That is insulting. None of my Cuban friends are undesirable tramps sleeping on my doorstep! In fact, most of them are more successful than I am. I'm really starting to think the entire western world (and eastern for that matter) is getting too much information from the tv and that information is nothing more than stereotyping or jumping on one person's opinion and broadcasting it as the view of the general public. This is getting downright scary. I'm seeing it all the time from educated people online. Now I am questioning everything I have seen on all of the news channels I watch (Dragan must be smiling). Is Univision as bad? I generally trust their news, although it does focus more on the human side of all of the latin issues.



>Ah but you guys all look at Cuba as the undesirable tramp sleeping on your doorstep, the one that nearly caused a fight in the whole neighbourhood, through the cliche of possessing illicit Havana cigars. We're not that bothered about them, and let them get on with living their misguided lives while they do no-one any harm. You lot still hold a big grudge against them. And don't give me mistreatment of their own people that gets your back up. If that were the case you wouldn't be enjoying ultra-cheap Chinese imports and lettiing them buy up all your real-estate (as the Japanese did in the 80s/90s). I don't hear a peep out of you for the real bad guys, like R Mugabe, who's kicking 7 kinds of crap out of any dissenters in his country and leading it into famine and peniary.
>
>>Ok, I could make a comment about and the world thinks Americans are ignorant of the rest of the world, but I won't. Oh wait, I just did :o)
>>
>>There are many places in the world where as a tourist you see the absolute beauty and what their government wants you to see because they need the positive publicity and the tourism dollars. That is the case with Cuba. Get out and away and also out of prying eyes and you will get a different view altogether. However, the people there are pretty frightened to even consider risking mentioning any dissent at all - afterall, anything you say against the government legally results in prison time.
>>
>>
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>>>I guess we don't hear of much over here so out of sight - out of mind, and one doesn't feel the need to go look it up. The only real mention of Cuba we get is what a great holiday venue it is and how far your dollar goes, how little crime there is on the street and how safe it is, how cute are the old US 50s gas-guzzlers that you can hire, what a successful health service they have - on a shoe-string, what a big hit were the Buena Vista Social Club, and no mention that the friendly people you engage in confab while you're there are going to get grilled by the authorities.
>>>
>>>A few months back there was a docu about how many attempts there have been on Castro's life by the CIA but I didn't see most of it and what I saw didn't mention his "attrocities"
>>>
>>>>Wow I am absolutely amazed. I won't deny that Castro has done some things for his country to their benefit, but the repression he has employed over the years, not to mention the firing squads without trial make me think that maybe the time spent gathering the documentation is worth it in order to post it here for everyone. His quietness over recent years does not negate what he has done. There are huge groups of Cuban-Americans who have already put it together, not to mentio the United Nations and Human Rights Watch Groups.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>What are the evil things Castro has done Tracy ?
>>>>>
>>>>>Yes, I've been wondering this too. Besides having let his soviet masters deploy missiles during the Cold War, he's just struck me as a big posturing but harmless teddy bear, no threat or harm to anyone. I've never understood the US embargo on Cuba - after all they do BIG honourable business with the PRC which DEFINITELY IS guilty of many attrocities, not least the invasion and suppression of Tibet, Tianamen Sq, et al.
>>>>>
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>>>>>>>No, not at all. I'm questioning your statement Metin. You still haven't answered me. You complained because CNN suggests (they never stated this so it must be insinuated in your mind) that Castro is evil (I won't argue that assumption by CNN at all). He may have done some good for his country, but that doesn't negate the rest. Your original statement suggested that, in contradiction to CNN to what you perceived as CNN's position, you do not see him as evil. I am questioning THAT and you have not responded. I am asking whether or not you see anything wrong with Castro's leadership over the years? That was my question Metin. You were the first to contradict, not me. Now all you are doing is throwing questions back at me Metin without answering anything at all to support your original position. I will continue this discussion if you actually answer my question with facts, not more questions which prove or support nothing. Then after that you can argue
>>>>the
>>>>>>>merits of his leadership.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>You see just black and white? Everything just bad or good?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>You don't see anything wrong with Fidel Castro's leadership over the years?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Tracy, in according of CNN and even National Geographics, Fidel Castro is an Evil (That's not their word that's what they mean)...
>>>>>>>>>>Throw these glasses... :)