... in response to Castro # 8 richest world leader, posted by Pete E on Feb 27, 2003I didn't know about Castro's wealth, at least that he had *that* much. I did hear about the video of the dinner party at the old egalitarian's extravagant home, which was smuggled out of Cuba for broadcast by an ex-girlfriend of one of Fidel's sons. So hearing he talks a socialist game while looting the country is no surprise, like Raisa Gorbachev shopping on 5th. Avenue with an American Express Gold Card while the folks back home were half starved.
One reason I am no longer interested in the FSU is the way the system has corrupted the souls of so many people, which is not merely incidental to the divorce rate of AM/RW. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to know that the same sort of thing is prevalent in Cuba. Two days ago this interview with Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, brother of Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, came out.
http://www.nationalreview.com/impromptus/impromptus022503.asp
Their father was best friends with Castro in their university days, and Castro was once married to their aunt, who is mother of "Fidelito". And by the way, you-know-who, don't even get started: all the Batista stooges are either dead or in nursing homes.
Two money quotes, the first one relating to international dating issues, the second relating to Pete's post (repeating his caveat, ignore it if you don't want to hear it):
(1) (the interviewer, no dummy BTW): "A Cuban-American friend of mine once told me, “You know, it takes a martyr-level courage even to function as a decent human being in Cuban society” — not to steal, not to inform, not to sell sexual favors, not to buy them, not to lie."
(2)"LD-B: No one wants a monster like that to die in power. That’s his only goal: to die in power. It’s kind of a sickening goal, but he has no goal with regard to family, with regard to personal relationships, with regard to love. Even Franco — I don’t defend Franco, who was a dictator and murderer — but I’ll give you one big difference between Franco and Castro: Franco loved his country. He loved Spain.
This fellow Castro is incapable of love. He hates the Cuban people. Despises the Cuban people. And it all comes from his earliest years. My father told me about this [...] Anyway, the thing is, the difference with Castro is that, unlike other dictators who have done horrible things, he doesn’t love his country. At least the others don’t hate their country. He hates his country. He’s a hater. Just a hater.
JN: But he must love communism, right? The international struggle?
LD-B: No, no! He’s never been a communist! Never! He’s an opportunist. The ultimate opportunist. He has no love for communism — he loves only himself."
Anyway, read the article if you're interested, or move on. But my foreign bride search doesn't have Cuba as a destination.
