FIDEL CASTRO
Dr George Barnsby, May 29. 2008
Undoubtedly the most remarkable politician alive today is Fidel Castro.
The longest lived head of state in the world survivor of more than 200
attempts to assassinate him by George Bush and his Neo-Cons. A corner of his
tiny island occupied by American imperialists since the fall of the Spanish
Empire in 1898. The builder of the first Communist state in South America.
Thought to have died when he had to have intestinal surgery in 2007.
Literally, ‘risen from the grave’ to write the most important book of 2007
in which he discusses lucidly and logically statespersons of the past as well
as offering a blue-print of the new, multicultural world now arising from
the ruins of capitalism. This is the man I wish to discuss today because of
a statement that might well rank as the most important he has ever made.
Fidel puts questions for Obama in today’s Guardian, which I admire for
publishing something from Fidel which I doubt if other papers have done. So,
although the editor was a party to the closure of Bilston Community College
and refuses to publish anything by me in his paper it is particularly
important and one of the reasons I continue to buy it even if it is part of
the Commentariat lashed by Media Lens this week.
Fidel writes: It would be dishonest of me to remain silent after hearing
Barack Obana’s speech delivered at the Cuban American National Foundation
last Friday. I feel no resentment towards him, for he is not responsible for
the crimes committed against Cuba and humanity.
Fidel, never one to burke an issue, he used to give twelve hour speeches
in day gone by, so he puts the full charge brought by Obama against Cuba. He
goes on to say, what were Obama’s statements. Throughout my entirel life,
there has been injustice and repression in Cuba. Never in my lifetime have
the people of Cuba known freedom. Never in the lives of two generations of
Cubans have the people known democracy … I won’t stand for this injustice . . . I
will maintain the embargo. Oh, dear! here goes the lynchpin of my,
‘Irreversible Rise and Rise of the Ethnic Invincibles, since everyone knows
that the United Nations and more countries every year oppose the blockade.
However, let’s go on paraphrasing Fidel. Obama, portrays the Cuban revolutions
as anti-democratic. It is the same argument that US administrations have for
years justified crimes against Cuba. The blockade is an act of genocide. I
don’t want to see US children inculcated with these shameful values.
No small and blockaded country such as ours would have been able to
hold its ground for so long on the basis of deceit, ambition and vanity or
the abuse of power that its powerful neighbour has. To state otherwise is an
insult to our heroic people. I am not questioning Obama’s great
intelligence, his debating skills or his work ethic. He is a talented orator
and is ahead of his rivals in the presidential race.
Nevertheless I am obliged to raise a number of delicate issues. I do
not expect answers. I wish only to raise them for the record. Is it right
for the president of the United States to order the assassination of any
individual in the world? Is it right for the president to order the torture
of other human beings? Should state terrorism be used by a country as
powerful as the US as an instrument to bring peace to the planet?
Is an Adjustment Act applied as a punishment to only once country in
the world, Cuba, in order to destabilise it good and honourable when it
costs the lives of innocent women and children? Are the brain drain and the
continuous theft of the best scientific and intellectual minds in poor
countries moral and justifiable? Is it fair to stage pre-emptive attacks?
Is it honourable and sane to invest billions of dollars in the
military-industrial complex to produce weapons that can destroy life on
earth several time over? Is that the way in which the US expresses its
respect for freedom, democracy and human rights?
Before judging our country Obama should know that our country with its
educational,health, sports culture and science programmes, implemented not
only in its own country, but also other countries throughout the world,
All this in spite of the economic and the aggression of its powerful
neighbour is proof that much can be done on very little. Cuba has never
subordinated cooperation with other countries to ideological requirements.
We offered the US help when hurricane Katrina lashed the city of New
Orleans. Our revolution can mobilises tens of thousands of doctors and
health technicians and an equal number of teachers and citizens who are
willing to travel to any corner of the world to fulfil and noble purpose,
not to usurp rights or take control of raw materials.
The goodwill and determination of people constitutes limitless
resources that would not fit in the vault of a bank. They cannot spring from
the hypocritical politics of an empire.
End of statement. Surely no reasonable person could deny that Fidel
has won the day.
If Fidel does not expect a reply it is because to reply would lead to
argument that the opponent cannot win. This is so with our statement to
David Cameron that he will never be Prime Minister while he supports the war
in Iraq. He refuses to answer us presumably because he knows that he is in
the wrong. But we persist in requiring answers particularly from Richard
Cross, the chief executive of Wolverhampton, who refuses to answer our
question of Who Runs Wolverhampton. The same thing applies to our request
to Gordon Brown that he ceases support for the war in Iraq and brings the
troops home NOW. So although we now have acknowledgments of the Prime
Minister and Harriett Harman of our messages, we will share the fate of
Fidel in not expecting a reply. And this we will treat as a badge of honour.
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