Parade magazine lists dictators

[j.guevara]

they had this to say about him:

Dictators rarely reform their behavior. However, an example of a change is that of the world's longest reigning despot, Fidel Castro, who has ruled Cuba with an iron fist since 1959. Initially, he gained support from rich and poor Cubans alike, who opposed the corrupt regime of Gulgencio Batista. Castro quickly adopted communism and destroyed Cuba's economy. During the early years, he executed or imprisoned thousands of Christians. After the worldwide collapse of communism between 1989 and 1991 and the loss of support from his traditional ally, the USSR, his behavior changed. Castro legalized Christianity. Today gospel crusades may be televised on the national television network. But he has refused to grant amnesty to the political dissidents and Christians jailed prior to 1991.

[Y2A]

Link please. Not just to confirm this but also to check out who the other 9 dictators are.

[Individual]

Yes I read that.

Complete crap really.

Forgot all of them, if nothing is posted by tomorrow, I shall grab the pamphlet from work and I will post the others. Left out some dictators that were extremely worse than some on there. Really was American propoganda. The things they had to say also, gave you no real information. Horrible article.

[Fidel Castro]

Dictators rarely reform their behavior

Dictators also rarely hold elections as in Cuba in 1997/98


who has ruled Cuba with an iron fist since 1959

An iron fist that has repelled an attempted invasion, built a health and education service to be proud of, and defied the will of the USA.


Initially, he gained support from rich and poor Cubans alike

Until agrarian reform and nationalisation. He still has majority support from the masses.


who opposed the corrupt regime of Gulgencio Batista

The UNITED STATES SUPPORTED DICTATORSHIP of Fulgenico Batista


Castro quickly adopted communism and destroyed Cuba's economy

Castro adopted communism in response to US agression, and the economy was ruined by the collapse of the Soviet Union, US embargo and travel ban. The economy is making slow recovery.


During the early years, he executed or imprisoned thousands of Christians

Christians = Henchmen of Batista and some CIA operatives within Cuba. Most fled to Miami, where the US has protected them from justice.


But he has refused to grant amnesty to the political dissidents and Christians jailed prior to 1991

Just as the Miami 5 have not been granted amnesty for protecting their homeland from US based terrorists. I doubt that the majority of those imprisoned in Cuba are not there wothout good reason, and at least these prisoners have been tried and charged unlike those men in Guantanamo Bay who are there it seems for no reason.

[Individual]

Like I had said, American Propoganda.

Got the list at work, here goes:

1: Kim Jong II, North Korea

2: Than Shwe, Burma

3: Hu Jintao, China

4: Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe

5: Crown Prince Abdullah, Saudi Arabia

6: Teodoro Obiang Nguema, Equatorial Guinea

7: Omar Al-Bashir, Sudan

8: Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan

9: Fidel Castro, Cuba

10: King Mswati III, Swaziland

To long to post what they had to say about each. Decide propoganda for yourself by order, and who is on the list.

[Saint-Just]

Castro is part of a class dictatorship, so is every other leader in the world. Of those leaders I think Kim Jong Il, Fidel Castro and Robert Mugabe are part of the most progressive class dictatorships.

[SittingBull47]

Yes, that list was shit. no wait, worse than shit...propaganda.

[Hoppe]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2004, 08:14 PM
Yes, that list was shit. no wait, worse than shit...propaganda.
Yes, they are actually quite nice people who are very interested in the well-being of their people. Only Huntao shouldn't be put on the list, the rest is crap.

[LuZhiming]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2004, 06:05 PM
Kim Jong II, North Korea

Than Shwe, Burma

Crown Prince Abdullah, Saudi Arabia
I actually agree with these three.

[Y2A]

Crown Prince Abdullah, Saudi Arabia

The U.S supports the Saud royal family you tools. But of course, American propaganda would never denounce an American ally............ tools.

[LuZhiming]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2004, 10:08 PM
The U.S supports the Saud royal family you tools. But of course, American propaganda would never denounce an American ally............ tools.
Actually, the U.S. media knows very well that the majority of U.S. citizens are ignoramos'. Therefore posting that would be of no threat. The U.S. also backs the listed dictator of Turkmenistan. You find me in that article the part where it says: "U.S. backed this dictator!"

[Y2A]

Yes, because Turkembashy supports the "war on terror", not all Americans are "ignorant" to these facts. Would you rather that the media be run by the state??? What other alternative is there?

[BOZG]

Oh no someone criticized our beloved leader, whatever shall we do.

[LuZhiming]

not all Americans are "ignorant" to these facts.

Of course they're not. Not all U.S. citizens have any sort of say in affairs either. But the majority of U.S. citizens are. There will never be much mainstream media reporting of outrage over U.S. support for the brutal murderers of Saudi Arabia. Just look at the amount of coverate for U.S. support for Saddam Hussein.


Would you rather that the media be run by the state???

It would make little difference. The media is the state's propaganda tool.


What other alternative is there?

What? Are you implying a relatively free media is not an option?

[el_profe]

Dont forget he does not let his people out of CUba, I saw yesterday how the wife of yankees cuban pitcher Jose Contreras, is not being let out of cuba to go to Nicaragua and will probably never be allowed to leave, also she has been arrested 2 times after Contreras escaped CUBA.
They also showed 2 cuban players that tried to escape , where caught and where banned from playing baseball in cuba and thrown in jail(but i think it wasnt for that long).

Please explain this anyone? why arent cubans allowed to leave?

p.s. PLEASE NO FUCKING DUMB ANSWERS LIKE "The USA does not let americans go to cuba" yes they can go through latin america, also we are talking about cuba.

[el_profe]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2004, 03:52 PM

Dictators rarely reform their behavior

Dictators also rarely hold elections as in Cuba in 1997/98


who has ruled Cuba with an iron fist since 1959

An iron fist that has repelled an attempted invasion, built a health and education service to be proud of, and defied the will of the USA.


Initially, he gained support from rich and poor Cubans alike

Until agrarian reform and nationalisation. He still has majority support from the masses.


who opposed the corrupt regime of Gulgencio Batista

The UNITED STATES SUPPORTED DICTATORSHIP of Fulgenico Batista


Castro quickly adopted communism and destroyed Cuba's economy

Castro adopted communism in response to US agression, and the economy was ruined by the collapse of the Soviet Union, US embargo and travel ban. The economy is making slow recovery.


During the early years, he executed or imprisoned thousands of Christians

Christians = Henchmen of Batista and some CIA operatives within Cuba. Most fled to Miami, where the US has protected them from justice.


But he has refused to grant amnesty to the political dissidents and Christians jailed prior to 1991

Just as the Miami 5 have not been granted amnesty for protecting their homeland from US based terrorists. I doubt that the majority of those imprisoned in Cuba are not there wothout good reason, and at least these prisoners have been tried and charged unlike those men in Guantanamo Bay who are there it seems for no reason.
HAHAHA, yes, one man elections, that is great, there is only one party and one presidential candidate. That is democracy at its finest.

IT is ridicolous that they depended on money from the USSR to survive, YOU ALL HATE AMERICA "EXPLOITATION" BUT YOU WANT THE EMBARGO LIFTED SO AMERICA CAN "EXPLOIT" CUBANS. ALSO THE TRAVEL BAN IS NOT THE CAUSE OF THERE PROBLEMS, MEXICO IS ONE OF THE MOST VISITED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD AND ITS STILL A PIECE OF SHIT.
LOL, imagine all the 60 year old americans flying to cuba to get laid with the 17 yr. old prostitutes, just like europens do now :lol: :lol:

He not only killed christians, he killed any political adversary. People that supported him during the revolution but stopped suporting him when they realized he was another dictator also got put in jail or killed.

[Fidel Castro]

El_profe, glad to see that you are still around, and as moronic as ever. You still show that your ideal of what makes a good leader and a good nation is to compare them to Western Ideals. Well, here goes,


one man elections, that is great, there is only one party and one presidential candidate

I recommend you read the book "Democracy in Cuba and the 1997-98 elections" by Arnold August as this can explain things in much more detail than I ever could. Also read the following quote:


The system in Cuba is based upon universal adult suffrage for all those aged 16 and over. Nobody is excluded from voting, except convicted criminals or those who have left the country. Voter turnouts have usually been in the region of 95% of those eligible .

There are direct elections to municipal, provincial and national assemblies, the latter represent Cuba's parliament.

Electoral candidates are not chosen by small committees of political parties. No political party, including the Communist Party, is permitted to nominate or campaign for any given candidates. Instead the candidates are nominated by grass roots assemblies and by electoral commissions comprising representatives of all the mass organisations.
The municipal elections are the cornerstone of Cuba's political structure. They comprise delegates who have great authority amongst the local population and who are elected for reasons of known integrity, intelligence, hard work and honesty.

The elections to the provincial and national assemblies (Cuba's regional and national parliaments) follow a different procedure. For deputies to the national assembly the nominating process involves proposals from the municipal councils.

In addition to receiving nominations from different organisations and institutions, the candidacy commissions carry out an exhaustive process of consultation before drawing up a final slate. In the February 1993 elections they consulted more than 1.5 million people and established a pool of between 60 and 70 thousand potential candidates before narrowing it down to 589.

The nominating process and the huge participation in the last election clearly show that the deputies to Cuba's parliament enjoy massive public support.

And your next point:


IT is ridicolous that they depended on money from the USSR to survive

Ermmm, I am afraid that they did depend heavily on trade and subsidies from the Soviet Union before the collapse, who the hell do you think they were supported by, Sweden? The evidence for this is plain, when the USSR collapsed, Cuban exports dropped by 60%. I think that shows quite clearly that the Cubans were heavily dependant on the USSR.


YOU WANT THE EMBARGO LIFTED SO AMERICA CAN "EXPLOIT" CUBANS

I want the embargo lifted so that a normal trade relationship can be established between the two nations, both of which would stand to make gains. We are talking about normal trade here, not Nike sweat shops.


ALSO THE TRAVEL BAN IS NOT THE CAUSE OF THERE PROBLEMS

I never said it was the cause of their problems, but it ADDS to their problems. It dosn't take a genius to work out that a nation who's main source of income is now tourism stands to make considerable losses when a potential thousands of tourists are unable to visit.


LOL, imagine all the 60 year old americans flying to cuba to get laid with the 17 yr. old prostitutes, just like europens do now

Actually, most Europeans who wish to hanf around hookers go to Amsterdam where it is legal, cheap and accessable. Every nation has prostitutes, because it is a very easy way to make large amounts of money. No matter how successful a nation is there will still be prostitutes. At least when I go to Cuba I won't expect to see men pimping children as young as 8 or 9 as you can see in places like Bangkok.


he killed any political adversary

I suppose that the thugs working for Batista who tortured, exploited, stole and terrorised the Cubans should have been given rooms in a 5 star hotle in your oppinion. Those that were executed were tried, and found gulty, justice was served. Those that were jailed were also tried, again justice was served. No torture, no beatings, just plain sentencing. Of course fome of the scum managed to escape justice by fleeing to Miami, where with any luck they may rot until they lie stinking in the earth! :P

[el_profe]

Its amazing you actually believe those elections are real elecitons, when you have people form the same party running, its not exactly democracy. You actually think they would let a non-communist or socialist run? no.

Also why arent people allowed to leave cuba? you didnt answer that question, look at my previous post to see the example I gave.

[toastedmonkey]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25 2004, 06:05 PM
5: Crown Prince Abdullah, Saudi Arabia
How can he be a dictator???
dont they know he was installed in his place by god as are all monarchies!

He has a god given write to rule.

[Saint-Just]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26 2004, 04:30 PM
Its amazing you actually believe those elections are real elecitons, when you have people form the same party running, its not exactly democracy. You actually think they would let a non-communist or socialist run? no.

Also why arent people allowed to leave cuba? you didnt answer that question, look at my previous post to see the example I gave.
You don't seem to have a proper grasp of communism. If anyone wants to run against Castro they should be locked away, the same if they try to leave the country without the permission of the government. Communists do not have the same concept of democracy as liberals, we have an entirely different philosophy and we don't care if Castro executes political dissidents or stops certain people from leaving the country.

The people on this site who argue that countries are not democratic because they execute political dissidents or stop certain people from leaving the country subscribe to the same western capitalist weltanschaung that you do.

[Hate Is Art]

we don't care if Castro executes political dissidents or stops certain people from leaving the country.


Hold On, speak for yourself, I mind if castro kills political dissidents for no reason. I can exept the trials after the revolution when people were tried and found guilty if so they were dealt with accordingly, but if someone believes in something different they shouldn't be locked away they should be educated.

[Fidel Castro]

El_Profe, you appear to have an obsession with political parties, as if a nation's level of democracy can be calculated by adding how many political parties there are. The communist party does not choose candidates, see below quote:


No political party, including the Communist Party, is permitted to nominate or campaign for any given candidates

Also, in response to your totally incorrect point that no Cubans are allowed to legally leave Cuba I can tell you that in fact Cuban's can go abroad under the condition that they know someone in the country they are visiting.

If you are also referring to immigration, remember that when Fidel did allow Cubans to leave for Miami legally the United States were up in arms. The US have also broken down recent talks with the Cuban government on immigration issues.

[Osman Ghazi]

If you are also referring to immigration, remember that when Fidel did allow Cubans to leave for Miami legally the United States were up in arms. The US have also broken down recent talks with the Cuban government on immigration issues.

Weren't they all criminals though? Or is that just Scarface talking?

El Profe, your version of democracy is America where they have two political parties who have exactly the same platform. They say Republicans are the party of ;rich white men' but the democratic candidate Kerry would be the third-richest pres in history. If anything, he's richer, and whiter than Bush! That's democracy alright.

[el_profe]

Originally posted by Chairman Mao+Feb 26 2004, 05:35 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Chairman Mao @ Feb 26 2004, 05:35 PM)
[email protected] 26 2004, 04:30 PM
Its amazing you actually believe those elections are real elecitons, when you have people form the same party running, its not exactly democracy. You actually think they would let a non-communist or socialist run? no.

Also why arent people allowed to leave cuba? you didnt answer that question, look at my previous post to see the example I gave.
You don&#39;t seem to have a proper grasp of communism. If anyone wants to run against Castro they should be locked away, the same if they try to leave the country without the permission of the government. Communists do not have the same concept of democracy as liberals, we have an entirely different philosophy and we don&#39;t care if Castro executes political dissidents or stops certain people from leaving the country.

The people on this site who argue that countries are not democratic because they execute political dissidents or stop certain people from leaving the country subscribe to the same western capitalist weltanschaung that you do. [/b]
thanks for proving my point, so communism cannot be achieved only if human rights are violated, like being put in jail for wanting to leave the country and killing anyone who has a different opinion.

So you care for people as long as, they dont speak there mind, they dont ry to leave a country, they dont have the same political view and if they dont think like you they should be killed, what a great system.

You actually do more damage to communism than good.

[el_profe]

Originally posted by Osman [email protected] 27 2004, 01:36 AM

If you are also referring to immigration, remember that when Fidel did allow Cubans to leave for Miami legally the United States were up in arms. The US have also broken down recent talks with the Cuban government on immigration issues.

Weren&#39;t they all criminals though? Or is that just Scarface talking?

El Profe, your version of democracy is America where they have two political parties who have exactly the same platform. They say Republicans are the party of ;rich white men&#39; but the democratic candidate Kerry would be the third-richest pres in history. If anything, he&#39;s richer, and whiter than Bush&#33; That&#39;s democracy alright.
NO its not, im not american, democracy is actually having a choice, Obvioulsy that does not happen in Cuba and in the USA is sort of does not happen, since democrats and republicans are almost the same thing. the difference is mor eparties are allowed to run in america, while in Cuba, you only get to choose from communist.

And yes, Castro did sen criminals to the USA when he let cubans go in the early 1980&#39;s.

Do you support the fact that cubans are not allowed to leave there country?
Look at the cuban baseball players some cant get there families out of cuba because the cuban gov. does not let them out

[el_profe]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26 2004, 10:25 PM
El_Profe, you appear to have an obsession with political parties, as if a nation&#39;s level of democracy can be calculated by adding how many political parties there are. The communist party does not choose candidates, see below quote:


No political party, including the Communist Party, is permitted to nominate or campaign for any given candidates

Also, in response to your totally incorrect point that no Cubans are allowed to legally leave Cuba I can tell you that in fact Cuban&#39;s can go abroad under the condition that they know someone in the country they are visiting.

If you are also referring to immigration, remember that when Fidel did allow Cubans to leave for Miami legally the United States were up in arms. The US have also broken down recent talks with the Cuban government on immigration issues.
LIES LIES AND MORE BS.
So only if you know someone you can leave? weir, cause that example I gave of the wife of cuban pitcher Jose contreras, obvioulsy know someone in Nicaragua(her husband) yet they dont want to let her leave?
they are desroying that family.

They are not allowed to leave, I dont see Mexico saying to its peole they cant move to another country, that does not happen in Brasil, or argentina. Why does it happen in Cuba? what is so bad about letting people that want to go, go and move to another country?