Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 14:36:31 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: Edward Said: Iraq: Clinton's Rampage


Jean-Paul:

i wonder if you could elaborate a bit on what you
mean by "blood on his hands."  (While i think i 
know what you mean, a few historical examples by
way of comparison might be handy).  Is "less" blood
better?  Why tolerate any?  (i'm thinking of Stalin's
famous quote about one death being a tragedy and 
thousands being a statistic...)

As for Castro's social reforms being fantastic: that's
an arguable claim.  i'm wondering how the Cuban 
government's mistreatment of dissidents figures into
your assessment.  There's also the question of Cuban 
sponsorship of geurilla activities in Central and 
South America.  

It's dicey, i realize.  Resisting a dominant ideology
like capitalism (and its maidservant, democracy- which
often gets equated with freedom- which is often where
the rhetoric gets turned up to "11") is going to 
result in violence.  Resist the smiling face of Bib 
the Michelin man, Tony the Tiger or Ronald the clown 
and watch how fast you get accused of abusing human 
rights... and how fast they all sprout fangs.  At the
same time, vice in the defence of virtue is no virtue-
and Castro's record simply doesn't hold up.  

* * * 

Topic Shift:  i'm thinking about a paper on the 
relationship between colonialism and environmental 
degradation-- (it boggles my brain that people can 
be so blind to global warming-- anyone with a memory
longer than last year realizes we're knee deep in some
serious environmental kimchee) -- anyone know of some
helpful texts or organizations?

Thanks.

Lloyd Rang
UoGuelph 
> 
> Comparing Castro and Batista is like apples and oranges ... Castro is not
> perfect, but has considerably less blood on his hands than, say, Clinton or
> Chretien.  And his social reforms have been fantastic:  the country has a much
> higher literacy rate than the americans, and health care and education systems
> to be proud of.  Most surprisingly, the Cubans have achieved all of this while
> under the vicious and unnecessary economic sanctions imposed by the US.  :)
> 
> Jean-Paul Connock
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 


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