Castro is dead

[mikeeod]

My family is Cuban (I was born in Ft. Lauderdale), initially supported Castro when he overthrew Batista (who was very corrupt), but then ended up fleeing the country and opposing Castro. My Grandfather (and most great uncles...etc., of that generation), where part of the Bay of Pigs debacle, were captured and sent to prison. There are always two sides to every story, and I always try to look at things in a detached/unbiased way (my grandfather owned the largest department store in Havana, so while he lost everything, many of the poor people gained something). A few thoughts I have on Castro:

1. Obviously a very smart man, and very brave for making multiple attempts to overthrow a corrupt regime (was exiled for a previous attempt when he and Raul threw together their "raiding party".
2. Extremely charismatic and a phenomenal public speaker.
3. Completely full of shit and 100% committed to nothing but his own power. Read Che's story and see the hypocrisy of Castro once in power. Che was a lot of things, but that man was no hypocrite and a true believer in Communism. Castro was an opportunist.
4. Hard to say Castro was successful as a leader at all looking at the conditions in Cuba today. I can't see anyone saying Cuba flourished or had great conditions at any point under his reign.

[walrus]

My family is Cuban (I was born in Ft. Lauderdale), initially supported Castro when he overthrew Batista (who was very corrupt), but then ended up fleeing the country and opposing Castro. My Grandfather (and most great uncles...etc., of that generation), where part of the Bay of Pigs debacle, were captured and sent to prison. There are always two sides to every story, and I always try to look at things in a detached/unbiased way (my grandfather owned the largest department store in Havana, so while he lost everything, many of the poor people gained something). A few thoughts I have on Castro:

1. Obviously a very smart man, and very brave for making multiple attempts to overthrow a corrupt regime (was exiled for a previous attempt when he and Raul threw together their "raiding party".
2. Extremely charismatic and a phenomenal public speaker.
3. Completely full of shit and 100% committed to nothing but his own power. Read Che's story and see the hypocrisy of Castro once in power. Che was a lot of things, but that man was no hypocrite and a true believer in Communism. Castro was an opportunist.
4. Hard to say Castro was successful as a leader at all looking at the conditions in Cuba today. I can't see anyone saying Cuba flourished or had great conditions at any point under his reign.

Well written. Your family was brave for the bay of pigs. Damn those guys got screwed over. A lot of people are dead due to Castro. I saw a documentary about the missle crisis. Castro was pissed kruschev backed down and urged him to launch nukes against the us. Castro wanted ww3 and was mad he didn't get it

[Gandalf]

Some are dead because of Castro, but I find it ironic that those who imposed sanctions seem blind to just how many people have been killed since ww2 by their own regime. I know I would feel safer getting medical care in Cuba. Uninsured people in the US wait for their tumors to grow as they cannot afford treatment. Probably best to study in Cuba than graduate with 100000 dollars of debt.

Cuba has its good side in the face of adversity and that is getting lost in the mainstream coverage.

[walrus]

Some are dead because of Castro, but I find it ironic that those who imposed sanctions seem blind to just how many people have been killed since ww2 by their own regime. I know I would feel safer getting medical care in Cuba. Uninsured people in the US wait for their tumors to grow as they cannot afford treatment. Probably best to study in Cuba than graduate with 100000 dollars of debt.

Cuba has its good side in the face of adversity and that is getting lost in the mainstream coverage.

Miles I'm not looking to fight. Sanctions were placed for good reasons at the time. If Fidel had been able to give a bit to his people sanctions could have been lifted to he pissed of South America by trying to depose rulers and in still commies. The fact the man tried to get the nuclear bombs going while Kennedy and kruschev were avoiding war says all that needs to be said. His little country would have been nuked and he was willing to kill his entire people to make his point. Miles, I'm not looking to argue. He created civil war in poor countries some are still going on till this day. But he did kiss a baby once so I guess it's ok

[El Kabong]

I had a lovely Cuban dinner last night....a Cubano sandwich, a Cuba Libre, some fried plantains, some yucca, and a coconut flan and the best part about it was the fact that Fidel wasn't enjoying those same things that very day.


Castro made Cuba worse off, there is absolutely no denying that.

[mrbig1]

Let me try to understand something. The U.S. have sanction on Cuba but not China or Vietnam? Castro was a hero to many third world people seeking justice. Thank you for not being a slave or a puppet of the U.S. slave master. R.I.P.

[El Kabong]

Let me try to understand something. The U.S. have sanction on Cuba but not China or Vietnam? Castro was a hero to many third world people seeking justice. Thank you for not being a slave or a puppet of the U.S. slave master. R.I.P.

When did China or Vietnam aim nukes at us?

[Gandalf]

Let me try to understand something. The U.S. have sanction on Cuba but not China or Vietnam? Castro was a hero to many third world people seeking justice. Thank you for not being a slave or a puppet of the U.S. slave master. R.I.P.

Exactly. Biggest trading partner with Communist, sweat shop extraordinaire, China (Tibetan freedom anyone), yet Cuba under Castro was just so big and bad. Incredible double standards.

Castro had his faults and the regime did things wrong, but you have to laugh when you listen to the MSM. Corbyn and Putin had it right in their appraisals of Castro.

[Gandalf]

Some are dead because of Castro, but I find it ironic that those who imposed sanctions seem blind to just how many people have been killed since ww2 by their own regime. I know I would feel safer getting medical care in Cuba. Uninsured people in the US wait for their tumors to grow as they cannot afford treatment. Probably best to study in Cuba than graduate with 100000 dollars of debt.

Cuba has its good side in the face of adversity and that is getting lost in the mainstream coverage.

Miles I'm not looking to fight. Sanctions were placed for good reasons at the time. If Fidel had been able to give a bit to his people sanctions could have been lifted to he pissed of South America by trying to depose rulers and in still commies. The fact the man tried to get the nuclear bombs going while Kennedy and kruschev were avoiding war says all that needs to be said. His little country would have been nuked and he was willing to kill his entire people to make his point. Miles, I'm not looking to argue. He created civil war in poor countries some are still going on till this day. But he did kiss a baby once so I guess it's ok

The US was encircling Russia with nukes as they are doing today. It was logical to respond with the same in kind at the US. You cannot have double standards.

How many countries has the US occupied and destroyed? It makes a mockery of any Cuban involvement. The US is the worlds leading arms trader by war.

The sanctions made Cuba even poorer, but even then when it came to human rights such as health care and education it set an example and made a mockery of the money motivator that is the US system.

Castro did a lot of good and you do not see that in the warped US coverage.

[Master]

Walrus where do you get Castro wanted WW3? He did not cause the bay of pigs. USA also supported countries in South America.

Stop being a hypocrite.

[vidgil]

My family is Cuban (I was born in Ft. Lauderdale), initially supported Castro when he overthrew Batista (who was very corrupt), but then ended up fleeing the country and opposing Castro. My Grandfather (and most great uncles...etc., of that generation), where part of the Bay of Pigs debacle, were captured and sent to prison. There are always two sides to every story, and I always try to look at things in a detached/unbiased way (my grandfather owned the largest department store in Havana, so while he lost everything, many of the poor people gained something). A few thoughts I have on Castro:

1. Obviously a very smart man, and very brave for making multiple attempts to overthrow a corrupt regime (was exiled for a previous attempt when he and Raul threw together their "raiding party".
2. Extremely charismatic and a phenomenal public speaker.
3. Completely full of shit and 100% committed to nothing but his own power. Read Che's story and see the hypocrisy of Castro once in power. Che was a lot of things, but that man was no hypocrite and a true believer in Communism. Castro was an opportunist.
4. Hard to say Castro was successful as a leader at all looking at the conditions in Cuba today. I can't see anyone saying Cuba flourished or had great conditions at any point under his reign.

Great insight! Thanks!

[TitoFan]

My family is Cuban (I was born in Ft. Lauderdale), initially supported Castro when he overthrew Batista (who was very corrupt), but then ended up fleeing the country and opposing Castro. My Grandfather (and most great uncles...etc., of that generation), where part of the Bay of Pigs debacle, were captured and sent to prison. There are always two sides to every story, and I always try to look at things in a detached/unbiased way (my grandfather owned the largest department store in Havana, so while he lost everything, many of the poor people gained something). A few thoughts I have on Castro:

1. Obviously a very smart man, and very brave for making multiple attempts to overthrow a corrupt regime (was exiled for a previous attempt when he and Raul threw together their "raiding party".
2. Extremely charismatic and a phenomenal public speaker.
3. Completely full of shit and 100% committed to nothing but his own power. Read Che's story and see the hypocrisy of Castro once in power. Che was a lot of things, but that man was no hypocrite and a true believer in Communism. Castro was an opportunist.
4. Hard to say Castro was successful as a leader at all looking at the conditions in Cuba today. I can't see anyone saying Cuba flourished or had great conditions at any point under his reign.

Good post. You want the real lowdown on Castro? Ask the Cubans, who are the most qualified to speak on the man. Everything else is speculation.