Recent May Day Parade in Cuba - Questioning its validity

[Dan Majerle]

I was watching the news today and i came across a small report on the May Day Parade in Cuba's Revolution Square. There were 1 million Cuban's there who stood for hours whilst people like Castro and others spoke, criticising the U.S. and Latin America as well as lauding the revolution's achievements. However such images of 1,000,000 people in Havana waving Cuban flags and chanting in rhythm "Fidel Fidel" made me wonder how much of that was simply a spontenious march against the U.S. and for the government, and how much was orchestrated by the government themselves. Not entirely dissimilar to what Hitler used to do when he was making a speech or parading, it got me thinking maybe these people were picked up by government vehicles and buses and transfported to the capital for the annual parade, maybe if people didn't go they would be blacklisted or something. I just can't see 1,000,000 people marching on their own accord for Castro's government. What do you guys think?

[Fires of History]

Sigh...

First of all, the May Day celebrations were not 'spontaneous.' May Day has become one of the most important days on the Cuban calendar, as a way of expressing national unity as well as solidarity of workers. People didn't just get up and spontaneously decide to go to some May Day parade.

Secondly, the notion that the Cuban government rounded up 1,000,000 people to force a fake May Day rally is absurd. Who picked those specific million? Why those million? Or did they just throw the first million they found?

Thirdly, the Hitler inference is somewhat...inappropriate. If you put Castro and Hitler in the same category, well then I guess I see why you posted this.

You said, "I just can't see 1,000,000 people marching on their own accord for Castro's government."

Well, apparently you can't. But they did. Is it really so hard to imagine that there are people out there who don't think the amerikkkan 'dream' and the amerikkkan way of life is what the everyone needs?

If there is anything that can be said about Cuba it is this: They, more than any other country on the face of the Earth, have bended the least to amerikkkan pressure. Perhaps that is why the U$ hates Cuba so much to this day. Cuba simply refuses to sway under amerikkkan pressure to change. One has to respect that in an environment of amerikkkan-ass-kissing around the globe.

[RedCeltic]

Have you ever seen the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade on TV? Do all those people line 5th Ave, who are from all over the countery... Thousands of them... do they just get up in the morning and decide to go to a thanksgiving day parade? Or does the US Government round them up and transport them all to 5th Ave New York City?

Neither, it's a big event and people who want to be part of it make their plans in advance.

But obviously people in Cuba couldn't want to do something fun like participate in a parade... so Castro must be forcing them to march 'eh?... what rubbish!

[PunkRawker677]

May Day is frantically celebrated in Cuba. It is one of the few events that people from all over the island gather at their own will to parade, and party. In the day, it is usually made up of speeches, and various lectures, usually by politicians, and high placed proffesors. At night, the square becomes a gigantic dance floor, and the whole island completly explodes with music and dancing. (i got to see this in '92 - i got it on camera too)