Poll shows Cuban People Support Raul Castro as he moves towards capitalism

[social_critic]

Actually, such polling isn't possible in Cuba, which is run by a repressive regime, and where free and fair elections, polling, and open discussions aren't possible.

However, wouldn't it be nice to know what they really think?

[bemildred]

1. So, you're bored today? nt

[social_critic]

3. I wrote you something about inflation in Venezuela to make up

You are right, I was bored. But I decided to behave and wrote a nice piece about Venezuela's inflation. Check it out.

[CJvR]

2. Polling Cuba is easy!

Just ask InFidel and he will tell you exactly what the people of Cuba think and feel on any subject.

[Billy Burnett]

4. Maybe you haven't heard the news.

Fidel is retired now.

So much for your hypothesis.

[CJvR]

6. Yeah sure...

... I'll belive that when he is six feet under - and even then I would drive a stake through the corps and pour a few hundred tons of cement over it so that no red-wine revolutionary comes around and accidentaly revives him.

You must be one of those who think Mubarak has resigned as well.

[social_critic]

7. Fidel is retired, but he still thinks he thinks for the Cuban people

You don't know Fidel, but I do. Literally. Fidel is one of those old guys who doesn't know what he doesn't know. He thinks he knows a lot, but most of the time what he knows is wrong. But he thinks he thinks for the Cuban people. After all, he has wisely guided their lives as a demi-god for so long, he can't get off that horse until the day he dies.

So retirement has nothing to do with it. He still writes his reflections, gives speeches, and tries as much as possible to stop Raul's move towards Chinese style oligarchy and capitalism. I don't think you do get how it works. Right now Fidel is indeed out of power, but he continues to try to influence things. The rats in the communist party know their gig is up, they need to become capitalists, but they want to hang on to power. This means things will change. And who knows where they'll end up. Maybe the Cuban people will get the gumption to do to those social parasites in the communist party what is being done to Mubarak and his guys in Egypt, and get rid of them.

I can tell you they are scared though. And they are even holding seminars in Cuba for the party aparatchiks about the coming cyber war. They realize the internet and the free flow of information are going to ferment a revolution.

These tyrants, the communists, the ancient regime, the oligarchy dressed in red, is the establishment. It is too slow to react, it is led by diplodocus and tyranosaurus rex, and it's headed towards the trash heap of history. We will bury you.

[Billy Burnett]

9. Ms. Cleo? Is that you?

Your post is utter nonsense.

[dipsydoodle]

5. Have you actually got anything

between your ears ?

[social_critic]

8. Relax dipsy

I'm writing to remind you this should be a friendly exchange of information. I assume none of us is about to take an ax and go chop up the other side in a literal sense. Given that, when you lose your cool and start saying stuff like this, all you're doing is showing you're out of words.

I suggest when you read something you find outrageous, you go drink a glass of water, and then write a cool headed answer.

Remember, this clash is caused by a deep rift. We have different paradigms about places like Cuba. I lived there, and I see it as a nightmarish place. I had nightmares for years after I left, and they were always the same: I dreamed I was back and I couldn't get out. Other Cubans in the diaspora tell me they had the same nightmare. So you see, to us this goes beyond politics.

And I've sensed something else, the smarter and more educated one is, the more one suffers under repression and lack of freedom of expression. The Cuban educational system is pretty good, much better than in other countries. So we're taught to think. The problem is when we turn say 12-13, we realize the regime is a crock, full of petty tyrants, crooks, and peddling an idiocy they call communism. But we got to keep our mouths shut, and live in fear all our lives. We can't even allow a face expression to escape, because it could mean not getting into college. You could say we are traumatized. We are like the survivors from one of Hitler's camps.

[Mika]

10. "We are like the survivors from one of Hitler's camps."

You call that a friendly exchange of information? Pathetic is more like it.

My father was a dentist who restored the mouths of many actual survivors. Survivors with the tattoos marking them. I met many of them. Talked to many of them. For you to draw a parallel between everyday Cubans and Nazi camp survivors is about the most pathetic and disingenuous comparison I've seen.

And you call that a friendly exchange of information? Your credibility is heavily in the minus column.

After that remark, I am done with your BS.

---

[social_critic]

11. Go visit a Cuban jail and then tell me about it

Since you haven't been to a Cuban jail, you can't really say much about it, can you? I am exchanging information with dipsy, and if it bothers you, that's too bad. I was going to bring up Valladares, but I'm sure you will find another excuse, so why bother?