Castro, a hero of the Left.

[#1]

Sad but not unexpected news - the death of Castro, a hero of the Left and one who for years with Cuban cigar in hand, gave the hawks of a America that well deserved two finger salute. Predictably Trump gives it the thumbs down.

Let's trust history will be kind to the man. Rest well comrade.

[#2]

Those who support the extreem left or right are rarely friends of the average person, many have fled from Cuba to a life in America and due to his decision to allow russian rockets in Cuba could have resulted in the end for most people.

Equally I accept some countries with extreem right wing views have a lot to answer for as well so his death whilst sad for many is no different to the many deaths that happen each day in the world.

[#3]

Extremes of both left and Right are reflections of the times, and Castro was not that of 60s.

Left wing yes, and very much so but rockets from Russia were in response to missiles at their throat from Turkey - a fact that many were unaware of at the time and kept under wraps as part of the deal for Russia to turn those ships around if Nato took those Jupiter ballistic missiles out of Turkey and Italy which of course they did - but you would not have read much about it at the time so biased was the press of the West. 

It saddens me no end to read of contempt for Castro when governments such as our own have, and sometimes in order to placate the Americans, supported the likes of Trujillo, Mobutu, Fulgencio Batista, Pinochet, Duvalier, Mugabe and many more right wing despots. 

You say his death is no different to others that happen @gleneagles - well only if it is seen in mortal isolation which it cannot be. The man was history in the making and he will be made history in his passing. You can count on it.

[#4]

Hello Minivan, Thank you for your very thoughtful response.  I think you have said all that is necessary.

[#5]

A hypocrite who lived the life of luxury at the expense of his people. He was a brutal dictator who ruled by fear. Amnesty estimated that last year alone over 8000 people were imprisoned by his regime. He did little for the average Cuban. I think they got it right in Little Havana over the weekend when they celebrated his death in the streets. 

[#6]

Regardless, he was still a hero of the Left who stuck his fingers up to Uncle Sam. As for being 'brutal dictator', I would rather support one of the left of the political spectrum rather than the extreme right as America did following the Trueman Doctrine. San Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile..... anyone?

All despotic regimes and all dwarf anything that Castro might or might not have done, and I know what side of history I would rather have been part of.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_Doctrine

[#7]

so the left oppressing and killing is better than the right oppressing and killing... not sure I get that.

[#8]

I have never understood how some people make a hero of someone and become totally blind to any faults they may have.

Perhaps not so important if the faults are minor but how can anyone support someone who has been directly responsible for the deaths of others.

If Castro was so good why did thousands leave Cuba and rejoyce at his death.

The ends do not always justify the means.

[#9]

Hero? Like Churchill you mean 

I am certainly not blind to his faults, but consider omelettes and eggs. All heroes are dubious and all are judged differently especially by history - Churchill of course with a mind on Gallipoli perhaps said history would be kind to him, because he would write it.....  or something along those lines.

See the bigger picture and see the bigger hero? Still Castro in my book.

PS. As a slight aside @gleneagles what world leader has never been responsible directly or otherwise for the deaths of others?  Some more than others of course, but consider amongst so many others, Kennedy et al in Vietnam, Blair over Iraq, Indira Gandhi and that debacle of death in Amritsar. Whataboutery perhaps, but the truth nonetheless.  

[#10]

@Minivanman

Your post has simply added to the point I was making. All the people you mention were not Hero's in my book for the reasons you mention, you are the one who claims Castro was a Hero.

Do I have any Hero's ? yes lots of them but few are famous, my Hero's are the ones who help others for no reward or for recognition, in short everyday people living their lives in difficult conditions, making sacrifices for their children to keep a roof over their heads, these are the real Hereos.

You can keep the ones you mention along with Castro they are not for me

[#11]

@gleneagles

.... and the point I was trying to make gleneagles leaving the word 'hero' to one side for the moment,  is that the majority of world leaders are answerable for a whole range of events and that to single out Castro as being some sort of number one nasty is if I may say so rather disingenuous. 

As for hero, well he was certainly no 'hero' in the boy scout sense of the word but he was certainly a hero of the Left and I would maintain that original description and as for having any yourself I did not ask that of you, I only asked what other world leader might consider in a better light than this man.