Why I love Fidel Castro:

[Sean]

An open letter to Barack Obama from the bearded one:

It would be dishonest of me to remain silent after hearing Barack Obama's speech delivered at the Cuban American National Foundation last Friday. I feel no resentment towards him, for he is not responsible for the crimes perpetrated against Cuba and humanity. Were I to defend him, I would do his adversaries a favour. I have therefore no reservations about criticising him and expressing myself frankly.

What were Obama's statements? "Throughout my entire life, there has been injustice and repression in Cuba. Never, in my lifetime, have the people of Cuba known freedom. Never, in the lives of two generations of Cubans, have the people of Cuba known democracy ... I won't stand for this injustice ... I will maintain the embargo."

This man who is doubtless, from the social and human points of view, the most progressive candidate for the US presidency, portrays the Cuban revolution as anti-democratic and lacking in respect for freedom and human rights. It is the same argument US administrations have used again and again to justify crimes against our country. The blockade is an act of genocide. I don't want to see US children inculcated with those shameful values.

No small and blockaded country like ours would have been able to hold its ground for so long on the basis of ambition, vanity, deceit or the abuse of power, the kind of power its neighbour has. To state otherwise is an insult to the intelligence of our heroic people.

I am not questioning Obama's great intelligence, his debating skills or his work ethic. He is a talented orator and is ahead of his rivals in the electoral race. Nevertheless, I am obliged to raise a number of delicate questions. I do not expect answers; I wish only to raise them for the record.

Is it right for the president of the US to order the assassination of any one person in the world, whatever the pretext? Is it ethical for the president of the US to order the torture of other human beings? Should state terrorism be used by a country as powerful as the US as an instrument to bring peace to the planet?

Is an Adjustment Act, applied as punishment to only one country, Cuba, in order to destabilise it, good and honourable when it costs innocent children and mothers their lives? Are the brain drain and the continuous theft of the best scientific and intellectual minds in poor countries moral and justifiable?

Is it fair to stage pre-emptive attacks? Is it honourable and sane to invest millions and millions of dollars in the military-industrial complex, to produce weapons that can destroy life on earth several times over? Is that the way in which the US expresses its respect for freedom, democracy and human rights?

Before judging our country, Obama should know that Cuba - with its education, health, sports, culture and science programmes, implemented not only in its own territory but also in other poor countries around the world, and in spite of the economic and financial blockade and the aggression of his powerful country - is proof that much can be done with very little. Cuba has never subordinated cooperation with other countries to ideological requirements. We offered the US our help when hurricane Katrina lashed the city of New Orleans. Our revolution can mobilise tens of thousands of doctors and health technicians. It can mobilise an equally vast number of teachers and citizens who are willing to travel to any corner of the world to fulfil any noble purpose, not to usurp rights or take possession of raw materials.

The goodwill and determination of people constitute limitless resources that would not fit in the vault of a bank. They cannot spring from the hypocritical politics of an empire.

· Fidel Castro is former president of Cuba. This is an edited version of an article that appeared in Granma, the Cuban Communist party newspaper granma.co.cu

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/may/29/barackobama.cuba

 

[Saint Peter]

I doubt if Castro really wrote that himself.

 

[Sean]

I doubt if Castro really wrote that himself.

Don't underestimate Fidel. He aint dumb by a long shot. If he was, he would be dead by now. He was a lawyer before he became freedom fighter and hero of the revolution.

 

[Saint Peter]

Don't underestimate Fidel. He aint dumb by a long shot. If he was, he would be dead by now. He was a lawyer before he became freedom fighter and hero of the revolution.

He is far from being dumb. He is educated and comes from a family with money, much different than the working class Cuban that lives under his power.

But he is getting very old. Raul and the powers that be probably had more say about the wording in the letter than did Fidel.

 

[bronzeage]

I doubt if Castro really wrote that himself.

Wouldn't the handwriting be jerky. He is kind of old.

 

[unregistered]

 

[Cade Is Here]

No wonder you support Obama.

Well sean is a racist idiot ..so that explains it.

 

[shoulderblade]

What a jester this guy is.

What were Obama's statements? "Throughout my entire life, there has been injustice and repression in Cuba. Never, in my lifetime, have the people of Cuba known freedom. Never, in the lives of two generations of Cubans, have the people of Cuba known democracy ... I won't stand for this injustice ... I will maintain the embargo."

Two generations? Try forever.

Maintain the embargo? Cool, that's what keeps Castro in power.

 

[Faneros]

No wonder you support Obama.

Lift the god damn embargo, It's not working! You have to hit some people over the head with a shovel sometimes.....christ sake

 

[IndieSnob]

Wait a second here.

According to such knowledgeable political scholars such as LostCause, Obama is a commie socialist.

So why isn't he supporting his fellow red brother, Fidel?

 

[Manful]

Obama is just pandering to the Cuban Vote in Florida, its so obvious its sickening. What happnened to, we must open a dialog with the leaders?

 

[unregistered]

 

[cramer-FL]

I like Castro because he can make a great cigar just by whipping a 10 y/o kid. He is like Copperfield of the cigar world.

 

[Recidiva]

I love how me not giving other people stuff is killing them. Funny how Castro never asked me how I was doing.

Inculcate me.

 

[hobbit.]

he never played for chelski fc..... much like drogba in many ways.......

 

[Faneros]

Why isn't it working, Cuba is still in the 50s.

Castro still in power................you know governments rule, the people suffer, its a crying shame. Cuba has some of the best beaches, food, and ladies in the world, to think, I might be dead before they open it up to America. Oh I can go there, legally though various associations but its not the same. I want to hop on a plane and vacation in Cuba. I have never understood why we lock them out. President Ford had it right but Castro fucked that up....

 

[unregistered]

 

[hobbit.]

Maybe when both Castros are dead. I'm not going to forget that they and a lot of their comrades were contemplating toasting millions of Americans with Russian nukes. Fuck'em until they completely renounce that communist shit, return American property, and make restitution to any American they have wronged.

And team USofA will start the ball of peace and love rolling by...... ? (this should be good )

 

[Recidiva]

Maybe when both Castros are dead. I'm not going to forget that they and a lot of their comrades were contemplating toasting millions of Americans with Russian nukes. Fuck'em until they completely renounce that communist shit, return American property, and make restitution to any American they have wronged.

My sister and brother in law decided to spend New Year's Eve of Y2K in Cuba. Sounded like a total nightmare to me. She however had a blast.

So apparently fun is to be had.

 

[Ham Murabi]

Don't underestimate Fidel. He aint dumb by a long shot. If he was, he would be dead by now. He was a lawyer before he became freedom fighter and hero of the revolution.

What is this blockade he speaks of?
And "hero of the revolution." The man's a brutal dictator and his people live in poverty.

 

[hobbit.]

What is this blockade he speaks of?
And "hero of the revolution." The man's a brutal dictator and his people live in poverty.

yeah!! and afghanistan and iraq are all doing fine........

 

[islandman]

I'm shocked that there isn't a paragraph in there about the U.S. welcoming members of Cuba's national baseball team with open arms.

 

[Saint Peter]

I'm shocked that there isn't a paragraph in there about the U.S. welcoming members of Cuba's national baseball team with open arms.

We call them The Yankees.

 

[Wok]

Maybe when both Castros are dead. I'm not going to forget that they and a lot of their comrades were contemplating toasting millions of Americans with Russian nukes. Fuck'em until they completely renounce that communist shit, return American property, and make restitution to any American they have wronged.

Ha! Fat chance.

 

[KravMaga]

"Kramer goes to a fantasy camp. His whole life is a fantasy camp. People should plunk down two-thousand dollars to live like him for a week. Do nothing, fall ass-backwards into money, mooch food off your neighbors, and have sex without dating. *That's* a fantasy camp!"