Fidel Castro: Hero, Villain (or Heroic Villain)?

klaatu said:
Im not so sure about that .... at least with the Mob influence Cuba was a thriving Hot Spot under Batista ...sure he was an authoritarian crook ... but the Cubans took a wrong turn in the Revolution ....went from bad to bad.
Both are evil corrupt Dictators responsible for millions of deaths and destruction. Health Care and a second rate education does not replace freedom on any level.
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Depends on your definition of "bad."
 
Brent said:
Uh, yes.... Che was MUCH worse! But both are marxist scumbags, and Castro should have been taken out by the United States a long time ago.
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Yeah because the U.S. is always correct and number one. Why is it that every other country in the world allows trade and tourism with Cuba? Why is it only the United States wants to get rid of Castro? :rolleyes: I find that pretty damn interesting. I also find it pretty freaking hypocritical too to go around and talk about "freedom" and "democracy" and when a country chooses a direction you don't like you pound your chest and say "Do it my way or no way at all" and call that freedom. What a joke! Oh and yeah the United States is doing pretty well off right? Oh wait...
 
AnyOldIron said:
Castro is a heroic villain. He stood up to US sponsored brutal fascism and won, instigated many programmes that result in Cuba having a great education and health system but under a 50 year sick seige by the US became dictatorial.

Che is more of a hero to me... A flawed hero, but all heroes are....
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If Castro was as bad as everyone says why didn't the Cuban people revolt against him? One thing I've learned from being involved in leftist politics is latino/hispanic people don't take crap and oppression from governments for long.
If Castro was as bad as everyone says the people would've gotten rid of him sooner or later and the fact he's lasted forty-nine years I think says a lot. Of course I could be wrong but that's just from my personal experiences.
 
AnyOldIron said:
Im not sure I said the Cuban "Exile" community in Florida is primarily made up of heroic figures

//

Classic example of US sponsored terrorism comes from the Cuban exiles in Florida.....

Not America's finest hour....
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Oh and speaking of which Cuba is the only country that I can think of that allows automatic citizenship if you're from Cuba and you touch American soil. What was that from all the rightwingers about amnesty? :rolleyes:
 
Mottleydude said:
Not to mention that he's been a big thorn in the side to one of our nations worst foreign policies (The Monroe Doctrine) and has been an icon and hero in latin america for the manner in which he has thumbed his nose to the great gringo power to the north.

Castro's government will die for the same reasons Batistas did. It's essentially corrupt and not economically viable over the long run, though I do agree on the balance Castro has been better ten Batista......that aint exactly saying a hell of a lot.

It will be interesting when Fidel dies and the Cuban government begins to reform, how the expats in Miami will react.

I'm reasonably sure that Cuba could reform it's government into a liberal constitutional democracy with a free market economy and the rule of law and the Cuban expat lobby in southern Florida will still keep the US embargo in place.
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Yeah it's so corrupt it's lasted for forty-nine years and he's out lived nine U.S. president's and countless death threat attempts from the U.S. :rolleyes:

Free market? You're kidding right? Nah. Fair trade perhaps. And sorry but I don't see the Cuban people changing their policy's. There might be one or two changes but not anytime soon. However Obama back in August of 2007 talked about how if he's elected president he will lift the Cuban trade/tourism ban which is a good sign. However he also wants to bring capitalism to Cuba which he's in for a rude awakening for I think. However it's a step in the right direction with having a relationship with the people of Cuba. And hey if they do choose a liberal society then so be it.
 
SouthernBelle82 said:
Yeah it's so corrupt it's lasted for forty-nine years and he's out lived nine U.S. president's and countless death threat attempts from the U.S. :rolleyes:

Free market? You're kidding right? Nah. Fair trade perhaps. And sorry but I don't see the Cuban people changing their policy's. There might be one or two changes but not anytime soon. However Obama back in August of 2007 talked about how if he's elected president he will lift the Cuban trade/tourism ban which is a good sign. However he also wants to bring capitalism to Cuba which he's in for a rude awakening for I think. However it's a step in the right direction with having a relationship with the people of Cuba. And hey if they do choose a liberal society then so be it.
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Hey, if the people of Germany CHOOSE a fascist society, bend over Joos...
 
OrnotBitwise said:
Anyone else have a lingering -- or grudging -- respect for Fidel? I do, I freely admit. This is NOT to say that his government is especially enlightened or that he's really built a worker's paradise in Cuba. It isn't and he hasn't. I do grant him a couple of points though.

One is that his regime is better than the Batista government was, at least for the majority of Cubans. That's on balance, of course, not on every single criterion. Many of the charges levelled at Castro -- especially the valid ones, about freedom of expression and the like -- could be made with just as much justice against the former regime.

Another is that he's one hell of a smart and feisty survivor. He's managed to keep his runty little nation afloat in a sea of much larger and more powerful predators. And he's done it while remaining an irritant.
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I agree and I think the embargo and travel restrictions to Cuba are so foolish.
If you want to turn a nation into a democracy or whatever government you feel best with, all you have to do is allow tourism.

I have always felt that we have picked on that tiny nation for far too long, besides, I would really like to cruise there!
 
IHateGovernment said:
I have no repsect for Castro. He betrayed the ideals he fought for. He certainly is no Che thats for sure.

Yes he is much better than Stalin, Mao or Pol Pot. But a dictator who uses repression to control his people and stifle their human rights doesn't get much respect from me.

But then what should I expect from a watermelon? :)
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A watermelon? Oh, if they are ripe, they so juicy and sweet! That is what you can expect from a watermelon!:tongout:
 
Brent said:
Uh, yes.... Che was MUCH worse! But both are marxist scumbags, and Castro should have been taken out by the United States a long time ago.
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A SuperPatriot! There is one in every bunch!
 
froggie said:
I agree and I think the embargo and travel restrictions to Cuba are so foolish.
If you want to turn a nation into a democracy or whatever government you feel best with, all you have to do is allow tourism.

I have always felt that we have picked on that tiny nation for far too long, besides, I would really like to cruise there!
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Plus it could get their government to ease up on some silly laws like how only foreigners can go to the best beaches. While I understand where they come from I just think it's kinda silly and too much of patriarchy. Plus from people who have been there I've heard it's not a too bad place and the people are very friendly.
 
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