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Fidel Castro has died

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Re: Fidel Castro has died

#551

Post by psyc »

id wrote: post #390
tmptmp wrote: post #311

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Charismatic? Yes, but so was Hitler and Osama bin Laden. Revolutionary? yes, but so was Hitler. So, let's get it clear that that doesn't make him humane and good for society. >>If you think you're better, then do better. Be better. Don't refuse to acknowledge the humanity of another person because you believe you can totalize their entire life under a cheap tagline. This is a disingenuous advice. Will you not critici…

> Communism is a very vicious ideology which leaves no room for any type of dissent. Looks like you have no idea what communism really is.

Americans in general are not capable of discussing communism without conflating interface with implementation.

Re: Fidel Castro has died

#552

Post by jondubois »

illuminati1911 wrote: post #213

Couldn't be more happy that this monstrous mass murderer and dictator is dead. It's funny to see how leftist liberals are crying over this lunatic from New York hipster cafe's with their Macbooks and complaining about evil capitalism while all the Cubans who are living in the States and have actually experienced the life in Cuba are celebrating on the streets.

Remember, many of those who are partying in the streets in the US are those who left Cuba (and risked their lives by doing so) - They are not representative of the average Cuban (some of which are actually very happy being there).

I think that those Cubans who fled are the most capitalist-minded of all Cubans; these are people who had a very strong desire for acquiring material possessions and wealth - To the point of risking their lives and leaving behind entire families. I don't think many people would do that - Even among capitalists.

Re: Fidel Castro has died

#553

Post by yks »

finid wrote: post #521
erokar wrote: post #365

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the contrary, it's dangerous not to call out evil for what it is. Of course it might be wise to try to analyze what genetic/family/social/economic/political factors shape people like Castro, Gaddafi, Franco etc. — but if you think you're dealing with people like you and me you fail to grasp the phenomenon. Dictators that prosecute and murder their opponents, like Castro did, share a very predictable set of psychop…

Dictators that prosecute and murder their opponents, like Castro did,... The US govt has done that too, so US presidents are no different from people like Castro, Franco, etc. We have just been brainwashed that our leaders are the good guys and the other guys are the bad guys.

If everything is equally bad, would you prefer to be brainwashed in North Korea or South Korea?

Re: Fidel Castro has died

#554

Post by danharaj »

lizardking wrote: post #502
forgetsusername wrote: post #416

Where do American administrators who are droning Arabs to death fit on that list of "evil peole"? What's the line you need to cross to make it on there?

So causing casualties while waging war is morally equivalent to assassinating domestic political opponents and agitators?

Irrelevant; the United States did assassinate domestic political opponents and agitators.

Re: Fidel Castro has died

#555

Post by sabertoothed »

Lordarminius wrote: post #545
sabertoothed wrote: post #530

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting how you did not address his/her first point...

The issues are complex. Castro lived in the shadow of US aggression for 50 years. But in summary, not in all cases does freedom of speech, free elections,'free market' etc favor national stability. Singapore did very well under Lee kwan Yew in what was essentially a one party state. So did Libya so is modern Rwanda. Not every country will blossom under western democratic prescriptions. A friend of mine whom I had a c…

I would not call freedom of speech and free elections "western democratic prescriptions". If that is what you meant.

But I would (honestly) like to thank you for your response.

Re: Fidel Castro has died

#556

Post by agottem »

67726e wrote: post #547
finid wrote: post #521

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dictators that prosecute and murder their opponents, like Castro did,... The US govt has done that too, so US presidents are no different from people like Castro, Franco, etc. We have just been brainwashed that our leaders are the good guys and the other guys are the bad guys.

Do tell, when is the last time a sitting US president has murdered his political opponents?

2011, Osama bin Laden was murdered.

Hell, the US has setup a prison where we send people we don't like to be indefinitely detained and tortured without trial.

Make no mistake, Obama would love to get his hands on Assange or Snowden and imprison them for life as well.

Re: Fidel Castro has died

#557

Post by dannypgh »

67726e wrote: post #547
finid wrote: post #521

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dictators that prosecute and murder their opponents, like Castro did,... The US govt has done that too, so US presidents are no different from people like Castro, Franco, etc. We have just been brainwashed that our leaders are the good guys and the other guys are the bad guys.

Do tell, when is the last time a sitting US president has murdered his political opponents?

Fred Hampton is the most recent in my mind that isn't (in my view) ambiguous.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Hampton

Re: Fidel Castro has died

#558

Post by danharaj »

globuous wrote: post #468
matt4077 wrote: post #25

He has certainly led one of the most exciting lives of our times... And despite his flaws (and/or crimes against humanity) I can't help but wonder how Cuba would have faired under different leadership. Looking at the next-island neighbors in Haiti, or any number of comparable African countries, it seems the Cubans got the better deal. Just one example: life expectancy is 15 years higher than Haiti, and actually even…

Legitimate question, was the Soviet Union subsidising Cuba during the Cold War (besides military protection) ?

Yes, when the Soviet Union collapsed Cuba went through a huge economic contraction including food shortages. Without virtually no international trade whatsoever, they had to become completely self-sufficient for all the goods and expertise they needed.

Re: Fidel Castro has died

#559

Post by peeters »

Lordarminius wrote: post #91

After reading some of the comments here, my fath in the human race is not enhanced. Castro was a genuine hero and a great man; indeed among the top 10 greatest individuals of the 20th century. He believed in freedom and dignity. He saw the US government as the enemy of progress everywhere in the world; he wanted people to be free and he devoted his life to that ideal. How many people can you say that of? > He was als…

Look I don't think Fidel was as black and white as most Americans make him out to have been, but people trying to just say "American presidents are worse" are just hilariously obtuse.

Like comparing Nixon and Castro. Nixon's most famous scandal was when he tried to wiretap his political opponents. It ended with his resignation. Castro outright killed his political opponents, and had the rest thrown in prison. He continued to rule for decades. There is absolutely no comparison.

Yes, I understand that U.S. foreign policy played a huge role in shaping the revolution. But let Castro's legacy stand on what he actually did, not on trying to throw shade on everyone else.

Re: Fidel Castro has died

#560

Post by tomp »

67726e wrote: post #547
finid wrote: post #521

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dictators that prosecute and murder their opponents, like Castro did,... The US govt has done that too, so US presidents are no different from people like Castro, Franco, etc. We have just been brainwashed that our leaders are the good guys and the other guys are the bad guys.

Do tell, when is the last time a sitting US president has murdered his political opponents?

Hillary expressed a wish to "drone" Assange, and Obama actually "droned" a lot of people (that the US has branded "terrorists").
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