps people guessing.

 

[Harshaw]

Sure; and Castro's positive accomplishments were much more impressive than Osama's.

Not really. By just about every meaningful measure, Cubans are worse off now than before his revolution.

 

[Sietske22]

Not really. By just about every meaningful measure, Cubans are worse off now than before his revolution.

99% literacy rate?

Healthcare for all?

 

[Harshaw]

99% literacy rate?

Healthcare for all?

Yeah. You go on pretending that's true. And that it makes up for the rest.

 

[Bucky]

No, it's not "obvious". It's anything but.

There's no proof that Castro was aware of Oswald's plans to kill Kennedy. Oswald was a perennial loser, drifting from ones alliance to the next. He was a Marxist, but the term covers a multitude of ideologies in itself.

Lee was caught on video passing out pro Fidel Castro leaflets with Rafael Cruz. I can provide the video evidence if you'd like. Many communist hated JFK because he was a very conservative Democrat.

 

[Sietske22]

Yeah. You go on pretending that's true. And that it makes up for the rest.

My apologies, its 99.7%

 

[Bucky]

In what alternate universe did Obama "praise Castro"?

It was practically a eulogy. A cowardly statement by a cowardly President.

 

[Kobie]

It was practically a eulogy. A cowardly statement by a cowardly President.

You must have read something different than what was actually said.

 

[Grand Mal]

The easy option for me is misguided.

Clearly, with Trudeau, his father was a socialist who hobnobbed with socialists and communists all over the world and was a great friend of Castro's. The younger Trudeau was raised in that history and appears to be too dense to know any better.

I only wish Trudeau was also leaving office on January 20th.

D'ya suppose Trump will make the obligatory presidential pilgrimage to Riyadh to kiss the arse of a ruthless dictator? I know Trudeau never will.

 

[CanadaJohn]

D'ya suppose Trump will make the obligatory presidential pilgrimage to Riyadh to kiss the arse of a ruthless dictator? I know Trudeau never will.

You don't think so? Trudeau bleated about stopping the military sale to the Saudis during the election campaign and then when elected and in office completed the deal. Liberals in government are total hypocrites and add to that an imbecile as leader who's more interested in sight seeing than governing, and I'll bet you little Justin finds his way to Saudi Arabia before the Donald ever does.

 

[Gaztopian]

In the grand scheme of things, I'd say it's respectful. He was a controversial leader from an olden era that had his virtues and vices. Depending on where you stand on the political spectrum and history, you may eulogize him or malign him. Either way, there's no excuse for the inane obloquy of those that remain faithful to the anti-communist zeal of the Cold War era or the hipsters that find it avant-garde to be inept and superficial reactionaries. I mean, many of those courageous souls maligning Castro in the obituary thread aren't old enough to buy their own beer :lol:

 

[Kobie]

In the grand scheme of things, I'd say it's respectful. He was a controversial leader from an olden era that had his virtues and vices. Depending on where you stand on the political spectrum and history, you may eulogize him or malign him. Either way, there's no excuse for the inane obloquy of those that remain faithful to the anti-communist zeal of the Cold War era or the hipsters that find it avant-garde to be inept and superficial reactionaries. I mean, many of those courageous souls maligning Castro in the obituary thread aren't old enough to buy their own beer :lol:

Precisely this. While Castro is in no way to be admired, he also is in no way to be as universally despised amongst the right as he is. He was a bad guy. He wasn't Hitler, for Chrissakes.

 

[Trippy Trekker]

Fidel Castro, born and raised in Cuba, as a young man successfully lead a Cuban Revolution. In early February 1959, the 32 year old Revolutionary became Head of State of Cuba.... a title that remained his until 2006 when he stepped down due to health reasons. His younger brother Raul became Fidel's successor ... to this day maintaining the Castro legacy. If I have not made any misstatements of fact, even not withstanding Fidel's history as a ruthless and brutal dictator, how can any leader of any sovereignty not respect Fidel Castro's accomplishments?

 

[Grand Mal]

You don't think so? Trudeau bleated about stopping the military sale to the Saudis during the election campaign and then when elected and in office completed the deal. Liberals in government are total hypocrites and add to that an imbecile as leader who's more interested in sight seeing than governing, and I'll bet you little Justin finds his way to Saudi Arabia before the Donald ever does.

Point is, it's a little hypocritical of US conservatives to lambaste the Cuban regime while tolerating, or even approving, other repressive dictatorships elsewhere. When I see one of those oh-so-righteous cons express disgust with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for beheading people for sorcery while allowing a murderer to buy his way off the chopping block, then I'll give a listen to their opinion of Cuba.

 

[Surrealistik]

Yeah. You go on pretending that's true. And that it makes up for the rest.

Do you have evidence to the contrary?

And no, it doesn't make up for the rest, but until I see proof that he didn't accomplish these things despite the impressive context of the upheld US embargo, persistent CIA undermining, and lack of USSR support, there's no taking away these things away from Castro as achievements.

I am the anti-Poe. It works most of the time and keeps people guessing.

Haha, apparently!

 

[faithful_servant]

He was not a villain. He was not a saint. Just like most US Presidents.

No, Castro was most certainly a villain. He was a dictator that used the firing squad as his primary weapon against dissent. He was among the worst this world has ever seen in the modern age when it came to national leaders. We've never had any leader who was even remotely near him in terms of how rotten he was.

 

[faithful_servant]

His stubbornness to keep Cuba in the outdated Communist model and his steadfast refusal to relinquish power destined the Cuban people to remain poverty stricken far longer than they should have.

Sure, America's idiotic embargo hurt tremendously. But if Castro had renounced communism and stepped down, his people would have benefitted greatly - and surely he knew that. And if he didn't, than he was an idiot.

Jeez...the Soviets gave up on Communism and even China relaxed it economically. But this ding dong got all stubborn about it at the expense of his people.

He was - in the end - a terrible leader.

Neither Cuba, China or the USSR were ever communist states. They were all totalitarian states who used the labels of socialist/communist to mask what they really were/are.

 

[CanadaJohn]

Point is, it's a little hypocritical of US conservatives to lambaste the Cuban regime while tolerating, or even approving, other repressive dictatorships elsewhere. When I see one of those oh-so-righteous cons express disgust with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for beheading people for sorcery while allowing a murderer to buy his way off the chopping block, then I'll give a listen to their opinion of Cuba.

That's fair, and being a Canadian conservative I have no love for the leadership of Saudi Arabia, but I don't know many American conservatives who love the Saudi princes either. The difference is that the Saudis are generally on the side of the west in relation to the other bad actors in the Middle East. Other than Israel and Jordan, there are precious few places to find "friends" in that region, so having the Saudis work to keep oil prices low and to help control terrorism, is worth looking the other way at times while still trying to get them to come into the 21st century socially and religiously, which they are slowly doing.

The Cubans under Castro, on the other hand, have worked to undermine the west at every opportunity, from the Soviet missile crisis to palling around with South American bad actors like Chavez when he was alive and others. Cuba has not ever been a friend to the west, particularly the US, and so they are not in the same class as the Saudis.

But in a perfect world, we'd be able to say to hell with all of them and stay isolated here in North America - unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

 

[Grand Mal]

That's fair, and being a Canadian conservative I have no love for the leadership of Saudi Arabia, but I don't know many American conservatives who love the Saudi princes either. The difference is that the Saudis are generally on the side of the west in relation to the other bad actors in the Middle East. Other than Israel and Jordan, there are precious few places to find "friends" in that region, so having the Saudis work to keep oil prices low and to help control terrorism, is worth looking the other way at times while still trying to get them to come into the 21st century socially and religiously, which they are slowly doing.

The Cubans under Castro, on the other hand, have worked to undermine the west at every opportunity, from the Soviet missile crisis to palling around with South American bad actors like Chavez when he was alive and others. Cuba has not ever been a friend to the west, particularly the US, and so they are not in the same class as the Saudis.

But in a perfect world, we'd be able to say to hell with all of them and stay isolated here in North America - unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

They've always been a friend to Canada. Whether you value that sentiment or not is up to you but Castro was the only head of state to attend Trudeau's funeral.
I loved the country and the people when I was there. I know all the same things about the regime that you do but I also know (second-hand) how it was before the revolution. I've seen two black women, both younger than me, put their hands over their hearts when they said 'Che'. They weren't there but they were told how it was before the revolution by their parents.
But I'm not trying to convince you. I'm just saying that there's a wild inconsistency at work in all this rage-outed righteousness.

 

[CanadaJohn]

They've always been a friend to Canada. Whether you value that sentiment or not is up to you but Castro was the only head of state to attend Trudeau's funeral.
I loved the country and the people when I was there. I know all the same things about the regime that you do but I also know (second-hand) how it was before the revolution. I've seen two black women, both younger than me, put their hands over their hearts when they said 'Che'. They weren't there but they were told how it was before the revolution by their parents.
But I'm not trying to convince you. I'm just saying that there's a wild inconsistency at work in all this rage-outed righteousness.

Canada, under Liberal governments, has been a friend of Cuba - agreed. Under Conservative governments Canada has tolerated a cordial, yet limited relationship, primarily to support the Cuban tourist industry and because many Canadians demand access to a cheap Caribbean winter retreat.

The "rage-outed righteousness" you allude to, which I'm not aware of, would not at all be directed toward the Cuban people but the Canadian Prime Minister has been rightly ridiculed, and not just from the right, for his overly laudatory and gracious remarks and for quite arrogantly claiming to speak for "all Canadians".

 

[Master PO]

Just as wrong.



Like states?

:roll:


As does America and every other advanced nation.

Master PO has nonsensical political beliefs, don't expect much.

Gubment be evul type of guy.

welfare states deal in socialism which is a government of force

direct taxes and compulsory participation in programs which is not freedom...its a shame, most people do not understand this.

James Madison - Government is instituted to protect property of every sort; as well that which lies in the various rights of individuals, as that which the term particularly expresses. This being the end of government, that alone is a just government, which impartially secures to every man, whatever is his own.

 

[Grand Mal]

Canada, under Liberal governments, has been a friend of Cuba - agreed. Under Conservative governments Canada has tolerated a cordial, yet limited relationship, primarily to support the Cuban tourist industry and because many Canadians demand access to a cheap Caribbean winter retreat.

Personally, I approve of the good relationship. I'm no communist or socialist or even progressive and no fan of government generally, especially not overbearing, intrusive, repressive government. However, bad as Castro was, he was a home-grown evil. Nobody has ever accused those guys, the veterans of the revolution, of channeling money off the island. Before the revolution, the country was effectively a colony of the US with all the profits of the people's labour leaving for the mainland, and the Castro regime, oppressive as it was, was a step up from Batista, especially for blacks and women.

The "rage-outed righteousness" you allude to, which I'm not aware of, would not at all be directed toward the Cuban people but the Canadian Prime Minister has been rightly ridiculed, and not just from the right, for his overly laudatory and gracious remarks and for quite arrogantly claiming to speak for "all Canadians".

The righteous outrage seems to have settled down lately, it's been hours since anyone here said they hoped Castro was roasting in hell with Satan shoving a pitchfork up his ass. And Trudeau may not have been speaking for all Canadians but he was speaking for me. I personally admired, not Castro but his revolution. Unfortunately, the truism that revolutionaries seldom make good governors has been proven over and over but, in 1959, he did what was needed to be done and if his government was excessive, well, it's all a matter of degree.

I'll say this- Cuba's people are going to be far better off soon than they ever would have had Castro not kicked the US out of their country. Hell, they may already be.

 

[Van Basten]

welfare states deal in socialism which is a government of force

direct taxes and compulsory participation in programs which is not freedom...its a shame, most people do not understand this.

James Madison - Government is instituted to protect property of every sort; as well that which lies in the various rights of individuals, as that which the term particularly expresses. This being the end of government, that alone is a just government, which impartially secures to every man, whatever is his own.

Welfare states and socialism are two different things.

Just stop.

 

[zimmer]

Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on the death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro | Prime Minister of Canada

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/11/26/statement-president-passing-fidel-castro

Fidel Castro promised hope and change. He was praised as the people's liberator. The Cuban people soon realized what his true agenda was: Confiscate property, limit freedom of speech, attack the press, attack freedom of religion and destroy freedom of entirprise.

He poisoned the minds of millions of Cubans forcing them to believe in Marxism, believing somehow that having stagnating wages and living on $14 a month was a good thing. Dissenters were punished and killed, while Cuba became a safe haven for criminals and murders.

Shame on Obama and Trudeau for praising such a brutal dictator. Pathetic? Disgraceful?

Justin is like his father... a Castro loving moron. I don't doubt he's a closet Commi like Pops. Which bring me to a funny story...

It seems someone has done some... LOL... research, and has come to the conclusion Justin is actually Fidel's son... LOL.
The similarities are striking (I personally don't believe it)... BUT... you never know... because Margaret was a slutty little girl.

As far as Obama.

He's an idiot, and we got the pat idiotic response. A white-wash, no balls comment about a despot.

Then his press secretary white washed the white wash.

Fidel was an evil sonofabitch tyrant thug who deserved to suffer like those who he made suffer. Ideally in a pile of vomit, blood and broken appendages.