I know what it’s like to wear a false face. Not only did I have to lie at the airport, I had to conceal my identity from every single person I met in the country, including other Americans, lest someone say the wrong thing about me in public in front of the wrong person at the wrong time. I vowed to myself before I even left the United States that I wouldn’t tell a single human being in Cuba who I am or what I was doing no matter how much I felt like I trusted them. I hated having to do that, and I felt a little self-loathing because of it, but I had to be careful and consoled myself with the fact that I could be honest about everything later in writing.
Cuba would be a far different place if there was no embargo from the US. You see, socialism is the perfect system…if you can trade with America.
Did Totten ever think of not going if he was so uncomfortable with being there?
Just like Canadian sheeple that vacation there every year, they have no idea that they are perpetuating a repressive Communist regime. All I hear from them is that although poor, the Cubans are happy, happy, happy! When I suggest to them that perhaps if the people admitted they were unhappy, they could very well disappear.
He didn’t go there for vacation, he went there to deliver an honest report on the conditions there.
http://ctp.iccas.miami.edu/FACTS_Web/Cuba%20Facts%20Issue%2043%20December.htm
In the 1950’s Cuba was, socially and economically, a relatively advanced country, certainly by Latin American standards and, in some areas, by world standards.
Cuba’s infant mortality rate of 32 per 1,000 live births in 1957 was the lowest in Latin America and the 13th lowest in the world, according to UN data. Cuba ranked ahead of France, Belgium, West Germany, Japan, Austria, Italy, and Spain.
In 1955, life expectancy in Cuba was among the highest at 63 years of age; compared to 52 in other Latin American countries, 43 in Asia, and 37 in Africa.
In terms of physicians and dentists per capita, Cuba in 1957 ranked third in Latin America, behind only Uruguay and Argentina — both of which were more advanced than the United States in this measure.
Cuba has been among the most literate countries in Latin America since well before the Castro revolution, when it ranked fourth.
Cuba ranked fourth in the region in production of rice in 1958. Two of the countries ranking ahead of Cuba in rice production in 1958, Venezuela and Bolivia, have since seen their rice production grow by more than 28 fold through 2000… Cuba’s yields stagnated at 2500 kg per hectare, a negligible increase from the 2400 kg per hectare registered in 1958, according to UN FAO data.
This man set forth in writing the perfect hell of the vision of socialism, every control freak living Now wants to imprison us in. from drinking pop to eating peanut butter jelly sandwiches. From smoking to driving a personnel vehicle.To own land or have a future.
This is the Political classes Utopia.
Them at the top with everyone else controlled like cattle. With no say or hope. Families all but extinct. A land befit of God or joy.
An ever mouldering decent into a hollow existence.
Detroit as a blue print of decay.
This is socialism ideal.
With the treat of mass murder ever clouding the perceptions of its people in an always concious state of fear. A Nation lost in time, with no where to go but down.
While the elite live off the fat of other lands.
When these folks talk about Taking God out of school or allowing Principles to arrest 4 years old’s in the name of secularism. This is what they really want. Communism by any other name.
The means to assert control over every individual by unconscious fear. In the name of liberty.
Thanks for that link, Kate.
A very entertaining and informative narrative.
But but but
Dr Mendeleev Suzuki did a special on CBCpravda telling canada to follow Cuban farming practices. Surely there can’t be a better source than that
Totten was out slumming.If he wanted to see the real Cuba he could have gotten a letter of introduction from the leader of Canadas liberal party.Uncle Fidel himself would have given a guided tour.
Excellent article. I discourage anyone who tells me they are going to Cuba. I try and convince them to go to the Dominican Republic instead, why fund Castro and his oppressors?
I watch Venezuela with interest to see how the thrashings of that Communist utopia will come apart now that their strong man is dead. It always seems to be a cult of personality that keeps that kind of madness going, oh and other people’s money. Always lots of other people’s money.
Reminds me of my travel to East Germany…
Took a picture of the Leipzig train station (back then a big no no) and was spotted by a man on the platform; who promptly wound up in my cabin and attempting casual conversation asked me where I was going. Of course the authorities knew where I was going about six months in advance; because back then you needed a visa which delineated each city you were visiting and who you were staying with and for how long.
I then asked a few questions of my own, and asked him his profession to which he replied mechanic.
Noting that his fingers were immaculately kept and a soft hand grip with no hint of calluses; this character was an informant of the Stasi variety…
You just have to pay attention, observe and you’ll find out who’s who in short order. Also political discussions are a big public no no; if you want those, only with family, out of earshot of the ‘walls that have ears’.
Cheers
Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
I visited Cuba about 10 years ago. A friend was geting married in Matanza ,which is about 30 miles ftom Varadero. It may as well have been 3,000 miles. I was one of the first off the plane,but held for about 90 minutes because I was not going to Varadero. It was a spur of the moment trip and I did not have official reservations made,but I did have the name of the place that I was staying,and my buddy was waiting at the airport. They talked to him before they let me through.
Sure the people were nice,but you could tell they were not very open. Conversation about their life was discouraged. Some were well off,but most were dirt poor. Everything was regulated. We used a blck market cabbie who would have been in trouble if he was caught.
I did not take many pictures. I only had a few shots left on the roll in the camera when I arrived.Buying film was not an option. I wandered around the downtown and finally found film for sale.But,it was under lock and key and I was told that the person with the key was not in that day,maybe I could come back tomorrow.
Electricity and water in my ‘apartment hotel’ was not bad,but it could not be depended on to always be there.
On the plus side,rum was very inexpensive as well as cigars. The weather was great, but there were no real beaches where I was.No other tourists either.
It was interesting.However I have no desire for a return visit. Those who say that Cuba is a socialist paradise are wrong,dead wrong.
Great health system like the future Obamacare with hardly any medicine so that kindly Canadians bring antibiotics to an address learned about ahead of time. They also bring an extra suitcase full of shoes for kids since as in all communist countries there are never many ‘specialty’ shoes. Any leftover toothpaste, aspirins, shampoo, etc. are given to friendly people they meet, if possible outside of the resorts which are staffed by ‘friends’ of the regime.
Let us see now.
In the 1980’s working for an engineering company, a secretary, they called them then, and her husband working for Air Canada, both British, would go to Cuba every chance they got.
They would collect free pencils, pens, erasers from the supply rooms and ever so excitedly tell their coworkers how generous and good they are to take the stolen things to Cuba to give to the cheerful Cuban children. They would say how thankful, the cheerful Cuban children were.
They felt so good about themselves to give the stolen thing. They would say, the company has enough money to buy more.
Weren’t they sooo cool?
Had kind, of sort of family in BC, socialists, what else.
Nonetheless the guy of the family was really nice. Just ever so naïve about socialism.
They, too liked to go to Cuba with little useless trinkets to make themselves feel good. They would come home and tell everybody that could hear how generous they were taking useless stuff to the socialist paradise.
The guy would say that if they just tried it in Canada, the world would be so much better. Used to tell him that every time, everywhere it has been tried, it brought misery to people.
He would say that it would be different in Canada.
People really enjoy being lied to. People will suck it right in if there is a free stuff for them.
Never mind that it will be temporary while the wealth produced by free enterprise lasts.
There are those, reading this that will dismiss it as being propaganda, for no other reason than shutting their eyes, shutting their ears.
Waddya mean.
In not too distant future, it will be interesting to watch where is the USA going to get the money to continue operation when China gets restless.
The US have practically laboratory example of where are they heading a stone’s throw away, as some would say.
They have this silly idea that being Americans is the single and only reason that it can’t happen to them.
What can one say.
Was in Berlin many, many years ago, East Berlin that is. A trip set up by socialist youth organization in a communist run country
Our guide was of course a young German communist, though he was fond of The Beatles and The Yellow Submarine.
One evening the whole group went to the Unter den Linden where it continued to the Brandenburg’s Gate. So we stood on the east side leaning on those antitank iron things, staring and watching how the poor west was rotting away.
For whatever reason staring with the group, I just said loudly so the communist could hear it, “tepate mench”, (spelling?) and shook my head. If a stare could kill, I would be dead right there. Thankfully he kept it to himself.
Hilarious Lev:
Deppat : nm. loon, fool, schnook, woodenhead, stupid person (Slang)
deppat Mensch
Bis’ Deppat? or shortened Bis’ Depp? = Are you STUPID?
Usually accompanied by boxed ears when spoken by parents or raised glasses of beer amongst very close friends…
This phrase is usually reserved for someone you know really well and are drinking beer with; or used angrily in hurling abuse due to bad driving, politics or more importantly SOCCER matches.
Cheers
Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
One of our networks has been running lovely commercials for ‘Cuba Autentico’ (sp?) or ‘authentic Cuba’. Totten must be wrong. It looks beautiful. Colourful, vibrant and obviously happy, happy, happy.
They may be commies, but they apparently know how to find and hire top notch public relations people. Truth in advertising has seldom been more oxymoronic.
Their happiness is a form of a Potemkin village.
Revnant Dream, it seems that a significant percentage of the people want this, although they know not what they ask for.
Just read my book… cheaper than his will be and a lot more accurate.
http://www.mojitonovel.com
I cringe when acquaintances mention they’re going to Cuba for a cheap holiday. A friend can be told, an acquaintance not so much – they look at you cross eyed like you’re from Mars.
Same here, I say to them: “I could never enjoy myself knowing that the people kept out of my sight were suffering and that my money was for their communist government to help keep them that way”. And I look ’em hard in the eyes right back, no apologies.