The rumor of Fidel Castro's demise appears to have been just that, but we all know that day is coming. I even had a fairly vivid, and somewhat weird, dream about it last night. I am tempted to share it now, because my wife says a dream recounted before breakfast will come true — in the dream, Castro dies in my house — but I'd rather not contemplate what the dream said about me. Even Freud would probably freak.
But seriously, who hasn't imagined what will happen in Cuba and in the United States when the dictator dies?
Sundries has an interesting scenario about how the mainstream media will report the news:
Depending on their ideological viewpoint, each news organisation will either completely ignore the tremendous evil this man had foisted on a nation of 10 million plus for almost 50 years, or to reduce their significance, by comparing the then and now, in as positive a light as they can.
The latter will include always mentioning the 99% literacy rates, and the free health care, his Socialist Revolution brought about.
No word about the lack of free elections during all this time; indeed, the fact this rich man's son, this ex-altar boy-turned lawyer-turned revolutionary, Fidel Castro has never once been elected to any position in Cuba, yet he, however, is the font of all power in his country.
They will not mention all the thousands and thousands of people he has imprisoned, nor the mock trials held to condemn his opponents to death, nor of the civil liberties he has taken away, such as freedoms of speech, assembly, association and religion, all these years.
The negative column is so bristling to capacity with infringements of the most basic kinds of liberties which most people not living in Communist dictatorships have, yet who are always prostesting they have little, or that that they are under siege by whatever current administration is in power.
If these self-same people had to endure EVEN ONE MOMENT of the very real lack of civil liberties Cubans have undergone these many years, they would find out how very lucky they truly are.
(Read the entire post here.)
When Castro dies, I may get to meet the author of the above passage, because it looks like we'll be headed to the same place.
Sundries continues:
Finally, I can tell you what would happen in South Florida, in Chicago, in New Orleans, in all the places where Cubans have been exiled, because this man took away their country from them.
IT WOULD BE CHAOS.
Glorious, happy, joyful, orgasmic, incredible chaos.
Waving Cuban flags! People outside of their cafecito bars! People dancing a conga in the streets, outside of Versailles.
Marvellous!
Furthermore, I pledge to all who read this, that wherever I am, when I hear that Fidel Castro has died, I will head immediately to 8th Street, La Calle Ocho, and shout to the heavens, giving thanks that this person has finally died.
It will be a dream come true.
(H/T to Babalú)
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