Charles,
Thanks for a very thoughtful post. I have been reading Mary-Alice Water's
"Defending Cuba, defending Cuba's socialist revolution," in New
International 10 (1994) and she corroborates the claims you made in your
post. I have been terribly busy and haven't had a chance to refute the
false claims made by people on this channel, but your post takes care of
my having to find the time to do that. Richard Moore's arguments are on
target, as well. Again, thanks.
In keeping with your post, Charles, there is this NEWS from Cuba Cuban
News from Havana/Cuban Interests Section January 19, 1998/No. 152:
"Havana - Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina described Sunday's
General Elections in Cuba as unequivocal proof of the Cuban people's unity
and support of the Revolution. peaking with the national and international
journalists in Havana, the Cuban official pointed to the fact that 98
percent of eligible voters turned out and that 94.34 percent of the
ballots cast were for the full slate of 601 candidates of deputies to the
nation's parliament and 1192 delegates to provincial governments. Another
message resulting from the polling, Robaina said, was that both Cuban
President Fidel Castro and Vice President Raul Castro were re-elected with
more than 99 percent of the votes."
If people want to read alternative (and more objective) points of view on
Cuba, in contrast to the sort of stuff we are getting here from the
opponents of socialism, see
Cuba Solidarity Web Site
http://www.igc.apc.org/cubasoli/newscuba.html
Peace,
Andy