• WoodScientist@lemmy.world
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    10 hours ago

    No, Cuba is a dictatorship because after the guy in the green killed the guy on the throne, he just tool his place on the throne instead of holding free and fair elections.

    • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.mlOP
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      9 hours ago

      You should read up on Cuban Democracy. Not only is Cuba now more democratic than under Batista, a fascist slaver US puppet, Cuba is more democratic than countries like the United States.

      Those claiming Cuba does not have “free and fair elections,” without fail, are those who oppose their system of Socialism and wish for the US to recolonize Cuba.

      • ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml
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        9 hours ago

        I think it’s amazing when US people try to claim that other countries they know jackshit about are undemocratic, while having a Dr. Seuss-ass electoral system with legalized bribing that exclusively elects ghouls everyone despises.

        • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.mlOP
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          9 hours ago

          They wish to see Cuba recolonized, so they dismiss any claims that would get in the way of their moral standing in maintaining that stance. Ie, recolonization is better than living in a system where Castro (who isn’t president anymore, though I doubt they know that) eats babies or some nonsense.

          Because of this, they pile a large amount of lies on top of Castro (who again, isn’t president anymore) and demand the Cuban people be “freed” from themselves, ripe for the US to swoop back in and recolonize. If the Communists aren’t evil, then they can’t justify wanting to recolonize Cuba anymore morally.

          I recommend always Masses, Elites, and Rebels: The Theory of “Brainwashing.”

          • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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            9 hours ago

            It’s cool how you make broad assumptions about an entire nation of people while criticizing them for doing the exact same. Lol

            It’s not unreasonable to want to see Cubans thrive under a socialist government led by the people while simultaneously criticizing Castro for being an oppressive dictator.

            • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.mlOP
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              9 hours ago

              I am speaking of the subconscious roots of this. I think most people would generally say they want the Cuban people to succeed. However, the underlying base for how information about Cuba, and Castro in particular as a special “demon,” is interpreted is guided by bias. The essay I linked makes a great case for such a process explaining why people believe what they believe even in the face of proof to the contrary, provided by myself and other pro-Cuban commenters.

              It’s absolutely worth hearing Dr. Michael Parenti speak of the Cuban Revolution, who actually visited and spoke with Cubans on the ground.

              • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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                8 hours ago

                I didn’t intend to demonize him. He’s just not the man of the people that a small socialist nation needed to prosper. Castro wasn’t always authoritarian. I think he may have been kept in check by Che’s idealism, had he not died.

                • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.mlOP
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                  8 hours ago

                  Can you explain any of this, though? Why do you say he was a dictator? Why do you say he wasn’t a “man of the people,” what could he have done to better help his people prosper? Che and Fidel got along quite well, the anticommunist “left” mostly uses the fact that Che died early to support the idea that the Cuban Revolution was “betrayed,” it’s a convenient rhetorical technique that allows you to claim Leftist aesthetics while agreeing entirely with the US State Department, who wishes to recolonize Cuba.

                  • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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                    8 hours ago

                    Che and Fidel got along quite well

                    Absolutely. Fidel was more pragmatic compared to Che. My point was that I believe Che’s idealism could have had a positive effect on Fidel’s career had he survived.

                    Why do you say he was a dictator?

                    In 1959, Castro promised free and fair elections the following year. He was the longest-serving non-royal head of state in two centuries with a 50 year reign, and never held an election.

                    That’s a dictator.

                • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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                  8 hours ago

                  Dumbfuck Westerners are so ignorant that they think Castro is still alive, yet still feel they have the right to spout off on the topic of Cuban democracy.

                  • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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                    8 hours ago

                    I’m fully aware that Fidel died in 2016, and his brother Raul was elected into power in 2013.

                    None of that changes the fact that Fidel promised free and fair elections then proceeded to remain in power, without holding elections, for five decades.

            • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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              8 hours ago

              Dumbfuck Westerners are so ignorant that they think Castro is still alive, yet still feel they have the right to spout off on the topic of Cuban democracy.

      • mhague@lemmy.world
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        7 hours ago

        I’m flabbergasted that the official website of a political entity is being touted as evidence that the political entity isn’t perceived correctly.

        Forget about Cuba, or politics, or class, everything. This is not how you find the truth. What’s the thing I’m not thinking of that’s throwing things off balance? Why would someone link to North Korea’s official website to argue that North Korea is not so bad? What’s the use and whose it for?

          • ShinkanTrain@lemmy.ml
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            7 hours ago

            The only sources I trust: Prager U and the US State Department. And maybe some thinktank funded by the Koch brothers called something like Institute for International Freedom and Democratic Policy

        • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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          7 hours ago

          And this is why I think Cowbee is wasting his time trying to engage in good faith with shitlibs; you’ll always just worm your way out and find some excuse, because you’re not actually engaging in good faith, you’ve already decided what you believe, and because you’re supremely arrogant westerners, nothing will ever be as good as your gut feeling for you.

          • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.mlOP
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            6 hours ago

            To be clear, I have no illusions about mhague changing their mind, I engage for others who see the clear bad faith and contradictory logic to maybe have their minds changed.

            • TrippyFocus@lemmy.ml
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              5 hours ago

              Gotta say I really appreciate that you do this. I try to varying degrees when I have the time since like you said it’s usually so lurkers can have their minds changed but it can be time consuming.

              It’s really nice when others are jumping in to help and I see you posting great takes a ton.

              • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.mlOP
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                5 hours ago

                Thanks! It’s more of an evolution of myself over time, back in my Reddit days years ago I used to be such a debatebro. Now I try to be more chill and focus on education and unity, though when the obviously bad-faith users swarm in I try to call them out on that moreso than trying to focus on education. Sometimes I get great questions that help me reconsider things, sometimes people thank me over DMs or in comments, and either way it’s a great feeling.

                Thanks for the support!

        • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.mlOP
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          9 hours ago

          Watch the ableism with the claims of “insanity.”

          You really need to do more research. In Cuba, candidates are nominated by the people. The Party plays no role on this process. The actual elections are done with those that have been nominated, logically people will not change their mind. The United States hasn’t had a third party Candidate win the presidency either, that’s a silly sticking point for you.

      • MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world
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        10 hours ago

        Im a different poster than the last person and generally unfamiliar with the Cuban electoral structure, are they able to run non-communist/non-Marxist candidates? If they cannot legally do so they do not have free elections using the standard definition of “free elections”.

        • PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml
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          9 hours ago

          Yes they are, even wiki would show you there’s 28 unaffiliated members in Nation Assembly, and also you may read about how it look here - Cuba is way more democratic than literally every capitalist country.

        • Lad@reddthat.com
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          9 hours ago

          “Free” elections in Cuba would just mean immediate US vassalage. Influencing elections in the Caribbean and Latin America is a practically a US hobby.

          • Jerkface (any/all)@lemmy.ca
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            4 hours ago

            Right? It’s easy to bloviate about “free, democratic fair elections” when you’re the world’s superpower. When you live NEXT to the world’s superpower, there’s no such thing.

            • Cowbee [he/they]@lemmy.mlOP
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              8 hours ago

              Fantastically well said. Cuba’s a very democratic country, moreso than the US, so when people accuse it of not being so that can only mean they wish to remove the safeguards preventing US recolonization.

                • MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world
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                  9 minutes ago

                  Canada and Mexico both live next to the USA and both have freer and more fair elections than the USA so Im not sure your claim even makes sense on the surface.

                  According to another poster Cuba has non-Marxist candidates who can run. IF Cubans have the ability to completely cast aside the government, regardless of ideology, then they have free elections. If they cannot then they don’t have free elections.

          • MothmanDelorian@lemmy.world
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            6 hours ago

            If giving the Cubans the choice to no longer pursue Marxism resulted in them choosing to no longer follow Marxism why should that be stopped? If that was what the population wanted why should the state force them to adhere to an unwanted ideology?

        • BrainInABox@lemmy.ml
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          8 hours ago

          That idiot literally thinks Castro is still alive and that Cuba has a “throne”, don’t act like westerners have any idea about the specifics of Cuban elections law when they’re giving their ignorant opinions of it.