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Originally Posted by historycircus
I have read several good and balanced biographies of Castro - years ago I was fascinated by his politics. But he had a dark side, as a child and as a revolutionary leader. Cuba hasn't executed many people over the last couple of decades, but the two decades after the revolution were pretty rough for dissidents. Che G. might take issue with his benevolence as well.
I am not programmed to believe anything. I can say that American democracy is dead and Fidel Castro has a lot of innocent blood on his hands in the same sentence.
Please don't stop posting useful links and info over our disagreement.
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Oh, I won't! You might check out a fantastic movie called Fidel by Estela Brava. I think Americans and Brits killed and executed lots of Germans in WWII, some of whom were innocent, I'm sure. Revolutions are a bloody business, usually, though Chavez and Morales have, at least so far, been able to revolutionize their coutries through the ballot.
I'll share with you a quick story. I paid a visit to the Museum of the Revolution in Havanna, which has, among other things a life size mannequin of Che with a bad hair piece, which would have seem painfully pathetic had not our guide spoken so proudly of it, thereby reminding me that revolutions are about more than catchy displays. On a serious note, one of the exhibits included photos and instruments from what had been Batista's torture facility which is now a school of liberation. I nearly fainted from looking at these horrific instruments of torture, but this begs the question one has to ask in evaluating the morality and success of any endeavor, including revolutions and one which cannot be answered perhaps without the 20/20 hindsight that time provides. Did the revolution save more lives than it took and did it improve the lives of more than it harmed.
Another great film is I Am Cuba which depicts life before the revolution, a life comparable to that of present day Haiti.
I also really enjoyed reading the big red book called Che. If nothing else, the story of the Cuban revolution is a fascinating read.