Fidel Castro

[Sundodger]

I do believe the draft is coming however. They are going to need bodies to go fight in Iran which I believe is in Bush's playbook.

If you paid attention to the issue, it is the Democrats, not the Republicans, that want to restore the tyranny of the draft.

[monsoon]

Got any proof to that? To quote the movie Stripes: "Son, there ain't no draft no more."

Indeed there isn't, but a lot of people did not join the military to be policemen for iraqis in what is being called a war and they are tired of being redeployed constantly back to that hell hole becasue there are not enough soldiers to fight Bush's war. As far as proof goes you can read it here.

He and Che Guevara used to round up homosexuals and mass murder them in front of the bloody walls of La Cabana, Guevara's personal murder factory where other democrats, liberals, and thousands of others innocent human beings were brutally slaughtered too.

Castro is a monster and says these things to appease the ignorant, accomplices of Cuban murder, tyranny, and slavery.

Edit - For most of the Slave Plantation of Castro's history, homosexuals were forced into the Cuban Gulag (jail where you go to die ASAP).

In the same token, Bush's war has killed more than 100,000 non-combantants in Iraq. I am not sure which is worse, being rounded up or having bombs dropped on you. To the loved ones of the dead I am sure it isn't much consolation.

If you paid attention to the issue, it is the Democrats, not the Republicans, that want to restore the tyranny of the draft.

Except of course under Bush's direction, they military has already drawn up plans to revive the draft. If you were paying attention you would not it is actions that count, not words.

[PghUSA]

I wonder how this number compares to the number of Americans that have escaped to Canada during the same period that Castro has been in power, to avoid having to fight in senseless wars? It's going on right now in droves due to the Iraq war.

Since the mid-1970s it has been an all volunteer force so I wouldn't think more then a few misguided (or people that didn't understand what the military did before joining) ones would ever be going to Canada. And you might be right, maybe they didn't join to be policeman but neither did those being borderguards in Korea or those that joined in 1944 only to be policeman and SWAT-like teams in post-war Germany and Japan till the early 1950's. You do the mission you are assigned to do, that's how a nation can switch from keeping the peace in the depression to losing tens of thousands at Normandy to passing out food in post war France to fighting the cold war with NO bullets flying to capturing a drug dealer in Panama in '89.

I'd love to be exempted from all the policies and rules of a web forum, since I volunteered to join one by force of volunteering or something?!, and then blame someone else for being the reason I have to exile myself from the forum.

Before the mid-70's you had a legitimate point--one I would disagree with but acknowledge. For the last 3 generations though anyone who would sign up for certain responsibilities then opt out isn't someone we would even welcome on this forum, unless of course we encouraged opting out of our policies.

[dimebag1980]

Ahh, to hell with it... it's just not worth it.

[damus]

Didn't his personal doctor say he would live to be 140 or something like that?

[damus]

Well that is your opinion of course. Since you think Gays are "unnatural" then I don't think we have anything else to discuss on the matter. You assume, not based on any scientific knowledge, that humans evolved just to reproduce, and because of that there is no reason for homosexuality. Dogs exist to reproduce. I, however think humanity is a bit beyond that level. It's a bigoted response and not one worth debating.

I honestly being gay is as natural as being a person with bad eyesight. Humans did evolve to reproduce, not fornicate with others of the same gender. There were mutations in every aspect of human life, including the genes that determine whether you are gay or bisexual. The most benign mutations are the ones that are most prevalent today. That's why there is so much homosexuality, in my opinion. How do you believe that dogs exist to reproduce and not humans? There are gay dogs.. We're simply the most intellectually advanced species on the planet, but we all started from the same place.

I have no problem with gay people, but come on, it's not "normal". People being different actually makes the human experience better. I'd rather live in the world the way it is today than a world in which everyone falls in lock step with each other.

[Ruso]

If you respect what Castro has to say so much, I'm sure he'd love to have you in Cuba. Obviously you think he's better fit to run a country than Bush, which is a truly sad viewpoint.

Wow....

I WILL NOT refer to Michael Moore's UNdocumentary Fahrenheit 9/11, but I will refer to Ray Bradbury's Masterpiece Fahrenheit 451. In the America he portrays, the most powerful and frankly ludicrous response to any criticism is "If you do not like it, you can go away". In the America he portrays, firemen burn books, people are taught not to question anything, and they are all brainwashed through a much more subtle method than tyranny, which is TV, Materialism, and propaganda (Are we living this world?).

[monsoon]

Well put Ruso. Especially the point made about Fahrenheit 451. I recommend that everyone read it while they still can.

[Ruso]

Thanks monsoon

Yes, Fahrenheit 451 should be read by those who can. -----To those who do not want to: Don't let Michael Moore's movie title fool you and make you think you are going to read an exagerrated, polarized book. Instead, you are going to find a universal, social criticism to what seems to be a modern, dehumanized society. A real classic, a genuine Masterpiece

[dimebag1980]

Yes, Fahrenheit 451 should be read by those who can.

I believe Fahrenheit 451 is on the high school reading curriculum for most public school districts around the nation. I had to read it and a few people I knew who had moved here from other areas around the country had already read it. I hope it's on the curriculum nationally anyway, because I do agree it's a good book. I'm actually glad I was forced to read it in high school. It's been nearly 10 years now, but I remember it well. I can't say that about many books I read in high school.

[damus]

I believe Fahrenheit 451 is on the high school reading curriculum for most public school districts around the nation. I had to read it and a few people I knew who had moved here from other areas around the country had already read it. I hope it's on the curriculum nationally anyway, because I do agree it's a good book. I'm actually glad I was forced to read it in high school. It's been nearly 10 years now, but I remember it well. I can't say that about many books I read in high school.

It wasn't on my curriculum. We read all of Shakespeare's masterpieces, Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, The Importance of Being Earnest, the Scarlet Letter, Lord of the Flies, The Oddyssey, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and several others...

I'm sure F451 was on some summer reading list that gave us like 30 books to choose from, but I've never read it.

[Sundodger]

In the same token, Bush's war has killed more than 100,000 non-combantants in Iraq.

The liberation of Iraq has saved more lives than it has taken. We removed a bloody regime that started wars with two neighbors, commited genocide in its own borders, violated terms of surrender and international law, threatened the world economy, committed some of the worst environmental crimes in history, etc, etc, etc. It was well worth it but some people have their heads stuck too far up a quasi-religion or sports fanatic like politcal blind ideology to see the reality of the situation.

Now the same people who opposed the liberation are now supporting a withdrawl, that will lead to massive deaths and an even greater war. The liberation of Iraq was a great and mighty deed. Hopefully one day we can help free the slaves in Cuba from that thug Castro.

If you value human life and peace, you should support human liberty. Free democracies don't fight each other in wars.

Except of course under Bush's direction, they military has already drawn up plans to revive the draft.

Wrong. It the far left Democrats that are proposing bringing back the draft.

Now back to the topic of that mudering, repressive, despot, Fidel Castro:

The Unstoppable Cuban Spring

In March 2003 dozens of leaders of Cuba's Varela Project and other human rights defenders were detained, subjected to summary trials, condemned to many years in prison, and confined in the most inhumane and cruel conditions. They were treated like -- and held in cells with -- dangerous common criminals. In this way the regime attempted to suppress the rebirth of the Cuban Spring initiated by thousands of Cubans who overcame a debilitating culture of fear by including their names, addresses and identification numbers in the text of the Varela Project, a document later presented to the National Assembly asking for a referendum on its human rights principles. Despite inhuman treatment and illegal detention, the regime could not stop the rebirth of the Cuban Spring: Many Cubans continue to support the Varela Project even amid repression that includes death threats and physical assault.

[dimebag1980]

It wasn't on my curriculum. We read all of Shakespeare's masterpieces, Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, The Importance of Being Earnest, the Scarlet Letter, Lord of the Flies, The Oddyssey, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and several others...

I'm sure F451 was on some summer reading list that gave us like 30 books to choose from, but I've never read it.

Wow, I figured it was pretty-much a standard nationwide.

It is a good book, though. If you like to read, I recommend it. I don't particularly like to read, but I enjoyed it.

[illliterate02]

I understand people's obvious bias to Communism because they were raised in America or wherever, but blurring the facts of how many people were killed by Castro and Guevara is just ignorant. I doubt you have read any credible sources about how many people they killed, since it is actually well documented. There was one large purge of Batista sympothizers that were killed at La Cabana (though they were guilty of their crimes) their trials were expedited and thats why the act was considered brutal. And they didnt kill Homosexuals, they put them into a colony because they didnt necesarily commit crimes but they could not function in revolutionary society. I love how people bash Castro so much, most of the time ignorant. Listening to Cubans on Calle 8 is not really productive either because they dont even know why they dont like him... they say its cause they have no choices there, yet here they have no choices either... They can learn english and get a mediocre job and worry about the rent every month... They mostly dislike him due to the fact that everyone else dislikes him (the Cubans in Miami)... I have a lot of contact with Cubans... pre-revolution, post revolution, born in the states, have visited the island many times, have not went back once, and the most insightful is the relationship I had with my Latin American Humanities teacher who came here at age 6, and was told to hate Castro since she was born... One day when she researching about the pro's and con's of the revolution she came to the conclusion that as a Cuban you should not hate nor love Castro, because his regime lies in the gray area of emotional impact. Also to classify it as a communist regime is misleading as well, I would say after Lenin (who died before the Proletarian Dictatorship could have achieved sucess and was perverted by Stalin) there was not any true Communists that (Maybe Mao who had problems of his own with the USSR) have been in power. Castro is a Populist that uses authoritarian means to perpetuate his power, and he did align with the Communists, though by then the Law of Value had already perverted Soviet politics. The fact is that most of you on here just go by your instincts or what you have heard without doing any research into this subject. Castro will die soon, his brother will follow, but after that I am almost certain that there will be a Civil War there, the people want to get back to promise of the 40's congress that guarnteed free elections.... I am pretty certain they will retain a socialist nature however... with more free market economy sort of like Chile. Just my two pennies.

[tombarnes]

All of this may soon be a moot point.

The Washington Post

[tombarnes]

Beyond the Pale?

Plans for a huge celebration in Miami when Castro dies appear to be in place. As much as I can sympathize with the plight of the Cubans in Miami who had their lands and properties confiscated by Mr. Castro, this is beyond the pale. A huge celebration- especially one so public in nature, would be in the worst of taste. This would not reflect well upon the United States at a time in which our nation is viewed warily in Latin America and much of the world. I hope this "celebration" plan is scrapped.

AP -The Sun Herald

[skylinefan]

Beyond the Pale?

Plans for a huge celebration in Miami when Castro dies appear to be in place. As much as I can sympathize with the plight of the Cubans in Miami who had their lands and properties confiscated by Mr. Castro, this is beyond the pale. A huge celebration- especially one so public in nature, would be in the worst of taste. This would not reflect well upon the United States at a time in which our nation is viewed warily in Latin America and much of the world. I hope this "celebration" plan is scrapped.

AP -The Sun Herald

[tombarnes]

U.S.-Cuba Policy Should Be Revisited

This article in today's Washington Post by Charles Rangel is actually pretty much on the mark. I'm not Mr. Rangel's greatest fan, but there is much to be said for the simple fact that our longstanding Cuba policy isn't working! Will it take the deaths of both Castro brothers before we take a long look at how our policy has failed? Why don't we realize that the fastest way out of the present system is to overwhelm Cuba with a flood of visitors. The policies might not change overnight, but change they will. I also heartily agree with the point in the article that we are unrealistic in the type of unilateral change our government is demanding. Wouldn't it be better to let Americans visit Cuba without ridiculous restrictions? Castro is already getting tourist dollars from other countries. Far from "supporting communism" our dollars would hasten its demise. It is something that should be discussed- both in our halls of Congress and in Cuba.

The Washington Post

[beltwayboy07]

A revolution is a struggle to the death between the future and the past.

Fidel Castro

A revolution is not a bed of roses.

Fidel Castro

Capitalism is using its money; we socialists throw it away.

Fidel Castro

I am a Marxist Leninist and I will be one until the last day of my life.

Fidel Castro

I am Fidel Castro and we have come to liberate Cuba.

Fidel Castro

I am not a communist and neither is the revolutionary movement.

Fidel Castro

I began revolution with 82 men. If I had do it again, I'd do it with 10 or 15 and absolute faith. It does not matter how small you are if you have faith and plan of action.

Fidel Castro

I began revolution with 82 men. If I had to do it again, I do it with 10 or 15 and absolute faith. It does not matter how small you are if you have faith and plan of action.

Fidel Castro

I find capitalism repugnant. It is filthy, it is gross, it is alienating... because it causes war, hypocrisy and competition.

Fidel Castro

I never saw a contradiction between the ideas that sustain me and the ideas of that symbol, of that extraordinary figure, Jesus Christ.

Fidel Castro

I think that a man should not live beyond the age when he begins to deteriorate, when the flame that lighted the brightest moment of his life has weakened.

Fidel Castro

I would not vote for the mayor. It's not just because he didn't invite me to dinner, but because on my way into town from the airport there were such enormous potholes.

Fidel Castro

If there ever was in the history of humanity an enemy who was truly universal, an enemy whose acts and moves trouble the entire world, threaten the entire world, attack the entire world in any way or another, that real and really universal enemy is precisely Yankee imperialism.

Fidel Castro

In the Third World, there are 1.3 billion poor people. In other words, one out of every three inhabitants lives in poverty.

Fidel Castro

Men do not shape destiny, Destiny produces the man for the hour.

Fidel Castro

More than 820 million people in the world suffer from hunger; and 790 million of them live in the Third World.

Fidel Castro

No thieves, no traitors, no interventionists! This time the revolution is for real!

Fidel Castro

North Americans don't understand... that our country is not just Cuba; our country is also humanity.

Fidel Castro

The revenues of Cuban state-run companies are used exclusively for the benefit of the people, to whom they belong.

Fidel Castro

The revolution is a dictatorship of the exploited against the exploiters.

Fidel Castro

The universities are available only to those who share my revolutionary beliefs.

Fidel Castro

They talk about the failure of socialism but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia and Latin America?

Fidel Castro

[beltwayboy07]

This is Fidel Castro hugging communism. He is, and will always be an enemy of the United States of America.

This is Castro with Hugo Chavez, a socialist who is president of Venezuela.

[tombarnes]

Now that Mr. Castro has said he is stepping aside, does anyone want to prognosticate? My assumption is that Raul will take the helm, but it's possible that one of the current troika may assume power as well. What I don't see is any meaningful change- at least not yet. This may, however, open the door to a more gradual change which might have real meaning. A new administration here could possibly improve relations in a more positive manner than what is currently possible.

[tombarnes]

It would appear that there will be no drastic changes in Cuba for the forseeable future. Of course, Raul Castro's appointment was foreordained. There many be a few small changes in currency and so forth, but nothing of major importance. I hope Cuba won't have to wait forever for meaningful change. As I have said before, however, we need to be participants in this as well. Our policies have not worked and we should make an effort to engage Cuba in some way.

The Washington Post