Cuba certainly has problems. But the fact is that Castro’s Cuba has a very successful educational system and their doctors are known to be some of the best in the world. People with HIV/AIDS get very good care there and it is simplistic to call their programme “quarantine.” Cuba is one of the only places in the world that has apparently managed to nip the epidemic in the bud.
And many Cuban people are fiercely loyal to Castro. I don’t think democracy is the definite answer for every country in the world.
I hear women are not allowed to drive or to travel without chaperones or permission from a male family member in Saudi Arabia. Sorry for the hijack.
I generally support democracy. But many people suffer and fall through the cracks in our system; equality is mostly a myth. And I’m not sure anyone can compare the US favorably to Cuba when it comes to supporting evil dictators, mercenaries and genocide in other parts of the world.
Oh, and Paul, you mentioned prisons. We imprison more people in the US than does any other country in the world. And then we can talk about the prisons we have overseas in which there are no trials and inmates are regularly tortured.
So I’m guessing that you will be in Group B when Fidel bites the big cigar?
(In others news, I was talking about this with my Spanish professor. I mentioned the huge number of people killed by Fidel and Pinochet. She pointed out that W has killed many people too. I replied W was different. He killed people without improving the economy or healthcare. I make myself laugh.)
I’m not a Castro supporter. I’m just saying people have many different views of him and of Cuba and it’s not a simple topic. I certainly wouldn’t say that I know what is best for Cuba. And I think the US, at least, oughta get out of the business of deciding what form of government is best for other regions of the world. There are a lot of more compassionate ways we could assist less fortunate parts of the world.