Fidel Castro takes blame for persecution of Cuban gays

Originally posted by hippomchippo

Originally posted by SLAYER69

Originally posted by Big Raging Loner
I like this guy more and more everytime he's in the news!

"homosexuals in Cuba were fired, imprisoned or sent to "re-education camps""


Just a sweet lovable old man.

[edit on 31-8-2010 by SLAYER69]

Because America is so much better right?
Let's all forget about how the Japanese were treated during WW2.

Or the treatment of Black people up into the 60's, the forced sterilisation of certain sections of society, forced lobotomisations or indeed the execution of mentally ill people. Most of which happened well into the 70's and some practices even persist to this day.

The difference here, of course, is that we actually have a former leader owning up to mistakes instead of trying to justify them, like Blair does in his latest memoires. I doubt we'd ever see any type of confession for things done by Bush either.

I cant help but agree with those posters who believe that this is a positive thing that Castro is doing, and that he deserves some credit for it. I mean can anyone here imagine what life would have been like if Saddam Hussein or Osama Bin Laden had come forward and said " Actualy, you know what? I have been a jerk and I realise than now." ? Can you imagine what it would be like if Tony Blair turned round to the media and said " Supporting the war in Iraq was inexcusable , wrong, and given the chance to go back and change it, I would have slugged Bush in the balls and told him to go copulate with himself ." !? The world would be a better place if the leaders of nations which have issues hanging over them would just admit when they may have made errors of judgement or just been plain wrong in the basis for thier every policy ! Instead we get ammoral excuse making , and in the worst cases a total denial of responsibility.

In summary , yes Castro was not a fluffy huggable leader, but at least hes got the balls to admit his mistakes , and awful as he may be, that admittance of guilt makes him more of a man than any other world leader for a long time.

Originally posted by SLAYER69
reply to post by hippomchippo

 

Well you brought up a couple of years that the USA made a mistake during a World War vs Fidel and decades worth of mistakes I mean death, persecution and reeducation camps.

There is no comparison.

C'mon bro, the US has never stopped making "mistakes". Castro may have been a dictator in his own country, but the US has taken dictatorship of the entire world as its virtual mandate.

Castro's rethinking of things is commendable and not so hard to understand.

Thanks to his near death, and long period of recuperation he has had the pressures of controlling a country taken off of him. He has time to read (lots apparently) and to ponder life's problems in relative peace.

I believe it was a fruitful experience. And yes, he is to be commended. He is a smart man no longer on the hot seat and (hopefully) less pursued by those who would want to kill him. He is freer to be more liberal. He can see both the trees and the forest.

Its all good. A good outcome is not to be scoffed at because of the difficulties along the way.

reply to post by Gmoneycricket


Hey Gmoneycricket. Just thought i would let you know that Priests who molest children are actually not gay, but heterosexual and they are called child molesters I am assuming you are straight, of course. Get your facts straight! Heterosexual men molest girls and boys.

Originally posted by Gmoneycricket
Many Homosexual Priests in America
are allowed to continue their ways.
You can prove me wrong but I have never heard of a
Priest in Cuba Molesting Children.

Homosexuality and pedophilia and child abuse are two totally and separate things, lumping them together is not only wrong but highly offensive.

Originally posted by Big Raging Loner
reply to post by Siddharta

 

Like the British PM David Cameron's apology recently for the Bloody Sunday Massacre. The only difference being, and quite an important one, that Fidel Castro was actually in power at the time of this systematic ill treatment of homosexuals.

But the gay thing is so PC, has become a posh thingy.

Let him send out some of his men and dig up all the bones of the dead he has had executed for nothing over his years....then we can talk.

reply to post by Logarock

But the gay thing is so PC, has become a posh thingy.

Unless, of course, you are gay, in which case it is your very life. I hope this softer side of Castro indeed brings about positive change in the lives of Cuban gays -- not just posh thingies but rights; unlike much of America where they still don't get it.

As for the rest of the country, should you ever decide to stop blockading them, they might just have a chance to prosper. You support communist China to the point where they will overtake you soon in wealth. There is no logic whatsoever in the American stance vs Cuba.

[edit on 9/1/2010 by wayno]

reply to post by wayno


What I am saying is that there were far more important things he could have repented about right off the bat. It looks like this issue with the gays was pushed to the top of the list for its current issue effect, they way it sells as the top priority issue of the world today....as if it is the current issue....never mind the many dumb old political pro-liberty or otherwise independent minded...yawn how boring....that rot in the graves.

Do tell Fidel how many Angolans did you have a hand in killing with youer export of "revolution?" Never mind that how many gay bars did you close down?

reply to post by Logarock


If you've got lots to repent for, it might be easier to start with the smaller things and work your way up. At the same time, a tiny crack in a structure could be the harbinger of the building about to fall down. Is this thing that seems insignificant to you like that crack?

I don't know if he will ever get to the bigger things, but one would hope so. Is he still an international figure, or just an old man at the end of his years?

If he does get serious about making things right, and makes an abrupt change in his publicly stated beliefs then he would indeed be an international figure again.

I wouldn't hold my breath tho.