John Stockwell on Visiting Cuba

[Mrdie]

1:35 to 3:00

I can understand the "Cubans wanted to talk about how awesome their country is and how they're beating us in Angola" sentiment, but I find it hard to believe that the meeting between Stockwell, the Central Committee member and the supposed anarchist wasn't staged. Such staging was a hallmark of "socialist" governments when it came to sympathetic outside observers and tourists.

[bapyou]

@Mrdie "Such staging was a hallmark of "socialist" governments when it came to sympathetic outside observers and tourists."

The idea that events in socialist countries are "staged" for outside visitors is one that's been propagated by the right-wing since 1917. Americans traveling to Cuba are free to roam around at will. Are they watched? Yes. They are watched by the Cuban people themselves, who want to protect their revolution, which has been under constant attack since 1959.

[Mrdie]

@bapyou I'm no right-winger but it still seems odd. Again, I'm not talking about the people talking to John Stockwell on the streets about how awesome the Cuban people are in Angola and such. There are books (like _Political Pilgrims_ by Paul Hollander) which, although indeed written by reactionaries, do show examples of such staged meetings similar to Stockwell's from Vietnam to Cuba to Nicaragua to the USSR and China.

[bapyou]

@Mrdie "staged meetings"

I always wonder: Why are the socialist countries under such a microscope? Consider: If socialism is such an inherently horrible system, why has the US spent billions to undermine every socialist government that's come into existence? The answer, of course, is simple: The US cannot abide a sucessful example of another way; our elites must maintain control. Do visitors from other countries ever see America's inner city slums? And where are the tourists in Palestine?

[RadioFreeWisconsin]

@Mrdie Do not waste your time with bapyou, he is what some might call "factually challenged."

[CULTURALTRAVELS]

@bapyou SUCH A GOOD SMART COMMENT! CUBA HAS NEVER AND WILL NEVER BE A THREAT FOR ANYONE, THE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS OF THE CIA AND PENTAGON ARE FOR EVERY HONEST, CONCIOUS AND HARDWORKING HUMAN BEING ON THIS PLANET!

[dac8555]

Strange how people are the same everywhere isn't it?